Shadow Correspondent
JAMMU, NOV 27:
Natrang is going to organise 7th Theatre Festival of the year from Wednesday, 28th November, 2018 at Natrang Studio Theatre, Jammu in commemoration with the celebrations of 35 years of Natrang. Giving details Natrang Director Balwant Thakur informed in a press conference here this evening at Natrang Studio Theatre, Jammu. Accompanied by senior functionaries of Natrang viz Anil Tickoo, and Neeraj Kant, Director Natrang Balwant Thakur elaborated that in connection with the celebrations of 35 glorious years of Natrang, the organisation is organising a 4 day theatre festival every month and since May, 2018 and 7th festival is starting from 28th November, featuring four theatre productions by different directors of Natrang. With the completion of this festival Natrang will set an all-time record in the country of staging 28 different plays by the same group in seven months.
The festival will open with Manjul Bhardwaj’s play ‘Dur Se Kisi Ne Aawaaz Di’ on Wednesday 28th of November, 2018 under the direction of Neeraj Kant.
On 29th of November, 2018 comedy play ‘Beemaar’ written by Saadat Hasan Manto and directed by Sumeet Sharma will be presented.
On the third day of Natrang Theatre Festival, ‘Sarkaari Daftar Ka Ek Din’ written by Laxmikant Vaishnav and directed by Neeraj Kant will be showcased and on the last day of the festival, i.e. 1st of December, 2018 W.W. Jacob’s play ‘Panja’ directed by Anil Tickoo will be featured.
All the plays will be staged at Natrang Studio Theatre, Kachi Chawni, Jammu at 5.30 pm.
In connection with the commemoration of 35 years of Natrang, Natrang has already successfully organised Six Theatre 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 ‘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. The fifth festival was organised between 21st to 23rd of September, 2018 in which comedy play Kanjoos directed by Adil Hussain & Harish Khanna, Balwant Thakur’s ‘Suno Eh Kahani’, ‘Great Expectations’ directed by Aarushi Thakur Rana and comedy play ‘Bagia Bancha Ram Ki’ written by Manoj Mitra and directed by Adil Hussain were featured.
The sixth theatre festival was organised between 28th to 31st of October, 2018 in which Frintz Karinthy’s famous play ‘Refund’ directed by Sumeet Sharma, Jangiram ki Haveli & Kafan directed by Neeraj Kant and Salvaton Mein Samvaad directed by Anil Tickoo were featured.
Balwant Thakur further informed that Natrang was established on 15th May, 1983 with the presentation of two unique short plays ‘Neeli Jheel’ and ‘Nanhein Kandhey Nanhein Pair’ at Abhinav Theatre Jammu. Natrang through the selfless contribution of thousands of its associates, brought the J&K theatre to 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 regular 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 troubled 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.
