NSD’s Bharangam 2025 in Bengaluru is showcasing years of theatre legacy and global performances  Premium

Bharangam or BRM -- short for Bharat Rang Mahotsav – International Theatre Festival of India, is one among the most anticipated events for theatre communities across the country. Organised by the National School of Drama (NSD), this year marks NSD’s 25th year hosting Bharangam, which is happening across several cities in India and abroad. Kicked off on January 28, the festival is on till February 16, across 13 cities in India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka featuring 123 productions by 110 Indian groups, and 10 foreign groups, in 13 different languages.

“I had no idea Bengaluru and Karnataka had so many theatre troupes. I got to meet people from close to 30 different theatre troupes due to the exhibition put up here. My classmates and I were surprised to see that there are so many teams that have been around for more than 50 years. It was a treat to watch folk artistes perform Krishna Parijatha,” said 20-year-old Ananya K., a theatre student from a popular college in the city at theatre festival Bhrangam, 2025.

Bharangam or BRM -- short for Bharat Rang Mahotsav – International Theatre Festival of India, is one among the most anticipated events for theatre communities across the country. Organised by the National School of Drama (NSD), this year marks NSD’s 25th year hosting Bharangam, which is happening across several cities in India and abroad. Kicked off on January 28, the festival is on till February 16, across 13 cities in India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka featuring 123 productions by 110 Indian groups, and 10 foreign groups, in 13 different languages.

In Bengaluru, the event started on February 1 in collaboration with Karnataka Nataka Academy and the Kannada and Culture Department, Government of Karnataka. It will go on till February 8 at Kalagrama, at Mallatahalli. The Bengaluru version of the festival is hosting about 1,500 artistes and has seen a footfall of close to 5,000 people on most of the days of the festival.

The festival venue in Bengaluru is marked by an infectious enthusiasm. Likith Sharma, a visitor at the festival, said, “I never realised Bengaluru and Karnataka had such a vast theatre community... Also I had never watched a play in a different language or by a foreign group. Through this festival I got to watch The Marriage of Balzaimnov, a Russian play, and I can not wait to watch the play from Sri Lanka.“ 

BRM 2025 features international theatre groups participating hailing from Russia, Italy, Germany, Norway, Czech Republic, Nepal, Taiwan, Spain, and Sri Lanka. In the Bengaluru edition, the festival is featuring eight plays from across the country, besides Sri Lanka and Russia.

In a release, Chittaranjan Tripathy, Director, National School of Drama said, “Bharat Rang Mahotsav has become a quintessential theatre festival on the global stage with its expansive approach. It has not only served as a platform for theatre performances from around the world but has also offered opportunities for the amalgamation of various traditional performing art forms. Additionally, it has facilitated knowledge-sharing and idea-exchange among individuals from the dramatic arts and other creative fields.” He said they aim to broaden the scope of this festival further, and extend it to other continents.

Speaking to The Hindu, Meeta Mishra, senior theatre person and coordinator, NSD, said that 25 years of Bharangam feels like a full circle. “The festival has happened every year since its inception, except for one year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many years ago, NSD’s current director Chittaranjan Tripathy had directed a play called Taj Mahal Ka Tender, which became quite popular, and is still running. This year the same play with a new set of actors is being presented at the festival, after 25 years. This feels complete now.” What stands out in this year’s festival is that there are plays by close to 23 women directors, she added.