The Hindi Academy, Delhi, organized a two-day “Drama Festival” on November 29-30, 2023, at the LTG Auditorium. The program saw the participation of the Minister of Art, Culture, and Language, Mr. Saurav Bharadwaj. Minister Saurav Bharadwaj attended the event, praised the acting skills of all young artists, and boosted their morale. He emphasized that drama is a splendid form of literary art that establishes a direct dialogue with society and its activities. The portrayal of characters in dramas through acting is the essence of the art form. Minister Saurav Bharadwaj also mentioned that, inspired by the Chief Minister, they are organizing plays based on social and historical backgrounds. This initiative aims to familiarize the general public with good literature and dramatic arts.
Platform for New and Talented Artists
Minister Saurav Bharadwaj stated that our country is not lacking in talent. However, due to a lack of resources, many talented artists often cannot present their performances to the public. He mentioned that the Delhi government’s Department of Art, Culture, and Language is working to provide a platform for new and young artists. Through this platform, young artists will not only showcase their acting skills but also contribute significantly to spreading our country’s culture to the masses. This initiative will play a crucial role in shaping the future of young artists in the fields of art and culture.
Delhi Government to Bring Indian Culture and Art to the Youth
In a statement regarding this two-day event, Minister Saurav Bharadwaj expressed that the program organized by the Hindi Academy is a significant step in introducing today’s youth to the art and culture of our country. He stated that Indian culture is the world’s oldest and finest, but in today’s era, the younger generation is not well-acquainted with our culture and art. Minister Bharadwaj mentioned that through such programs organized by the Hindi Academy, Delhi’s Chief Minister, Mr. Arvind Kejriwal, and the Delhi government aim to familiarize the youth of Delhi with their culture. The effort is also to provide a platform for those individuals in the younger generation who still hold an interest in Indian culture and art, enabling them to move forward and showcase their passion globally.
Artists Given a Platform to Express Themselves
Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj emphasized that this platform is where artists can openly express themselves. He mentioned that there are very few such platforms remaining in the country where an artist can present the deficiencies in the government and the system openly. Today, if an artist or an individual criticizes the government, they are often silenced and even jailed. However, the department of art, culture, and language of the Delhi government is providing a platform for all those who think about the youth and the future of the country. It is a space where they can openly discuss the shortcomings in the government and the system.
In this two-day program, on Wednesday, November 29, 2023, a play titled “Man Vrindavan,” written by Ms. Madhuri Subodh, was staged by her at 4:00 PM. Following that, at 6:00 PM, a historical play titled “Chitralekha,” written by Mr. Bhagwati Charan Verma, was presented on the stage.
The first play, “Man Vrindavan,” directed by Mr. Nilesh Deepak, portrayed the life events and various incidents of Meera Bai, preserving them in a dramatic form. The presentation, incorporating song, music, dance, and acting, was both entertaining and captivating. The evening performance at 6:00 PM showcased the play “Chitralekha,” directed by Mr. Kailash Chand, based on the story of Chitralekha that revolves around the dilemma of sin and virtue. It explores questions like, what is sin, and where does it reside? Seeking answers to these questions, the disciples of Mahaprabhu Ratnakar, Shwetank and Vishaldev, approach Samant Beejgupta and Yogi Kumargiri. Mahaprabhu Ratnakar comments on their conclusions, stating that there is no sin in the world; it is just another name for the perspective disparity of humans.
The performances by the artists in these plays mesmerized the audience present in the auditorium.
On the second day of the drama festival, Thursday, November 30, 2023, the play “Ek Aur Dronacharya,” written by Dr. Shankar Shesh and directed by Gaurav Grover, was staged. The play compares a present-day teacher with Dronacharya, depicting how a teacher compromises on his principles, leading to the acceptance of injustice. In this play, the playwright highlights corruption, bias, political interference, and the pressures of economic and social conditions prevalent in the current education system, presenting the plight of a helpless and oppressed middle-class character.
The second play of Thursday was “Astittva,” written and directed by Ms. Shampa Mandal. The backdrop of the play is a poor family in Bengal, where a woman, while combating the problems of her family, finds solutions to those issues herself.
