Theatre festival in Delhi from November 14-16

The festival boasts a lineup of seven plays featuring some of the most prominent Indian theatre artists and playwrights.

When she was a young girl, actress Lillete Dubey’s grandmother would tell her many stories. Back then, immersed in the world being created before her, she enjoyed them as most children do. As an adult, she has realised the importance of the activity.

The theatre festival, marking its sixth edition, will be held at four venues.

“The most immediate, spontaneous connection you have with other human beings is telling stories. Why is it that from time immemorial we have done this, told stories to each other? Because it’s what makes us human. It’s a reflection of life,” Dubey said. This idea is exemplified in her play, ‘Autobiography.’

Written by Mahesh Elkunchwar, the play will be shown on November 14 and 15, the first two days of the annual Delhi Theatre Festival (DTF). “Its the first time we’re showing it in the city, so I am excited for it. There’s a lot you can take from the play – about relationships, about how we all live with the truth, and about human beings. To me, art of any kind holds up a mirror to life, and often illuminates your own,” she said.

“This edition of DTF is much bigger in scale. The number of plays happening this year is the biggest that we’ve had so far. We are also experimenting with genres, as we want there to be something for every audience,” says Prabhu Tony, one of the co-founders of the festival.

The festival boasts a lineup of seven plays featuring some of the most prominent Indian theatre artists and playwrights. Some of the plays have multiple screenings, which Tony said, was done in response to excitement on social media.

Audiences will be able to pick from four screenings of actor Naseeruddin Shah’s ‘Einstein,’ his solo-act exploring the titular physicist’s personality. The play has one screening on the opening day, two on November 15, and a last one on November 16. Set in modern-day north India, ‘Karamjale Brothers,’ directed by Rajat Kapoor and starring Vinay Pathak, also has one screening on November 14, two on November 15, and a final on the last day. It is an adaptation of the Russian classic ‘The Brothers Karamazov,’ novelist Fyodor Dostoevsky’s final work.

“Every community the novel went to saw a reflection of itself in it. This play is our attempt to find Dostoevsky’s philosophy, what he was trying to say about humans, and adapt it to our conditions,” Pathak said.

Among the plays making their return to the city is a reimagining of ‘Dreamz,’ a play by actor Pankaj Kapur, being shown on November 15 and 16. Actress Supriya Pathak, who is a part of the cast, said the play allows constant reinterpretation. “Everything that Kapur writes, all the characters he makes, they all have so many shades and layers. The play itself is about dreams and how we interpret them, and every show of it I’ve done, I’ve tried to find a new layer,” she said.

Also in the line-up is ‘Sir Sir Sarla,’ starring Makarand Deshpande, on November 15 as well as ‘Dhumrapaan,’ starring Kumud Mishra, and Kuch Bhi Ho Sakta Hai, starring Anupam Kher—both being shown on November 16.