Over 120 plays to be staged

KOLKATA: More than 120 plays will be staged at the 24th Natyamela, which kicked off on Wednesday at the Rabindra Sadan premises. To be held till February 13, the much-anticipated theatre festival brings a mix of classic and contemporary productions, featuring both veteran and emerging artistes.

The inauguration was attended by state Education minister Bratya Basu, a noted theatre personality, along with actor Debshankar Haldar, also secretary of Paschimbanga Natya Akademi, eminent playwright Hara Bhattacharya and theatre personality Arpita Ghosh. Praising Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s constant support for Bengali theatre, Basu highlighted the state’s financial commitment. “For the 24th Natyamela, the West Bengal Information and Cultural Affairs Department has spent Rs 75 lakh. Just recently, Rs 80 lakh was allocated for the 7th theatre festival organised by Minerva Natya Sanskriti Charcha Kendra and the I&CA department. No other state government supports theatre at this scale,” he said. Spanning multiple venues — Rabindra Sadan, Girish Mancha, Madhusudan Mancha, Sishir Mancha, and Tripti Mitra Natya Griha — the nine-day mega festival offers a diverse lineup, from long-form and short plays to intimate theatre, puppet shows and mime acts. An exhibition on the life and work of Badal Sircar, a towering figure in Indian theatre, is also on display at Gaganendra Shilpa Pradarshashala.

For younger audiences, Tripti Mitra Natya Griha is hosting special puppet shows, while theatre enthusiasts can engage in discussions on various aspects of the craft at Ektara Mukta Mancha. The festival opened with Atmagopon, performed by Bally Noto theatre group, based on the works of legendary playwright Manoj Mitra, who passed away last year at 86.