NSD to hold 24th Bharat Rang Mahotsav from January 28

The National School of Drama (NSD) has announced the 24th edition of the Bharat Rang Mahotsav (BRM)–which will feature over 200 productions from nine countries, spanning multiple cities across India and abroad.

This 20-day festival from January 28-February 16 will showcase over unique productions from nine countries, including India, Russia, Italy, Germany, Norway, the Czech Republic, Nepal, Taiwan, Spain, and Sri Lanka.

Announcing the details of festival on January 22, NSD said that the theme for BRM 2025, “One Expression, Supreme Creation,” reflects unity in creative expression and builds on last year’s theme, “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, Vande Bharangam.”

For the first time, NSD is taking the festival beyond India, with satellite chapters planned in Nepal and Sri Lanka. In India, the festival will be held in Delhi and 10 other cities, including Agartala, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Bhatinda, Bhopal, Goa, Gorakhpur, Jaipur, Khairagarh, and Ranchi.

NSD aims to expand the festival’s international reach through this initiative, Renowned actor and NSD alumnus Rajpal Yadav has been appointed as the festival ambassador (Rang Doot) for this year.

Speaking via video conference on the occasion, Yadav said, “I am happy to see how NSD has grown this festival despite limited resources. It has come a long way and will continue to shine. I am also contributing financially to this initiative.”

The opening ceremony, scheduled for January 28 at the Kamani Auditorium in New Delhi, will feature Rang Sangeet, a musical evening by the NSD Repertory Company. The performance will include songs composed by various music directors since the company’s inception.

This year’s festival coincides with two significant milestones: the 65th anniversary of the National School of Drama and the 60th anniversary of its Repertory Company.

To celebrate, the Repertory Company is staging its Rang Shashthi theatre series, presenting popular plays across various platforms nationwide. These productions will also feature in BRM 2025 in cities like Colombo, Kathmandu, Bengaluru, and Goa.

A parallel student-led festival, Advitiya 2025, will run alongside BRM. This initiative provides NSD students the chance to collaborate with peers from other universities and performing arts disciplines. Activities will include street theatre, folk music performances, open-stage events, talks, and more, all curated by NSD students.

The event will also feature folk and traditional performances, director-audience dialogues, seminars, masterclasses, and a literary programme under the banner of Shruti, which will include book launches and literary discussions. Attendees can also explore Rang Haat, a vibrant marketplace, and a food bazaar showcasing diverse flavours.

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NSD director Chittaranjan Tripathy described the festival as a quintessential global theatre festival, emphasising its role in blending traditional and contemporary performing arts.

“Bharat Rang Mahotsav has served as a platform for global theatre performances while fostering knowledge-sharing and cultural exchange. This year, we are extending the festival to two international locations. In the coming years, we aim to expand it further to other continents,” Tripathy said.

When: January 28-February 16

Where: 13 venues in India and abroad, including the National School of Drama, Delhi