**Executive Summary**
The National School of Drama (NSD) will organize the 25th edition of Bharat Rang Mahotsav (BRM) 2026, an international theatre festival, from January 27 to February 20, 2026. The festival will be held across 40 locations in India and in one country in each of the seven continents. This edition is set to be the most expansive and inclusive to date.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Festival Overview:**
* The Bharat Rang Mahotsav (BRM) 2026 will be the 25th edition of the festival.
* It will be held from January 27 to February 20, 2026.
* The festival will be staged across 40 locations in India and one country in each of the seven continents.
* **Productions and Languages:**
* 277 Indian productions and 12 international productions will be presented.
* Performances will encompass 228 Indian and foreign languages and dialects.
* 19 university productions and 14 local productions will be featured across various centres.
* The selected plays emerged from a rigorous screening process of 817 national and 34 international applications.
* **Key Events and Features:**
* A Theatre Bazaar will promote new playwrights, with selected works being awarded and published.
* The 'Shruti' initiative will launch 17 books.
* 33 productions directed by women will be showcased.
* Special performances will pay tribute to freedom fighters, social reformers, and theatre stalwarts.
* Special counters will showcase India's diverse culinary traditions and traditional handicrafts.
* A seminar honouring Ebrahim Alkazi will be organised at the NSD Delhi campus.
* A unique theatrical performance written and performed by a cancer survivor and NSD alumnus will be staged.
* **Additional Festival Components:**
* Folk art performances, street theatre, seminars, master classes, and workshops will be included.
* The Advitiya segment will organise interactive sessions and Nukkad Natak performances at the NSD campus.
* Performances by transgender communities, sex workers, senior citizens and other underrepresented groups will be featured for the first time.
* **Collaborations and Support:**
* The festival is supported by leading national and international cultural and academic institutions.
* Collaborations include the Maithili-Bhojpuri Academy, Hindi Academy, Garhwali–Kumaoni–Jaunsari Academy and Urdu Academy.
* International collaborators include the National Polish Theatre Academy (Warsaw), National Academy of Theatre and Film Arts (Madrid) and the Russian Institute of Theatre Arts – GITIS (Moscow).
**Impact Analysis**
**National School of Drama (NSD)**
* **Impact:** NSD is the organizer of the Bharat Rang Mahotsav (BRM) 2026, undertaking the responsibilities of planning, coordinating, and executing the event on a large scale. NSD’s role is central in promoting theatre, cultural exchange, and artistic collaboration across India and internationally, enhancing its reputation as a leading institution in the field.
* **Action Required:** NSD needs to manage the logistical challenges of hosting events across multiple locations in India and abroad, curate diverse productions, ensure the smooth execution of various festival components, and engage with collaborators and stakeholders.
**Theatre Community (Playwrights, Directors, Actors, etc.)**
* **Impact:** This community gains a platform to showcase their work, network with international peers, and gain recognition. New playwrights benefit from the Theatre Bazaar and the 'Shruti' initiative. Women directors and underrepresented groups get specific showcases.
* **Action Required:** Theatre professionals need to submit their plays and productions for consideration, prepare for performances, engage with audiences and other artists, and take advantage of the networking opportunities the festival provides.
**Audiences and General Public**
* **Impact:** Audiences gain access to a diverse range of theatre performances from India and around the world, promoting cultural awareness and appreciation. The festival also brings theatre to underserved regions.
* **Action Required:** The general public can attend performances, workshops, and seminars to experience the festival’s cultural offerings. They can also participate in interactive sessions and engage with artists.
**Government and Collaborating Institutions**
* **Impact:** The Ministry of Culture and collaborating institutions benefit from the festival’s role in promoting Indian arts and culture, strengthening international cultural relations, and supporting local communities. The festival aligns with government initiatives to promote inclusivity and cultural diversity.
* **Action Required:** Government bodies and partner organizations need to provide financial and logistical support, participate in collaborative events, and leverage the festival to enhance their cultural and diplomatic objectives.
Key Entities Referenced
Bharat Rang Mahotsav: An international theatre festival organized by the National School of Drama.
National School of Drama (NSD): The organizing body for the Bharat Rang Mahotsav.
Ministry of Culture: The government ministry overseeing the festival.
India: The primary location where most of the theatre festival events will take place.
