MUMBAI: The National School of Drama (NSD) will organise its flagship Bharat Rang Mahotsav (BRM), International Theatre Festival of India (completion of 25 years). Fondly called ‘Bharangam’, BRM is the world’s largest theatre festival, and is set to take place from 28 January to 16 February, 2025, across 13 cities in India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. Through this pioneering effort, NSD is expanding the festival’s outreach with enhanced international engagement, building on last year’s theme ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, Vande Bharangam.’
“One Expression, Supreme Creation.” This slogan for Bharat Rang Mahotsav 2025 resonates with the spirit of unity in creative expression, and the oneness of all. Noted actor and NSD alumnus Sh. Rajpal Yadav has been named the Rang Doot (Festival Ambassador) for this year.
Speaking on the occasion, Shri Chittaranjan Tripathy, Director of the National School of Drama, said: “Bharat Rang Mahotsav has become a quintessential theatre festival on the global stage with its expansive approach. It has not only served as a platform for theatre performances from around the world but has also offered opportunities for the amalgamation of various traditional performing art forms. Additionally, it has facilitated knowledge-sharing and idea-exchange among individuals from the dramatic arts and other creative fields.”
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BRM 2025, which spans a period of 20 days, will feature more than 200 unique productions from 9 different countries, showcased across 13 locations in India and abroad. International theatre groups participating in the said festival are hailing from Russia, Italy, Germany, Norway, Czech Republic, Nepal, Taiwan, Spain, and Sri Lanka.
For the first time, the institution is expanding the festival beyond India, with satellite chapters scheduled in Nepal and Sri Lanka. Alongside the festival’s epicenter in Delhi, Indian satellite locations include Agartala, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Bhatinda, Bhopal, Goa, Gorakhpur, Jaipur, Khairagarh, and Ranchi.
“In continuation of NSD’s legacy, we are organising the Bharat Rang Mahotsav 2025 in two international locations this time. In the coming years, we aim to broaden the scope of this festival further, and extend it to other continents,” Shri Tripathy added.
Furthermore, after securing the World Book of Records, London’s Certificate for ‘Largest Number of Artistic Performances on a Common Theme’ with 2024’s Jan Bharat Rang project, the National School of Drama (NSD) has initiated the ‘Vishwa Jan Rang’, virtual performances of short plays by NRIs across seven continents worldwide, and by the youth of India. That, along with the monumental success of the festival in terms of its scale and wider reach, bolsters the confidence of NSD officials in securing a place for the festival in the Guinness World Records for Largest Theatre Festival (Plays) this year.
The Opening Ceremony of BRM 2025 will be held on 28 January 2025 at 3 pm at the Kamani Auditorium in New Delhi, featuring a musical evening titled Rang Sangeet by the NSD Repertory Company. During the event, NSD artists will perform songs composed by various Music Directors of the NSD Repertory since its inception.
Notably, the Bharat Rang Mahotsav coincides with the 65th Anniversary of the National School of Drama, and the 60th Anniversary of the National School of Drama Repertory Company. To commemorate these milestones, the Repertory Company is celebrating the Rang Shashthi theatre festival series, staging some of its most popular plays on various platforms across the nation. The Company will also present its productions during BRM 2025 in locations such as Colombo, Kathmandu, Bengaluru, and Goa.
BRM 2025 will also feature a parallel student-led fiesta, Advitiya 2025. Advitiya has existed almost as long as BRM itself, giving NSDians an opportunity to connect with students from across disciplines, studying at other universities and practicing performing arts. Their festival features Street Theatre, Folk Bands, Open Stage, Talks, and more, fully curated and conducted by the current batch of First, Second, and Third Years.
While the primary objective of the Bharat Rang Mahotsav, since its inception in 1999, has been to provide a platform for Indian theatre artists, it has grown as a knowledge-sharing platform too, offering a plethora of enriching experiences. Ambience Performances of Folk and Traditional Forms from across India will entertain audiences outside various gathering spaces; Director-audience dialogues, seminars, and masterclasses will explore various facets of theatre in the form of Allied Events, sparking stimulating conversations and insights. Moreover, a dedicated programme on literary arts, ‘Shruti’ will feature book launches and discussions on literature. Attendees can immerse themselves in the vibrant Rang Haat, and explore the diverse offerings at the Food Bazaar, letting the spirit of theatre truly captivate them.
