Capital Ventures

After the hurly-burly of the National School of Drama’s Bharat Rang Mahotsav,the spotlight returns to the Delhi stage. The sixth Natsamrat theatre festival presents some of the hit Hindi productions of the Capital over the past few years — from the 2005 comedy Chandu ki Chachi to the sociopolitical Unsuni,a 2006 play written by Mallika Sarabhai,to a 2009 musical on the life of poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz called Mujhse Pehli Si Mohobaat Mere Mehboob Na Maang (picture,right).

The festival started on January 24 and ends on Sunday. Saturday is dedicated to socially relevant plays like LTG Repertory’s Ek Shaam Kahaniyon Ke Naam,a capsule of three stories by Manto and Amrita Pritam,and Unsuni,directed by Arvind Gaur. “Unsuni is a series of five monologues by the marginalised,ranging from displaced tribals to street urchins to leprosy patients,” says Gaur.

The festival ends on a happy note with two comedies,Chhamak Challo,based on a Neil Simon’s The Star Spangled Girl,and Chandu ki Chachi,about two friends,their romances and a millionaire aunt who’s coming to lunch.

Shyam Kumar of Natsamrat,which organises the festival,says,“The shows are carefully curated to offer diversity in theme,treatment and directors.” The experiment has worked as the festival has opened to 80 per cent full halls.

The festival is being held at LTG,Mandi House. Contact: 9811232072