Ministry of Culture
25th Bharat Rang Mahotsav 2026 to be Held in
Largest-Ever Format Across 40 Locations in
India and One Country Each in All Seven
Continents
277 Indian Productions and 12 International Productions in
228 Languages and Dialects
Theatre Bazaar to Promote New Playwrights; 17 Books to be
Launched under ‘Shruti’; 33 Productions by Women Directors
Special Performances Paying Tribute to Freedom Fighters,
Social Reformers and Theatre Stalwarts
प्रव तथ: 22 JAN 2026 4:28PM by PIB Delhi
The National School of Drama (NSD) will organise the 25th edition of Bharat Rang Mahotsav (BRM)
2026, the world’s largest international theatre festival, from 27 January to 20 February 2026, in its most
expansive and inclusive edition to date.Marking a significant milestone, BRM 2026 will be staged across 40 locations nationwide, along with at
least one production from a country in each of the seven continents, reinforcing the festival’s global
outreach and cultural resonance.
A total of 277 Indian productions, including 136 selected plays and invited productions, along with 12
international productions, will be presented during the festival. These productions encompass
performances in 228 Indian and foreign languages and dialects, making Bharat Rang Mahotsav the largest
theatre festival in the world in terms of linguistic diversity.
The selected plays emerged from a rigorous screening process of 817 national and 34 international
applications. In addition, the festival will feature 19 university productions and 14 local productions
across various centres.Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Bharat Gupt, Vice Chairman, NSD, said: “The Bharat Rang Mahotsav
2026 stands as an epitome of the democratisation and universalisation of theatre—not only in its intent but
also in its scale. The festival reflects India’s ethos of a shared creative continuum through the inclusion of
diverse languages, genres and theatrical expressions from different communities and age groups.”
This edition significantly expands its linguistic and cultural canvas with performances in Maithili,
Bhojpuri, Tulu, Urdu, Sanskrit, Tai Khamti, Nyishi, alongside almost all major Indian languages and
several tribal and endangered languages.
For the first time, several new centres have been added, including Ladakh, Andaman & Nicobar Islands,
Lakshadweep, Daman & Diu, Aizawl (Mizoram), Tura (Meghalaya), Nagaon (Assam), Mandi (Himachal
Pradesh) and Rohtak (Haryana).
Highlighting the spirit of the festival, Shri Chittaranjan Tripathy, Director, NSD, stated: “The 25th Bharat
Rang Mahotsav is a Mahakumbh of theatre—of the people, by the people and for the people. It is an all-
inclusive, non-elitist international theatre festival where languages, regions, aesthetics and ideologies
converge through diverse theatrical forms.”
He further added: “It is a matter of pride that the festival reaches some of the farthest corners of the
country, offering access to theatre in regions where such opportunities are extremely limited. BRM also
provides a platform to underrepresented languages with rich oral and written traditions.”
BRM 2026 will present a wide array of curated and allied theatre festivals, including Adirang Mahotsav
(tribal theatre, dance and crafts), Jashne Bachpan (children’s theatre), Bal Sangam (folk dance and drama
by children), Poorvottar Natya Samaroh (North-Eastern theatre), Puppet Theatre Festival, Dance Drama
Festival, Classical Sanskrit Drama Festival, and a Micro Drama Festival.
For the first time, productions by transgender communities, sex workers, senior citizens and other
underrepresented groups will be featured.
The festival will also commemorate eminent historical figures such as Bhagwan Birsa Munda, Lok Mata
Ahilya Bai and Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, while paying tribute to theatre stalwarts Ratan Thiyam,
Daya Prakash Sinha, Bansi Kaul and Alok Chatterjee. A special seminar honouring Ebrahim Alkazi will be
organised at the NSD Delhi campus. A unique theatrical performance written and performed by a cancer
survivor and NSD alumnus will also be staged.
Folk art performances, street theatre, seminars, master classes and workshops will form an integral part of
the festival. The Advitiya segment, led by the NSD Students’ Union, will organise interactive sessions and
Nukkad Natak performances at the NSD campus.
The festival will feature the Theatre Bazaar, promoting newly written plays, with selected works to be
awarded and published. Under the ‘Shruti’ initiative, 17 books will be launched. Notably, 33 productions
directed by women will be showcased. Special performances honouring freedom fighters, social reformers
and eminent theatre exponents will also be presented.
Special counters showcasing India’s diverse culinary traditions and traditional handicrafts will add to the
cultural experience of the festival.
The grand scale of Bharat Rang Mahotsav 2026 is supported by collaborations with leading national and
international cultural and academic institutions, including the Maithili–Bhojpuri Academy, Hindi
Academy, Garhwali–Kumaoni–Jaunsari Academy and Urdu Academy (Government of NCT of Delhi).
International collaborators include the National Polish Theatre Academy (Warsaw), National Academy of
Theatre and Film Arts (Madrid) and the Russian Institute of Theatre Arts – GITIS (Moscow), along with
support from several Indian States and cultural institutions.***
Sunil Kumar Tiwari
pibculture[at]gmail[dot]com
(रलीज़ आईडी: 2217268) आगंतुक पटल : 505
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