Inauguration ceremony

This is the seventh drama festival, also known as Bharat Rang Maha Utsav, organised by NSD. It has already received recognition from the Unesco and the International Theatre Institute (ITI).

The 16-day long drama festival was inaugurated by Zohra Sehgal, a renowned film and theatre personality of India. Professor UR Ananthamuthi, an eminent scholar and Neena Ranjan, secretary of Ministry of Culture, Government of India, were the special guests on the occasion.

56 theatre troupes from different countries of the world including Bangladesh, China, Nepal, Pakistan and India are participating in the drama festival. Plays are to be staged simultaneously at four venues in New Delhi.

Responding to the current tsunami catastrophe, Dr. Ankur, director of NSD, announced in his inaugural address that all proceeds from the festival would be given to the Prime Minister Relief Fund.

The Maha Utsav started with the staging of Baburnama at Abhimancha auditorium. Based on the autobiography of the Mughal emperor Babar, Baburnama projects historical events till the year after Babur's death. A project of Japan Foundation Asia Centre (JFAC), the presentation of the play is inspired by the autobiography of the Emperor, but does not totally follow it. Nevertheless, it is interesting to see Babur's impressions on diverse subjects including architecture, flora and fauna. In fact, the autobiography of Babur represents the art, culture and heritage of his time.

Five directors--Azad Abul Kalam, Abhilash Pillai, Anup Baral, Ibrahim Quraishi and Ruanthi de Chikera from five countries of South Asia-- Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka--have entered into the world of Babur and the autobiography through a traveller, who unified the subcontinent. The directors have created a theatrical fantasy through the presentation of Baburnama.

The play is a multi lingual production, in which three Bangladeshi performers Jahangir Alam, Sahana Rahman and Kazi Taufikul Islam Emon performed in the roles of Dervish, Ayisha Sultana Begum and Guru Nanak respectively. All the performers from the different countries of South Asia in the play used their respective mother tongues.

The experimental production generated mixed reaction amongst the audience the following day, on January 6, at the Meet the Directors session.