World Theatre Day – UdaipurBlog

Some people are artists. Some themselves are art!

Theatres is an art form where people and artists combine voice, words, movement, expressions, and visual elements. The field of theatre is not only about live improvising and scripted work but also about depicting dramatic forms such as TV, film, or any other electric media. The value of theatre art is suppressing due to the introduction of cinema and newer generations of platforms. Theatres are not of much relevance these days, which is a sad reality.

How did World Theatre Day come into origin?

Since 1962 World Theatre Day is celebrated by International Theatre Institution (ITI) to commemorate all theatre art forms across the world. The day has been celebrated by ITI Cooperating Members, ITI Centres, theatre professionals, theatre universities, theatre lovers, and theatre organizations all over the world on the 27th of March. World Theatre Day is a celebration for those who value the art of theatre as well as understands the importance of the art form. It is a wake-up call given to the legal bodies and other institutions to recognize the value and potential of people representing their artistic endeavours in a theatre.

Udaipur is known for its history and heritage when it comes to art and architecture. The city offers a wide platform for stage artists to showcase their talent in front of the population and receive recognition for the same. The City of Lakes has a number of theatres where artists can perform theatre art as well as hone their skills for the long run.

Check out the below list to know about theatres in Udaipur.

Bhartiya Lok Kala Mandal

Bhartiya Lok Kala Mandal was established by Padma Shri Devilal Samar in 1952. The key objective of this Association is to carry out studies on folk art, culture, songs, as well as festivals of regions like Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh etc. The theatre is constantly trying to restore the fading folk culture in Rajasthan. Bhartiya Lok Kala Mandal is a Folk-Art Museum and auditorium where some of the most prestigious events have held on for years. The theatre is renowned for its puppet show, where a lot of tourists gather to see the art form in the massive auditorium. Also, Bhartiya Lok Kala Mandal has an open theatre for the artists to mesmerize the audience with thier talent.

Darpan Sabhagar – Shilpgram

Darpan Auditorium is situated at the rear side of Shilpgram, Udaipur. Shilpgram is also known for its representation of tribal art and performances. Every year there is a Shiplgram Fest hosted in the month of December in Udaipur. The Shilpgram Fest is the most awaited event for the people in Udaipur and beyond since one can buy aesthetic arts & apparel, home furnishings and a number of handmade products at a reasonable price.

Darpan Sabhagar helps filmmakers and budding artists to showcase their art form to the audience. Numerous films are screened at the Darpan Sabhagar theatre regularly to keep the audience engaged. Films such as Open Door, My Hometown, Protect the Nation, The Internal Raga, Mr Rich, etc., were shown in the theatre.

Sukhadia Rangmanch, town hall Udaipur

One of the most prominent theatres in Udaipur, Sukhadiya Rangmanch, is famous for its large capacity to host a big event. Many stand-up comedies show, drama, plays, music sessions, etc., have been hosted here. It is situated at Town Hall, Udaipur and is a property owned by the family of Mohanlal Sukhadiya. Popular Stand-up comedians such as Zakir Khan, Jeeveshu Ahluwalia, and more have performed here and have attracted a large number of audiences from the city.

MLSU Auditorium

Swamy Vivekananda Auditorium, better known as MLSU Auditorium, is a part of Mohanlal Sukhadiya University. It is a delight to see that students actively participate in the artistic activities taking place in the auditorium. A number of plays and concerts have been organized in the theatre for a very long time, and many renowned artists have graced theatre with their presence.

So, these were some of the most prominent theatres in Udaipur, trying their best to revitalize the vanishing theatre. Let us celebrate this World Theatre Day to honour the refined performance art by local artists in our city and beyond. If you feel that there are more theatres in Udaipur, apart from the ones mentioned in the list, please feel free to refer them in the comment section below.

Since aeons, theatre has always been a strong medium of entertaining people while confronting them with reality. And reality can sometimes leave you amidst a cyclone of thoughts. One such burning truth was raised in the play “Court Martial” which was beautifully written by Swadesh Deepak and executed by a team of young and talented artists under the able direction of Shivraj Sonwal. Occasion was of World Theatre Day and the stage was of Sukhadia Rangmanch at Town Hall. With a very noble cause of ailing a very senior theatre artist Mr. Rizwan Zahir Usman, who is suffering from a severe kidney disease, this play was dedicated to him who had been a source of inspiration for many.

The play takes you to an army court where a case has been presented for trial. Accused is Jawan Ramchandar who has been accused of killing one officer and grievously hurting the other. The court is presided by Colonel Sooraj Singh, a brave army personnel who has confronted death many a times in battle field. The trial at the court puts him in a confusing situation where he has to decide between moral judgment and legal judgment. At the end, despite of getting death sentence, the accused wins over the victim.

The play forces us to put a question on the society in which we live; a society that proudly tags itself as ‘modern’. But a bitter truth is that some narrow-minded people form a part of it or rather I should say the most respected part of this society. These so-called ‘High Class People’ forcefully take away the pride and esteem of people merely on the basis of caste. Yes, crimes were committed, are committed and will continue to be committed by them against low caste people and against the whole society and humanity when tried at a larger scale. And the ‘point to be noted’ is that this prevails even in The Indian Army which does not hold any system of reservation at any of its ranks and positions. Sounds shocking but true!!

Photos by : Yash Sharma