MoS for Parliamentary Affairs & Culture, Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal ji Inaugurates 22nd Bharat Rang Mahotsav 2023 at Kamani Auditorium in New Delhi

MoS for Parliamentary Affairs & Culture, Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal ji Inaugurates 22nd Bharat Rang Mahotsav 2023 at Kamani Auditorium in New Delhi

As India commemorates the AmritKaal under the aegis of ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’, 75th anniversary of India's Independence, the National School of Drama (NSD), Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India kicked-off the 22nd Bharat Rang Mahotsav 2023 at Kamani Auditorium, New Delhi. 

The opening ceremony of the international theatre festival was inaugurated by the Hon’ble Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs and Culture, Government of India, Shri. Arjun Ram Meghwal, and it was presided over by the eminent actor, Padma Shri awardee and Chairman, NSD Society Shri PareshRawal, actor and CBFC Board member Ms. Vani Tripathi Tikoo as Special Guest, and Former Director, NSD and Padmashri Awardee Shri Ram Gopal Bajaj as the Guest of Honour.  Prof. Ramesh Chandra Gaur, Director, NSD welcomed eminent guests and other renowned delegates from the fraternity of theatre who gathered in the inauguration ceremony of the 22nd BRM 2023.

The prestigious international theatre festival will be held in Delhi, Jaipur, Rajahmundry, Ranchi, Guwahati, Jammu, Srinagar, Bhopal, Nashik and Kevadia from 14th February and will conclude on 26th February, 2023 canvasing a diverse range of production consisting 80 plays, and allied events such as Director’s Meet, Living Legend, Book Launch and Master Classes by the stalwarts from the field of theatre community. 

Prof. Ramesh Chandra Gaur, Director, National School of Drama, welcomed the eminent guests at the opening ceremony and appreciated the members of international and national theatre fraternity for joining in the occasion with their esteemed presence. He spoke in detail about the wide variety of plays to be staged during the theatre spectacle and allied events such as ‘Living Legend’, ‘Meet the Director’, ‘Book launches’ and ‘Master Classes’ to be held in New Delhi and in 9(nine) other cities.

Actor and member of Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), Ms. Vani Tripathi Tikoo said in her address, "It's a phenomenal platform to nurture and nourish the core theatre & artistic skills. During the 22nd Bharat Rang Mahotsav, the young artists get to meet the co-actors from different parts of the country and learn from each other."

Former Director, NSD and Padma Shri Awardee Shri Ram Gopal Bajaj, said, "Since the inception of theatre, live performance arts (dance, music, acting/drama) has also been established. A musical instrument with a developed language consisting of vowels and consonants. Vocals basically express feelings and emotions while consonants communicate forms and knowledge. I applaud the world of theatre and appeal to implement and promote this at the rural grassroots level."

Shri Paresh Rawal, Chairman, NSD Society, said in his address, "22nd Bharat Rang Mahotsav 2023 is one of the best platforms for young theatre enthusiasts to showcase their artistic prowess in the field of theatre. I've been performing in theatre professionally for the past 43 years. Since I still perform in plays now, I've never felt as though I've left theatre. I'll never quit giving stage performances. Theatre, as opposed to movies, allows you to try new things as an actor, which is rewarding. Additionally, I use all of my life experiences into my performances when I do plays. That is the beauty and allure of a live performance. Even if movies can make money, they cannot replace the joy and satisfaction that comes from performing on stage."

Hon’ble Minister shri Arjun Ram Meghwal in his address, said, “Theatre is a crucial medium for fostering joy, raising awareness, and preserving the diverse swathes our India’s cultural legacy.

Theatre plays a pivotal role in telling us how we should be as a nation and community. India under the leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji is on the path of becoming Vishwa guru and gradually positioning as the guiding light to the world. Culture will play a crucial role in this journey. Marking the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, Bharat Rang Mahotsav had embraced the tales of great individuals, such as freedom fighters in the plays of the National Theatre Festival last year. It will inspire 140 crores Indians to adopt their traits and contribute in a similar way. 

The opening ceremony was kicked off with a 140 minutes famous Bengali plays “Jagannath” by Kolkata-based theatre group Chetana. The play was directed by Arun Mukherjee and written by Lu Xun.

English, Hindi, and other language plays will be presented over the 13-day festival. Plays like Katha ekSaans Ki, Jaun Elia kaJin, Vitton (Bertolt Brecht), Shakuntala (Kalidas), Inder Sabha, Raaz, Isi Din Isi Waqt, Jeena Isi KaNaam Hai, Welcome Zindagi, JugiTtriyao and several other classical plays will be performed during the 22nd BRM. Along with the plays, the NSD campus will be alive with related performances, such as street plays, director meetups, book releases.  (Including one on the late NSD alumni and acclaimed actor Irfan Khan), and master workshops by prominent figures from the national and international theatre community.