NSD to organise 5-day Srinagar Theatre Festival from next week

Srinagar, Nov 4 (PTI) The National School of Drama (NSD) is organising a five-day Srinagar Theatre Festival here from the next week, during which a number of plays will be staged.

Addressing a press conference in Srinagar on Saturday, Chief of the Repertory Company, NSD, Rajesh Singh, said the festival is being organised in collaboration with the J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages from November 6-10.

The NSD Repertory Company will perform its play for the first time in Srinagar, Singh said.

Earlier, it had organised the Summer Theatre Festival 2023 at different locations in Odisha and Delhi, reaching about 1,04,000 people through different segments of the festival, he said.

The company has been providing a professional platform for the graduates of the NSD and other theatre schools as well as experienced theatre practitioners of India.

Singh said the inaugural ceremony of the festival will be graced by Secretary, J&K Academy of Art, Culture & Languages, Syed Abid Rasheed Shah, as the guest of honour, while Bharat Singh Manhas and Bashir Dada will be the special guests.

On the occasion, the inaugural address will be delivered by Chairperson, NSD Society, Paresh Rawal.

“Laila Majunun”, a play written by Ismail Chunara and directed by Padma Shri Ram Gopal Bajaj, will be showcased in the Inaugural ceremony,” Singh said.

Various plays will be staged during the festival, including “Khoob Ladi Mardaani Subhadra Ki Zubani” written by Asif Ali and directed by Bharti Sharma, “Maai Ri Main Ka Se Kahun” a musical play based on Vijaydan Detha’s story Dhuvidha and directed by Ajay Kumar, “Andha Yug” written by Dharamvir Bharti and directed by Padma Shri Professor Ram Gopal Bajaj and “Taj Mahal Ka Tender” written by Ajay Shukla and directed by Chittaranjan Tripathy.

The entry to the theatre would be free of cost on a ‘first come first serve’ basis, he added.