The monthly seminar organized at Sanskar Bharti’s central office ‘Kala Sankul’ in New Delhi proved to be a memorable occasion for art and culture lovers. In this year’s event, renowned theatre artist and Sangeet Natak Academy Award winner Shri Lokendra Trivedi presented his views on the topic “Our rich theatre-music tradition woven in folk theatre and its use in the present times”.

The programe began with lighting of lamps and the motto song of Sanskar Bharti. On this occasion, along with the team of Sanskar Bharti, many senior litterateurs, theatre artists and artists of the city were present. Prominent guests included former Secretary of Hindi Academy, Delhi, Hari Suman Bisht, senior theatre artist J.P. Singh, Nisha Trivedi, renowned Chhau Guru Sapan Acharya, Suresh Shetty, Vashisht Upadhyay, Bhupesh Joshi and many other eminent names.

Lokendra Trivedi’s lecture organized in the monthly seminar of Sanskar Bharati was an excellent effort to highlight the depth of Indian folk theatre tradition and its rich cultural heritage. Trivedi discussed his topic “Our rich theatre-music tradition woven in folk theatre and its use in present times” in a very simple, effective and factual manner.

His lecture style not only brought forth the features of folk theatre like Nautanki, Yakshagana, Bhavai, Tamasha, but also explained the relevance of these genres in the perspective of the new age. He stressed the need to preserve these ancient genres in the technological age and explained how connecting the new generation to them is the need of the hour.

The most notable part of the programme was that he raised the issue of making the collection of folk theatre available to the general public at the government and non-government level. This suggestion can be an important step towards preserving the Indian cultural heritage and taking it to new heights.

The Q&A session in the seminar made the dialogue between the audience and the lecturer more effective. The management, conduct and participation of the program show that Sanskar Bharti is not only a pioneer in the promotion of Indian art and culture, but is also active in connecting it with the new generation.

The seminar was conducted very effectively by Garima Rani. The contribution of “Kala Sankul” arrangements in-charge Mr. Digvijay Pandey, coordinator of the dance music seminar Shruti Sinha, co-convenor Vishwadeep, guide senior theatre artist Shyam Kumar and Raj Upadhyay was especially commendable in the success of the program. Apart from this, Harshit, Brajesh, Vijendra, Satyam and Shivam also played an important role in making the event successful.

In the end, the theatre seminar coordinator Mr. Kuldeep Sharma presented the vote of thanks. This event proved to be inspirational and informative for Indian folk art and theatre lovers. Such initiatives will definitely help in preserving and enriching our cultural heritage.

Delhi based Natsamrat again came up with its plays which were full of laughter and four plays which were loved by the audience.

Two plays were staged on 16th November. At 3:00 PM Anton Chekhov’s famous story “The Proposal” was staged. The Proposal is the story of a young man who proposes marriage to his neighbour’s unmarried daughter. The story turns worse when the three of them start arguing over whose property it is and whose dog is better. At 4:15 PM the same evening, the play “Kallu Barber MBBS” written by Moliere was staged in which a barber is always drunk and beats his wife. The barber’s wife promises herself that she will teach her husband a lesson. During this time she meets two servants who are looking for a doctor to cure their master’s daughter’s muteness. The barber’s wife tells him that there is such a doctor here, but he does not consider himself a doctor until he is beaten up properly. Both the servants beat up the barber and force him to become a doctor and take him to their master. Later on, the play takes a very interesting turn.

On 17th November, two plays were staged. At 3 pm, the play “Haye Mera Dil” written by Ranbir Singh, which is the story of a delusional patient who believes that he is going to die and is worried about what will happen to his wife after him, she is very innocent, she will not be able to take care of herself, so he wants to get his wife married again. And later on, the play takes a different turn. At 4:15 pm the same evening, the play “Kambakht Ishq” written by Satya Prakash, which is the story of two old people who have fallen ill due to loneliness and when they meet each other, they understand that they need a support, so that they can share their loneliness.

