FOUR DAY THEATRE FESTIVAL  CONCLUDED

FOUR DAY THEATRE FESTIVAL  CONCLUDED

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RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

PATNA-----------------------On the last and concluding day of the four-day theatre festival organised by the National School of Drama, NSD, Rangmandal (New Delhi), a highly successful and powerful play, "Babuji", written by renowned storyteller Mithileshwar and directed by Rajesh Kumar, was staged in the Bhaav auditorium of the local Premchand Dharamshala. The well-balanced performances of all the actors, attractive costumes, stage decoration, impressive lighting and sound, and melodious music brought the play to life and created the desired impact on the entire audience. As a result, the audience in the packed auditorium greeted the artists with thunderous applause.

Patna's theatre organisation, "Prangan", honoured all the artists from Delhi by presenting them with Ang Vastram.

NSD Rajesh Kumar, Director of Rangmandal, Shashthi Repertory, New Delhi, was also overwhelmed with joy and honored Soma Chakraborty, Suman Kumar, and senior poet, writer, and journalist Dr. Bindeshwar Prasad Gupta by presenting them with Ang Vastram. The National School of Drama (NSD) Rangmandal, as part of its Diamond Jubilee series, Rang Shashthi, commenced its travelling theatre festival in Patna. The four-day festival concluded on September 19th with the staging of the play "Babuji."

Four plays—Taj Mahal Ka Tender, Band Gali Ka Aakhri Makaan, Baayein, and Babuji—were performed during the festival. These performances entertained audiences and inspired them to reflect on social and humanitarian concerns.

Babuji is based on a story by senior Hindi litterateur Shri Mithileshwar, adapted by Vibhasanhu Vibhav, and conceived and directed by Shri Rajesh Singh. Based on the Nautanki style, this performance particularly impressed the audience with its musicality and emotional depth. Shri Mithileshwar himself was present on the closing day and encouraged the artists.

During the festival, a theatre workshop was organized for local children and youth, inaugurated by senior theatre personality Shri Sanjay Upadhyay. A symposium on the contemporaneity and social impact of Indian theatre was also held, where theatre artists such as Rajesh Singh, Punj Prakash, Parvez Akhtar, and Shrikant Kishore shared their views.

Following the successful Patna event, the Rangmandal will perform in other cities of Bihar—Purnia, Begusarai, Motihari, and Bhawal (Ramnagar). After this, the Rangmandal will return to New Delhi via Patna.

On this occasion, prominent eminent artists of the city, director Mithilesh Kumar Singh, Suresh Kumar 'Hajju', Suman Kumar, Abhay Sinha, Parvez Akhtar, Dharmesh Mehta, Uday Kumar, Vinay Kumar, Vineet Kumar, journalist Vinod Anupam, Dr. Bindeshwar Prasad Gupta, Soma Chakraborty, Dr. Vinay Kumar, etc. were present.