IHC Theatre Festival 2023: Showcasing the best of Indian theatre

The highly anticipated ‘India Habitat Centre Theatre Festival 2023’ is set to captivate audiences once again with a curated selection of excellent plays from across the country. This edition of the festival is scheduled to run from September 22, 2023, to October 1, 2023.

The festival kicks off with a curtain-raiser event on September 16 and 17, featuring ‘Tumhare Baare Mein’, written and directed by actor, playwright and filmmaker Manav Kaul.

The rich legacy of theatre at the India Habitat Centre has engaged audiences for over two decades and continues to serve as a torchbearer of India’s diverse theatrical heritage. The festival brings a curated selection of ‘Pan Indian Theatre’, encompassing a diverse range of Classics, translations, adaptations and originally devised scripts. This wide-ranging mix reflects the multifaceted nature of Indian theatre, which draws on shared histories and engages with compelling socio-political realities.

Vidyun Singh, Creative Head Programmes, Habitat World, India Habitat Centre, said: “We are delighted to be back with the festival.

This year, we have upped the anté to host ‘A Play a Day’. This year’s festival features 12 plays, a book discussion, a 35mm screening of a film on Indian theatre, workshops and interactions. Theatre lovers are going to be spoilt for choice and get to enjoy some outstanding and unforgettable theatre.”

This year’s line-up, once again, is an exciting mix of diverse genres, from Mumbai, Bengaluru, Guwahati, Imphal and Pune, catering to audiences of all ages, from toddlers and children to adults. A delightful double-bill of plays by Ranga Shankara’s AHA, ‘EE Gida, AA Mara (This plant, That plant)’ and ‘Chippi, The Chipkali’ are the perfect opportunity to introduce toddlers and children to the magic of theatre.

In his avatar as an author, Manav Kaul will also be present for a discussion and audience interaction on his latest book, ‘Tooti Hui Bikhri Hui’ and the oeuvre of his writings. The book portrays the life and trials of a homosexual woman.

The festival, is poised to, once again, raise the curtains on exceptional theatre that celebrates the diversity and creativity of Indian theatrical arts. The ‘IHC Theatre Festival 2023’ will bring ‘Tumhare Baare Mein’ directed by Manav Kaul, ‘The Verdict’ directed by Akarsh Khurana, ‘Dekh Behen Part 2’ directed by Prerna Chawla and Shikha Talsania, ‘The Departed Dawn’ directed by Victor Thoudam and Bimal Subedi, ‘The Proposal’ directed by Abinash Sarma, ‘Golden Jubilee’ directed by Saurabh Nayyar, ‘Ghanta Ghanta Ghanta Ghanta Ghanta’ directed by Mohit Takalkar, ‘Afterlies’ directed by Faezeh Jalali, ‘Siachen’ directed by Makarand Deshpande, ‘EE Gida, AA Mara (This plant, That plant)’ directed by Sananda Mukhopadhyaya, ‘Chippi, The Chipkali’ directed by Gertrude Trobinger, ‘Maas’ performed and directed by Jyoti Dogra and ‘Namak’ directed by Srinivas Beesetty and ‘Indian Theatre’ (35mm/1988/English/Docu/100 mins), a classic film directed by Jabbar Patel.

Tickets are available on ‘bookmyshow.com’ and at the program’s desk at India Habitat Centre, Lodhi Road.