All the four plays were directed by Shyam Kumar. Among the actors Vishwajeet, Munmun, Shivangi, Arvind Shandilya, Aman Kumar, Vansh Rathore, Raman Kumar and Shammi Yadav played their roles brilliantly. Stage managers Sunil Rathore and Suraj Singh, stage manager assistants Himanshu and Nisha, makeup Payal, costume assistants Rohit Prasad and Rekha Devi, music director Vansh Rathore. The play was staged at LTG auditorium Mandi House New Delhi.

On November 10, the Mask Players Art Group brought to life Jayvardhan’s comedy play Gorakhdhanda at Gurugram’s Rang Parivartan Auditorium, delighting audiences with laughter and charm under the skilled direction of Chandrashekhar Sharma.

The storyline of Gorakhdhanda is a clever, layered satire on deception and morality, following the antics of a crafty property dealer and his equally sly servant. The two exploit a unique business model—illegally renting out government houses. Enlisting the help of a resourceful actor friend, they devise numerous ways to extract extra money from unsuspecting tenants. They pose as fake police officers, manufacture absurd emergencies, and even cut off tenants’ cable wires, all to manipulate and swindle money out of them.

However, their clever games reach a turning point when they encounter a new tenant, Geeta, a quick-witted woman who begins to see through their schemes. Unlike previous tenants, Geeta decides to fight back, taking matters into her own hands. Her pushback throws the scheming trio into a spiral of missteps, confusion, and unintended consequences. This leads to a brilliantly funny climax, where each character is forced to confront the absurdity of their deception, making for a deeply engaging and humorous plot twist.

Chandrashekhar Sharma’s direction is seamless, reflecting both his understanding of the play’s humor and his ability to highlight social commentary without losing the comedic essence. Sharma managed to balance the farcical elements of the story with a simplicity that made the scenes relatable and accessible. His careful pacing kept the audience engaged, and he ensured that every punchline landed. The transitions between scenes were smooth, and the intricate dynamics between characters were allowed to unfold naturally, making for a cohesive performance that held the audience’s attention from start to finish.

The cast of Gorakhdhanda shone on stage, each actor embracing their character with authenticity and energy. Ashish Sharma, Nikhil Jha, Eva Dandona, Pushkar Sagar, Ashutosh Srivastava, Jatin, and Mayank Sharma added rich layers to the play with their roles, enhancing the comedic timing and providing moments of slapstick that were both skillful and hilarious.

Together, the ensemble cast displayed a natural chemistry, enhancing each other’s performances and creating a lively atmosphere on stage. Their nuanced expressions, quick timing, and humorous dialogues conveyed not only the humor but also the subtle social critique embedded in the play.

Behind the scenes, a dedicated technical team brought the world of Gorakhdhanda to life with admirable precision. Sarita Rana, Manoj, Rakesh Sharma, Sangeeta Suyal, and Mamta Rani were instrumental in handling the set changes, props, and lighting that supported the narrative. Their efforts ensured that each scene flowed effortlessly, with no disruptions, adding polish to the production. The set design was simple but effective, allowing the audience to focus on the characters while still providing the necessary realism for the setting. Lighting and sound cues were timely, which helped to heighten the comedic moments and emphasized the shifts in tone as the story progressed.

For those who missed the Gurugram performance, there’s good news—the play will be staged again on November 16 at Blank Canvas Studio, Mandi House, New Delhi, promising another evening of laughter and insight.

On the 14th and 15th of September, *Saiyan Bhaye Kotwal* was staged by New Delhi Performers at Alliance Française de Delhi, Lodi Estate, New Delhi, under the direction of Basab Bhattacharya. This musical comedy play, a Hindi adaptation of the renowned Marathi play *Vichha Majhi Puri Kara*, originally written by Vasant Sabnis and translated into Hindi by Usha Banerjee, focused on the theme of corruption. Through humor, music, and lively performances, the play delivered sharp satire.

Performed by the talented cast of *New Delhi Performers*, the play balanced entertainment with a strong message. It offered incisive commentary on power, greed, the inefficiency of administrative systems, making critical observations through its humorous lens.

The music and dance elements were key in keeping the audience engaged. The main objective of the play highlighting corruption through satire was successfully conveyed. Costumes and choreography were commendable, adding a vibrant touch to the performances. The inclusion of contemporary film songs connected the play to the present day, allowing the audience to relate to the storyline more effectively.

