Journalism of Courage
Indian Habitat Centre Theatre Festival 2026 set for September 18-27 in Delhi
Supported by National School of Drama, Sikkim Repertory Company, the festival will bring together a diverse spectrum of 12 critically acclaimed and contemporary theatrical productions in four languages -- Hindi, English, Tamil and Punjabi.
Stills from two productions -- Dancing with Dad (left) and Breast of Luck -- to be performed at the IHC Theatre Festival 2026. (Photos: Posters/Faceboo@Habitat World)
The India Habitat Centre (IHC) Theatre Festival is set to return with its 2026 chapter from September 18 to 27, at the Stein Auditorium, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi.
Supported by National School of Drama, Sikkim Repertory Company, the festival will bring together a diverse spectrum of 12 critically acclaimed and contemporary theatrical productions in four languages — Hindi, English, Tamil and Punjabi.
While the India Habitat Centre hosts plays throughout the year, the annual festival provides a larger platform to showcase varied theatrical voices, forms, languages and perspectives under one programme.
“Over the years, it (IHC) has built a reputation for bringing together theatre that is diverse in language, form, sensibility and subject, while giving audiences an opportunity to experience both established practitioners and newer theatrical voices. The festival is not simply a collection of plays; it is a celebration of the breadth, vitality and continuing evolution of Indian theatre. Its enduring appeal lies in this diversity and in its ability to bring artists and audiences together in a meaningful cultural dialogue,” said Prof KG Suresh, Director, India Habitat Centre.
Full schedule of the 10-day IHC Theatre Festival 2026.
With an aim to explore new ways of storytelling, support emerging theatre practitioners and make quality theatre accessible to a wide and diverse audience, the ticket prices are pegged at Rs 200, Rs 350 and Rs 500.
The festival has, over the years, presented the work of several eminent theatre personalities, including Rajat Kapoor, Kalki Koechlin, Neelam Mansingh, Manav Kaul, Faezeh Jalali, Saurabh Shukla, Satish Kaushik, Atul Kumar and Ashwin Gidwani, among others.
Among the landmark productions it hosted in the past are Akvarious Productions’ 80th show, This Time, as well as META Award-winning productions such as Raghunath and Hunkaro.
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The festival has also collaborated with leading theatre institutions and organisations including Ranga Shankara, Bengaluru; Adishakti Laboratory for Theatre, Art & Research; Akvarious Productions; and the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA).
According to a handout by the IHC, this “self-funded, non-competitive and non-commercial festival” records an average footfall of over 5,000 theatre-goers every year.
Talking about this year’s curation, Syed Shadab Hussain, head of programmes, India Habitat Centre, said “The curation of this year’s festival has been guided by the idea of presenting a programme that is varied, engaging and representative of the many ways in which theatre is being imagined today… From contemporary narratives and adaptations to regional and classical traditions, the selection brings together very different theatrical experiences. At the same time, we wanted each production to have a distinct voice and something meaningful to offer the audience.”
Key information on IHC Theatre Festival 2026
- Dates: September 18–27, 2026
- Venue: Stein Auditorium & The Theatre India Habitat Centre, New Delhi
- Number of plays: 9 mainstage productions + 3 performances at The Theatre
- Languages: Hindi, English, Tamil and Punjabi
- Ticket Prices: Rs 200, Rs 350 and Rs 500
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