Chandigarh, April 8
The two-day theater festival ‘Chandigarh Rashtriya Natya Mahotsav- 2023’ concluded at Tagore Theatre, Sector 18, Chandigarh today with staging of two theatre plays namely ‘King of Pop’ by and ‘Be-Libas’.
It was organized by Haryana Kala Parishad in association with Chandigarh University with an aim to provide a platform of theatre artists to showcase their talent and allow the audiences to connect themselves with quality entertainment.
Anurag Agarwal, Principal Secretary Art & Cultural Affairs Department of Haryana, presided over the closing ceremony of the event as the chief guest. R.S. Bawa, Pro-Chancellor Chandigarh University; Mukesh Gupta, Under Secretary, Vidhan Sabha, Government of Haryana; Yashendra Singh (Senior IAS), Transport Commissioner and Special Secretary, Transport Department, Haryana; Sanjay Bhasin, Director Haryana Kala Parishad; Capt. Manoj Kumar (Senior IAS), Director Sainik & Ardhsainik Welfare and Special Secretary & Industrial Training; Gajendra Phogat, OSD to Chief Minister of Haryana, Government of Haryana and Additional Director Haryana Kala Parishad; Rajeev Raj, Eminent Theatre Director; Abhishek Sharma, Director Tagore Theatre Society Chandigarh; Dharmindra Singh, Senior Vice President, Haryana Civil Secretariat; and Manish Jhangra, Director Department of Student Welfare, Chandigarh University were among the other dignitaries present on the occasion. The event was attended by a large audience with great fervor and excitement.
While addressing the audience during the theatre festival, Principal Secretary Art & Cultural Affairs Department of Haryana, Anurag Agarwal said, “Art and culture is a treasure for the state, and Haryana’s dance, music and theatre is reflective of its folklore. And, the government of Haryana has worked with dedication for preserving and promoting the culture and art in the state through various measures and schemes. As a result, the young artists from Haryana in different fields are rising to fame, including the theatre.”
The second day of the festival commenced with staging of the play ‘King of Pop’ written, designed and directed by KD Kashish Devgan, and performed by Gaurav, Sukant, Tanvi Sattee, Anmol Gajrani, Akash, Purva, Diya, Chahat, and Shreya, the students of Chandigarh University.
The play narrates the story of the most awarded American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist ‘Michael Jackson’. It showcases how the star enjoyed infinite success of being recognized as the most successful entertainer of All times by Guinness World Record, as well as faced many backlashes and critics for his dance, music and publicized personal life. This distinctive story is an amalgam of emotions, truth and entertainment, and exhibits how an artist gives it all to be at the top. The play ‘King of Pop’ staged by students of Chandigarh University had won the Best One Act Play at National level competition, organized by Association of Indian Universities (AIU).
Following this, director Rajeev Raj staged his play ‘Be-Libas’, which was performed by a team of eight artists from Lok Ranjan Theatre and Films, Delhi. The play had Mohan Yadav, Mohini Sangar, and Anjana Ahluwalia in lead roles. Rajeev Raj said that just like our bodies, we as human beings also need to cover our souls, which means we should possess good thoughts and avoid wrong-doings.
During his address at the theatre festival, Pro-Chancellor Chandigarh University Dr. R.S. Bawa said, “Chandigarh University has always laid a special emphasis on the art of theatre and encouraged young artists, who have earned laurels at state and national levels from time to time.
With an aim to promote this art on a larger scale, the university organized the ‘Chandigarh Rashtriya Natya Mahotsav 2023’, a platform for young artists to showcase their talent and promote theatre & theatre artists. And, the university will continue to organize it every year as an annual event, where participation of plays and artists from across the country will be welcomed.”
Dr. Bawa also thanked Haryana Chief Minister (CM) Manohar Lal Khattar for his efforts to promote art, culture and theatre in the state. Sharing his joy on the successful conclusion of the event, he further added that this joint initiative by Chandigarh University and Haryana Kala Parishad is a small contribution for promoting the art and theatre in the state, and envisions good results in the coming years.
