Shadow Correspondent
Jammu, Sep 20:
Natrang is going to organise 5th Theatre Festival of the year from 21st September, 2018 at Abhinav Theatre Jammu in commemoration of the celebrations of 35 years of Natrang. Giving details Natrang Director Balwant Thakur shared details in a press conference here this evening at Natrang Studio Theatre, Jammu.
Accompanied by senior functionaries of Natrang viz Anil Tickoo, Sanjeev Gupta, and Neeraj Kant, Director Natrang Balwant Thakur informed that in connection with the celebrations of 35 glorious years of Natrang, the organisation is organising a 4 day theatre festival every month and 5th festival is starting from 21st of September featuring four theatre productions by different directors of Natrang. The festival will open with Moliere’s world famous comedy play ‘Kanjoos’ on 21st of September, 2018 under the direction of Adil Hussain and Harish Khanna. On 22nd of September, 2018 Balwant Thakur’s play ‘Suno Eh Kahani in Dogrio and Charles Dickens ‘Great Expectations’ will be presented under the direction of Aarushi Thakur Rana. The festival will conclude on 23rd of September, 2018 with the comedy play ‘Bagia Bancha Ram Ki’ written by Manoj Mitra and directed by Adil Hussain.
In connection with the commemoration of 35 years of Natrang, Natrang has already successfully organised three festivals featuring four plays each. The first festival was organised between 15th to 18th May, 2018 featuring ‘Bawa Jitto’, ‘Twelfth Night’, Kasak’ and ‘Mind Games’ under the direction of Balwant Thakur, Aarushi Thakur Rana, Rahul Singh and Sumeet Sharma respectively. The second festival was organised between 19th to 22nd June, 2018 featuring plays , and ‘Romeo Juliet ‘Aap Hamaare Hain Kaun, ‘Mata Ki Kahani’ and ‘Ghumayee’ under the direction of Aarushi Thakur Rana and Balwant Thakur. The third theatre festival was organised between 18th to 21st July, 2018 in which ‘Kauva Chala Hans Ki Chaal, ‘Na Teri Na Meri’, ‘Fandi’ and ‘A Mid Summer Nights Dream’ were featured. The fourth theatre festival was organised between 20th to 23rd of August, 2018 in which Mahabhoj, Kharaashien, Mere Hisse Ki Dhoop Kaha Hai and Sainyan Bhaye Kotwal were presented.
Balwant Thakur further informed that Natrang was established on 15th May, 1983 with the presentation of two unique short plays Neeli Jheel’ and ‘Nanhen Kandhey Pair’ at Abhinav Theatre Jammu. Natrang through the selfless contribution of thousands of its associates, brought the J&K theatre to the National and International limelight and its highly acclaimed plays vibrated the theatre world and proudly travelled the whole length and breadth of the country and also crossed the boundaries of India as well and won appreciation in Russia, Germany, U.K., Singapore, Turkey, Hungary, Poland, and UAE and thus established a globally acknowledged brand called NATRANG. With over 6000 programmes and events and participation in over 250 National/International festivals Natrang established itself as one of the most happening theatre group of the country which has many firsts to its credit including holding of the longest weekly theatre series of the country entitled ‘Sunday Theatre’ and having the longest surviving contemporary plays of the country like ‘Bawa Jitto, Ghumayee, Mere Hisse Ki Dhoop Kahan Hai and Aap Hamaare Hain Kaun. This organization has been highly instrumental in giving a new cultural and intellectual identity to this part of the country and has creditably revolutionized the cultural life of the place through it’s out of the world cultural and artistic initiatives.