The performances were a highlight, with Dhruv Sharma playing Maharaj, Animesh Singhal as Hawaldar, Arpan Arora in the role of Pradhan, and Abhishek as the energetic Sipahi. Chetna portrayed Mainavati, while Ritwik Marwah took on the role of Kotwal. Saurabh Bhutoria, in the role of Sakhiya, won the audience’s applause with his stellar performance. The narrators, Hardik and Sheetal Marwah, added a guiding presence to the story. Behind the scenes, Vedant and Rinki lent their voices, while Dinesh played the harmonium and Harsh took charge of the dholak. Ved Deep led the Music, and Ritesh handled the lighting design.

Overall, *Saiyan Bhaye Kotwal* offered an engaging musical experience where the blend of music and lively performances drove the story forward. The cast’s energetic presentation ensured that the audience left the theater entertained and impressed.

On August 4, 2024, Mask Players Art Group performed the play “Prem-Parinde” at the Rangparivartan Auditorium in Gurugram. Written and directed by Chandrashekhar Sharma, the play delves into the modern trend of forming romantic relationships without understanding their depth, turning it into a social pressure for today’s youth. This phenomenon is leading to crimes in the name of love and causing familial disintegration. Additionally, social media is exacerbating the situation, with students prioritizing creating reels over building their future.

The play conveys its serious message in a humorous manner. The main character, Nisha, is a fan of a superstar and is so obsessed with movies that she lives her life in a cinematic way. This obsession leads her to fall in love with Rajan, a loafer who resembles a superstar, and she even finances his expenses. Their movie-like love story reaches a point where they realize they have only been deceiving each other under the guise of love and don’t truly understand what love is.

The roles were well-portrayed by Pooja Singh as Nisha, Ashish Sharma as Rajan, Rakesh Sharma as the father, Hansika Jain as the wife, and Parth Srivastava as Bhola. The actors’ timing was impeccable, adding to the entertainment of the audience. Behind the scenes, Nikhil Jha handled the lights and Mayank Sharma managed the music, both contributing significantly to the success of the presentation.

The play, while tickling the audience’s funny bones, conveyed a profound message relevant to today’s youth.

Rohtak. Five different plays are being staged in the five-day National Drama Festival organized by Haryana Institute of Performing Arts Rohtak, Pathania World Campus, Zad Global School and Department of Art and Cultural Affairs Haryana. The play “Popcorn” directed by Kedar Thakur of Shimla and written by Ashish Pathak, the play Kambakht Ishq directed by Shyam Kumar of Delhi and written by Satya Prakash Darwa, “Sandhya Chaya” directed by Sunil Chauhan of Delhi and written by Jayant Dalvi, the play “Saiyaan Bhaye Kotwal” directed by Vishaw Deepak Trikha of Rohtak and written by Vasant Sabnis and the play “Bonus Show” directed by Kajal Suri of Delhi and written by Aziz Qureshi will be staged.

The second evening of the five-day National Drama Festival was dedicated to the presentation of Natsamrat Delhi’s ‘Kambakht Ishq’. In this play directed by Shyam Kumar, the truth and essence of the life of the elderly was depicted in a very interesting way. This presentation full of humor tickled the audience a lot.

The plot of the comedy drama Kambakht Ishq revolves around two elderly people for whom their children do not have time. Due to the busy life and lack of love from children, the elderly try to attract the attention of children in the guise of love. The children’s problems increase when both the elderly people fall in love with each other and start meeting secretly.

The drama was successful in giving the message that people forget that ‘a true companion is needed the most in old age, to share one’s feelings.’ This problem and the struggle of loneliness in old age was seen in this presentation with a touch of laughter.

The actors presented the story of the drama in a very interesting manner and received a lot of applause from the audience. Sanjay Basliyal in the role of Kishan and Munmun in the role of Radha won everyone’s heart with their excellent acting. PK Khyal in the role of doctor, Aman Kumar in the role of Jai, Shivangi in the role of Leela and Raman Kumar as compounder also impressed. Sunil Rathore and Rohit Prasad were the stage managers while Suraj and Lokesh took care of the stage material. Make-up was done by Rajrani and costumes by Payal. Music direction was done by Vansh Rathore and lighting design was done by Natsamrat director Shyam Kumar.

