Marathi theatre for the young

NCPA’s marathi theatre festival Pratibimb explores themes that strike a chord with the current generation. Read modern-age marriage, Facebook, sex, drugs, reality shows, homosexuality, education and globalisation.

NCPA’s marathi theatre festival Pratibimb explores themes that strike a chord with the current generation. Read modern-age marriage, Facebook, sex, drugs, reality shows, homosexuality, education and globalisation.

HT Image

Starting next Saturday, Pratibimb, NCPA’s marathi theatre festival, will showcase the best in contemporary marathi theatre. The plays, majority of which are produced and directed by young, budding theatre professionals, deal with issues that a current generation can relate to.

“Around five years ago, marathi theatre saw a severe slump in quality. Due to the boom in regional television, talent moved to directing and acting in marathi soaps. Theatre suffered,” says Deepa Gahlot, head theatre and film programming, NCPA. However, around three years ago it saw a revival of sorts.

While professionals moved to television and marathi cinema they made room for the younger generation. Thanks to the tradition of college level competitions, a number of amateur theatre enthusiasts started experimenting with new ideas and subjects. The result: A range of different, contemporary plays with fresh faces and original ideas took to the stage.

“They spoke a language that their generation could connect with,” says Gahlot.