Premium

Bharat Rang Mahotsav comes to Pune, as National School of Drama brings a 60-year legacy to FTII this week

3 leading plays of the NSD Repertory Company -- Laila Majnun, Babuji, and Taj Mahal ka Tender -- are going to be staged in Pune as a salute to the city's long culture of theatre.

3 min readPuneUpdated: Feb 4, 2026 06:18 PM IST

A scene from Babuji that is to be staged at the Bharat Rang Mahotsav at FTII in Pune. (Express Photo)

There won’t be cameras, but lights and action will shine on cue at the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII). India’s premier institute is hosting the Pune leg of India’s biggest festival of art and culture, the Bharat Rang Mahotsav (BRM) from February 5-8.

BRM is the annual stage extravaganza, organised by Delhi’s National School of Drama, which is presenting more than 250 plays across the country and in some cities in every continent. This year marks the 25th anniversary of BRM.

Three leading plays of the NSD Repertory Company, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary, is going to be staged in Pune as a salute of the city’s long culture of theatre.

The opening play, Laila Majnun, is a classic tragedy about the love between Laila and Qais, but eminent director Ram Gopal Bajaj has created a twist in the plot. As a result, the play, which opened in Delhi in 2024, received rave reviews from audiences, especially Gen Z.

On February 6, the NSD Repertory will stage Babuji, directed by the repertory head Rajesh Singh. A story by Mithileshwar about a folk artist and the conflict between personal choice and societal responses, and adapted by Vibhanshu Vaibhav, Babuji is also important because it revived the dying tradition of live musicals on the Hindi stage. Since 2003-03, live musicals have become fewer in Hindi theatre.

“The legendary theatre performer and director Baba Karanth first made Babuji in 1994. It comprises nautanki and several folk forms. A few years ago, I tried to revive the play with some of the artists of the original production. The current play retains the music of Baba Karanth but I have added two or three folk songs to strengthen the graph of the story,” says Singh.

The theatre festival in Pune will end with Taj Mahal ka Tender, one of the most hard-hitting and enjoyed satires of contemporary theatre. In the play, Emperor Shah Jahan asks the Chief Engineer, Guptaji, to build a mausoleum in the memory of his late begum, Mumtaz. What follows is a hilarious tumble of administrative corruption, red tape and a lazy official machinery. It takes Guptaji 25 years to float a tender for the construction of the monument.

Story continues below this ad

An interesting backstory adds to the charm of NSD Repertory’s Taj Mahal ka Tender. The play was directed by Chittaranjan Tripathy when he was an artist with the Repertory in 1998. Since then, the play has been in constant high demand by audiences – and is the oldest play of the Repertory. Today, Tripathy is the Director of NSD and busy organising the BRM.

Dipanita Nath

Dipanita Nath is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. She is a versatile journalist with a deep interest in the intersection of culture, sustainability, and urban life. Professional Background Experience: Before joining The Indian Express, she worked with other major news organizations including Hindustan Times, The Times of India, and Mint. Core Specializations: She is widely recognized for her coverage of the climate crisis, theatre and performing arts, heritage conservation, and the startup ecosystem (often through her "Pune Inc" series). Storytelling Focus: Her work often unearths "hidden stories" of Pune—focusing on historical institutes, local traditions, and the personal journeys of social innovators. Recent Notable Articles (December 2025) Her recent reporting highlights Pune’s cultural pulse and the environmental challenges facing the city during the winter season: 1. Climate & Environment "Pune shivers on coldest morning of the season; minimum temperature plunges to 6.9°C" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on the record-breaking cold wave in Pune and the IMD's forecast for the week. "How a heritage tree-mapping event at Ganeshkhind Garden highlights rising interest in Pune’s green legacy" (Dec 20, 2025): Covering a citizen-led initiative where Gen Z and millennials gathered to document and protect ancient trees at a Biodiversity Heritage Site. "Right to breathe: Landmark NGT order directs PMC to frame norms for pollution from construction sites" (Dec 8, 2025): Reporting on a significant legal victory for residents fighting dust and air pollution in urban neighborhoods like Baner. 2. "Hidden Stories" & Heritage "Inside Pune library that’s nourished minds of entrepreneurs for 17 years" (Dec 21, 2025): A feature on the Venture Center Library, detailing how a collection of 3,500 specialized books helps tech startups navigate the product life cycle. "Before he died, Ram Sutar gave Pune a lasting gift" (Dec 18, 2025): A tribute to the legendary sculptor Ram Sutar (creator of the Statue of Unity), focusing on his local works like the Chhatrapati Shivaji statue at Pune airport. "The Pune institute where MA Jinnah was once chief guest" (Dec 6, 2025): An archival exploration of the College of Agriculture, established in 1907, and its historical role in India's freedom struggle. 3. Arts, Theatre & "Pune Inc" "Satyajit Ray, Ritwik Ghatak were not rivals but close friends, says veteran filmmaker" (Dec 17, 2025): A deep-dive interview ahead of the Pune International Film Festival (PIFF) exploring the camaraderie between legends of Indian cinema. "Meet the Pune entrepreneur helping women build and scale businesses" (Dec 16, 2025): Part of her "Pune Inc" series, profiling Nikita Vora’s efforts to empower female-led startups. "How women drone pilots in rural Maharashtra are cultivating a green habit" (Dec 12, 2025): Exploring how technology is being used by women in agriculture to reduce chemical use and labor. Signature Style Dipanita Nath is known for intellectual curiosity and a narrative-driven approach. Whether she is writing about a 110-year-old eatery or the intricacies of the climate crisis, she focuses on the human element and the historical context. Her columns are often a blend of reportage and cultural commentary, making them a staple for readers interested in the "soul" of Pune. X (Twitter): @dipanitanath ... Read More

Click here to join Express Pune WhatsApp channel and get a curated list of our stories

Loading Taboola...