The 5th Mumbai Theatre Festival organized by Natsamrat was successfully held from 21st to 23rd June at Creative Adda Auditorium, Versova, Mumbai. The director of all the plays is Shyam Kumar.

On the first day of the Theatre Festival, 21st June at 7 pm, the play Satya Prakash’s “Kambakht Ishq” was staged. This play explained deep themes while making the audience laugh. The story revolves around Jai’s father Kishan and Leela’s mother Radha, who face loneliness due to their children’s busy schedules. They meet at a clinic and start spending time together, which alleviates their loneliness. However, their children misunderstand this relationship and prevent them from meeting, causing both to fall ill again. Eventually, the children realize their parents need each other’s support.

Later that evening at 8:30 pm, the play “The Proposal” written by Anton Chekhov was staged. This play tells the story of a young man proposing marriage to his neighbor’s unmarried daughter. The story becomes more complicated as they argue over property and dogs.

On June 22, at 7 pm, “Haye Mera Dil” written by Ranbir Singh was staged. This play depicts the story of a hypochondriac husband who, due to a misunderstanding, believes he is going to die soon. He plans a wedding for his wife, but she mistakes his behavior for infidelity.

At 8:30 pm, the play “Kuchh Tum Kaho Kuchh Hum Kahen” written by Ashish Kotwal was staged. It tells the story of Anand and Mansi, who have different outlooks on life. Their poignant banter left the audience emotional.

The Natya Mahotsav concluded on June 23 with the play “Kallu Naai MBBS” written by Moliere. This play is about a barber who is always drunk and beats his wife. His wife devises a plan with the help of servants to teach him a lesson.

In all the plays, actors Sanjay Basliyal, Munmun, P.K. Khayal, Aman Kumar, Shivangi, Raman Kumar, Sudhir Khanna, Naveen, Vishwajeet, and Saumya Yadav gave excellent performances. Backstage management was handled by Sunil Rathore and Naushad, stage management by Suraj Singh, makeup by Payal and Raj Rani, costumes by Chhobi Saha and Rohit Prasad, and lighting was designed by Shyam Kumar.

The audience greatly appreciated these plays and praised the messages contained within them.

A three-day workshop (28 to 30 in 2024) was organized at Rabindranath Tagore University under the Faculty of Sanskrit Prachaya Bhasha Kendra Manviki Udaar Kala Sankay. Its participants were students of Masters in Performing Arts (Drama). Two plays were prepared by them. The play “Kaalchakra” written and directed by J.P. Singh and the other play “Bank Manager” written by Anton Chekhov and directed by Shyam Kumar were staged in the Sharada Auditorium of the University on 30 May. The play “Kaalchakra” is based on the legend of Raja Bhoj and Gangu Teli, in which the lead roles were played by J.P. Singh as Raja Bhoj and Tarun Jalota as Gangu Teli. Vaidyanath Sharma as Vaidya and Amatya, Vashishtha Upadhyay played the role of Ang Raj, Jyoti Upadhyay as Chandramukhi, Ashfaq as Musician, Vansh Rathore as Singer, Neeraj played the role of Dwarpal and Lights Designed by Shyam Kumar. The play Kaalchakra was started with a Jarjar Puja as per the rules of Natyashastra. A unique amalgamation of music and acting was seen in the play.

The second story full of humour “Bank Manager” is about a woman who comes to a bank, forces the manager to fulfill her unreasonable demands, the play is full of some humorous exchange of dialogues between the two and ends with the manager literally losing his mind. Nagendra Sharma played the role of the bank manager, the role of the woman was played by Shraboni Saha, Sachin Verma played the role of the assistant manager, music was directed by Vansh Rathore and lighting was designed and directed by Shyam Kumar.

