An amalgamation of all types of performing arts; theatre stimulates the creative avatar in you, whether you are the artist or the spectator. It is live and on the spot narration, unlike films which makes it more challenging.
The Films and Theatre Society (FTS) staged five original productions at their first Annual Arts Festival 'Rang'. They showed us not only what theatre and performing arts means to them but also what, if done right, they can do to the audience.
First day saw the staging of the play 'Siddhartha', a Hindi version of one of the most influential novels of Hermann Hesse (Nobel Prize in 1946 for his lifelong works). The play was directed by Ashok Chabra and presented by Pranav Productions. Ashok Chabra, who originally resides in Mumbai, has been working with FTS for the past six months to make this play a success.
The next day was vibrant with the pulsating sounds of Indian traditional music as 'Bramhanaad' performed. This band plays a confluence of Indian traditional, Indian folk and rock music which justifies their name 'Bramhanaad' meaning the 'universal sound'.
On the third day, two plays were showcased back to back. 'Koobar aur Kaaki', based on short stories by Munshi Premchand and Dharamveer Bharati, and 'Arjun Ka Beta' a poetic rendition of the bravado of Abhimanyu. Both the plays were directed by Atul Satya Koushik, resident director of FTS, were a masterpiece and FTS left the audience in awe. In 'Arjun Ka Beta', actors were duelling while reciting poetry!
{{/usCountry}}On the third day, two plays were showcased back to back. 'Koobar aur Kaaki', based on short stories by Munshi Premchand and Dharamveer Bharati, and 'Arjun Ka Beta' a poetic rendition of the bravado of Abhimanyu. Both the plays were directed by Atul Satya Koushik, resident director of FTS, were a masterpiece and FTS left the audience in awe. In 'Arjun Ka Beta', actors were duelling while reciting poetry!
{{/usCountry}}The fourth day, Atul Koushik had two more offerings. 'Temporary Matter' was a play based on a short story by Pulitzer prize winner Jhumpa Lahiri, and the second 'Jamuna', based on his own script.
The actors of FTS cannot forget their first annual fest. Saransh Jain, actor, said, "Rang was aimed at giving a new dimension and a fresh life to the Indian performing arts. It was a collage of different kinds of plays." Actor Sahil Malhotra believed, "Rang is the next level of the art of theatre. FTS has a long way to go."
Sahil Chhabra, who played Lord Krishna in 'Arjun Ka Beta' didn't want the fest to end at all. "Enjoyed each and every bit of Rang, hope it'll generate more colours next year," he quipped.
Atul Koushik feels that their six months' of hard work has paid off and we couldn't agree more. With electrifying performances, FTS sure won our hearts.
For more information about the theatre group, log on to http://www.fts.co.in/about_fts.html