Indigenous art—folk dances, oral storytelling, and theatre traditions have always mirrored the pulse of our everyday life. From the powerful beats of Telangana’s Oggu Dolu to the delicate grace of Bharatanatyam, these expressions carry centuries of memory, devotion, and social commentary. They speak of struggle and joy, of gods and people, of continuity and change. Yet, in today’s fast-moving digital world, many of these forms risk being drowned by modern entertainment.
It is here that initiatives like the Kohinoor Theatre Carnival find their meaning. Organised by Creative Theatre and in collaboration with the Telangana Government’s Department of Culture and Language, its first edition brings together eight plays, regional performances, workshops, and talks. “We want to bring theatre close to the people. We want to make it vibrant, where even a commoner can be a part of it,” says Sharath Chandra, one of the festival coordinators.
Theatre in India has never been only about amusement. From the Sanskrit plays of Kalidasa to folk performances staged in open courtyards, it has always been a way of teaching, questioning, and remembering. One of the most ambitious works at the Kohinoor Theatre Carnival builds directly on that heritage: an adaptation of Bharata Muni’s Natya Shastra. Written around 200 BC, the text is often described as the ‘fifth Veda.’ It sets out the foundations of performance, from acting and emotion to music and design.
For the director Dr Ram Holugundi, who brings it to stage with Nishumbhita School of Drama, the attempt is bold. “Theory is always a theory. But live theatre makes it real. I wanted to bring the Natya Shastra into a three dimensional format, where people can see bhavas, rasas, and abhinayas right in front of them. That is the only way to truly understand its depth,” he explains. The play does not follow a plot but instead stages ideas. It shows the difference between Lokadharmi and Natyadharmi acting, natural versus stylised expression. It demonstrates the chatur abhinayas, the four means of performance, and the navarasas, the nine emotions. It even recreates the stage forms described in the text. “No one has ever attempted to stage the Natya Shastra as a whole before. Stanislavski, Brecht, Schechner — all these Western theories came in the 19th and 20th centuries. But thousands of years ago, our Bharata Muni already wrote about these concepts. We just forgot to value them,” shares Ram.
From ancient texts, the festival moves to living legends. One of the most powerful plays is Salumargala Thayi Thimmakka by Kaajaana Productions, based on the life of Saalumarada Thimmakka, an environmentalist from Karnataka who planted over 300 banyan trees. She had little schooling, no children, and few resources, yet her devotion turned a dry stretch of road into a living forest. “Her life is very inspiring. She struggled so much — family pressures, poverty — but still created a forest that is now home to birds, insects, and countless lives. That struggle, or sangarsha, is very important in theatre,” says the director and writer Dr Bolur Raghunandan.
The play uses nearly 20-25 actors, with three different performers showing Thimmakka at different ages. Others portray her husband, parents, and adopted son. Dr Bolur admits the difficulty of condensing her story: “It is not possible to capture 114 years in one play. But I wanted people to walk away promising themselves they will plant a tree, love green, and remember that women like Thimmakka are role models.” He says the play also teaches a larger truth: “Education is not always important. Experience is. She was not educated, but she taught us how to live with nature. That is her legacy—and it must be ours too.”
The festival also shines a light on pioneering women who transformed Indian performance traditions. The play Rukmini by Chhandey Chhandey Halisahar tells the story of Rukmini Devi Arundale, the visionary who revived Bharatanatyam in the 20th century. Srijak Chatterjee, the director explains, “Many of my students didn’t know who introduced the word Bharatanatyam. That’s why we felt it was our duty to tell Rukmini Devi’s story — from the days of Sadir to how she established Bharatanatyam as a respected art form.”
Rukmini blends dialogues, live music, choreography, and even live painting on stage. Choreographer Sumitra Bhattacharya plays Rukmini Devi, tracing her journey from childhood to her leadership in the cultural world. Scenes show her meeting the Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova, who encouraged her to dance, and how later in life Rukmini refused the nomination for India’s presidency when offered to her. “The play is about evolution, resistance, and creating a space for women in art,” adds Srijak.
From Gussadi, a tribal dance of men in beads and feathers, to Oggu Katha, where stories are sung to the beat of drums, the festival reconnects the city to its villages. Ajay Mankenapalli, the festival director, believes this is urgent. “These are powerful art forms. They have been passed down through generations. But urbanisation and lack of livelihood opportunities are forcing artistes away from their practice. By creating a platform, we bring back dignity to their craft and reintroduce them to new audiences.”
What ties the festival together is not just love for tradition but also urgency. In a world ruled by technology, theatre offers something no screen can give. Ram, the director of Natya Shastra puts it plainly: “Teaching theories of theatre online defeats the purpose of the art form. Live performance, when an actor breathes in front of you, makes you understand emotion in a way no video ever can.” Prerana Sadhu, another organiser, adds that theatre is especially valuable for children: “It develops expression, empathy, and cognitive skills. When children watch or perform, they grow socially and emotionally in ways classrooms cannot provide.”
Tickets for plays at Rs 199.
September 15, 16 &17, 9 am to 7 pm.
At Ravindra Bharathi, Lakdikapul.
Email: anshula.u@newindianexpress.com
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