In both the presentations, senior theatre artist and former director of M.P.S.D. Alok Chatterjee and the Vice-Chancellor of the University Dr. Aditi Chaturvedi Vats and the Vice Chancellor of the University graced their dignified presence as the chief guests. Alok Sir appreciated the play and praised the acting of all the artists. Dr. Aditi Chaturvedi Vats called the students’ presentation commendable and called it the heritage of the University. All the students were given certificates after the play. The coordinators of this workshop were Dr. Sanjay Dubey and Dr. Savitri Singh Parihar, co-coordinator Dr. Deepak Tiwari, cooperation from the Faculty of Humanities and Liberal Arts and Mr. Sharad Mishra, Abhishek Deshmane.

What happened when despite all the efforts of Mirza, he could not break the relationship of his daughters Saba and Fiza with their lovers Farhan and Akhtar?

The Comedy Play ‘Mirza Saheb Pyar Ka Dushman Haye!Haye!’ written and directed by Ashraf Ali was staged in LTG Auditorium, Mandi House, New Delhi on 5^th May 2024 at 4:30 p.m. The laughter and applause of the audience sitting in the auditorium shows that the audience liked the play very much.

Mirza (Azad Sherawat) who does not want to marry his two daughters Saba (Noor Chawla) and Fiza (Shilpa Das) to their lover boys which are Farhan (Ankit Sati) and Akhtar (Naresh Kumar). Mirza’s wife is Khalida (Shalini Sita) and a hard-working servant is Fakhru (Ritesh). Every scene of the play was very connected due to which the audience remained connected till the end of the play. The audience appreciated the acting of Armaan (Chirag Goyal). The acting of Sharafat Ali (Vishal Shukla) was good. Every character played its role well. Fakhru’s character was full of enthusiasm but at some places his behavior towards his master seemed too loud. Many times an issue was being repeated again and again, which could lead to editing. Azad Sherawat’s performance in the role of Mirza was quite strong.

According to the play, the background music was selected by the play’s writer and director Ashraf Ali. The backstage partners were Shikhar Tiwari, Manik Sharma, Vinay Kumar, Rajan Kumar, Simran and Amar Shah. Noor Islam was in videography. The stage decoration and lighting concept further enhanced the scenes of the play.

“Mirza Saheb Pyar Ka Dushman Haye! Haye!” was a hit with the audience! It’s always great to hear about successful theater productions. It seems like the actors really brought their characters to life, and the backstage crew did an excellent job too. The director’s choice of background music must have added a lot to the atmosphere of the play. And kudos to the playwright for crafting such an engaging story.

(For performing this play read the corollary at the bottom)

CHARACTERS: Dhruv, Vrushali, Dhruv’s friend

Dhruv- I cannot love you. I have tried a lot vrushali but I cannot.

Vrushali- Just because I have scars on my face!

Dhruv- Vrushali I know what you mean! But I have tried to like u, I mean love ypu . I know you are immensely talented. You have a sweet voice. But…I cannot love ypu and Im sorry.

Vrushali- Dhruv why did you preach to everyone that don’t judge a book by its cover! You cannot love me because you see these scars and…

Dhruv- Vrushali am sorry but I cannot somehow develop feelings for you.

( some days later Dhruv is talking to his friend)

Dhruv- Rishab I know I have to forget her face and love her because we need to love the character not the body but Im helpless. I cannot just overlook her ugliness ans I would not be able to do any justice to her.

Rishab- Amazingly double standard. You talk about the futility of looks and you make the same mistake now!

Dhruv- I am trying.

Rishab- You BETTER.

( A few days later)

Dhruv- Vrushali I will marry you. Come.

Vrushali- Dhruv!!!!!! WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR FACE??????( IS SHOCKED SEEING HEAVY SCARS ON HIS FACE)

Dhruv- Vrushali EMPATHY is a FARCE. I CANNOT UNDERSTAND YOUR NEED unless I become YOU. Let us start a new venture today. And yes I agree never judge a book by its cover. But cover is the unfortunate first thing that everyone sees. Come Vrushali let us start a new beginning.

CURTAINS

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The playwright permits theatre practitioners to perform this play Royalty free with one request. Please message us in the comment box if you are interested in doing this play. Also, if and when you schedule your play, inform us and our readers in the comment box about it. Who knows someone might amble into your show after reading your message.