**Executive Summary**
The Chief Minister of Goa, Dr. Pramod Sawant, inaugurated the Goa edition of the 25th Bharat Rang Mahotsav (BRM) 2026, a 5-day international theatre festival. The festival is scheduled from February 2nd to February 6th, 2026, and is curated in collaboration with the Directorate of Art & Culture, Goa. The BRM is organized by the National School of Drama (NSD), and showcases over 277 productions from January 27 to February 20, 2026, across 228 Indian and international languages.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Event Details:**
* The Goa edition is part of the 25th Bharat Rang Mahotsav (BRM) 2026.
* The event is a 5-day theatre festival in Goa, running from February 2nd to February 6th, 2026.
* The opening day featured the Marathi play *Alive*.
* On February 3rd, 2026, the Marathi play *Father* will be staged.
* Plays on February 4th and 5th include *The Morning Show* and *Bloody Bombay*, respectively.
* The closing ceremony on February 6th features the Tamil play *Draupathi*.
* **Festival Overview (BRM 2026):**
* The festival spans 25 days, from January 27 to February 20, 2026.
* It features over 277 productions in 228 languages.
* The festival includes national, international, and regional productions.
* It features participation from 9 countries and theatre groups from every state and union territory.
* The festival aims to promote inclusivity and the universalization of theatre.
* **Organisational Efforts:**
* The festival is organised by the National School of Drama (NSD).
* NSD has launched Rang Akash (internet radio) and Natyam (OTT platform) to promote theatre.
**Impact Analysis**
**Theatre Lovers in Goa**
* **Impact:** The festival brings enthusiasm to theatre lovers in Goa.
* **Action Required:** Attend and enjoy the festival.
**Theatre Practitioners, Artists, and Public Service Professionals**
* **Impact:** The event provides a platform for engagement and cultural enrichment.
* **Action Required:** Attend and participate in the festival.
**National School of Drama (NSD)**
* **Impact:** Strengthens commitment to inclusivity and democratisation of theatre.
* **Action Required:** Continue spreading theatre through online platforms and inclusive festivals.
Key Entities Referenced
Bharat Rang Mahotsav: Annual international theatre festival organized by the National School of Drama.
National School of Drama (NSD): Organizer of Bharat Rang Mahotsav and key institution for promoting theatre in India.
Ministry of Culture: Government ministry associated with the event.
Goa: Location of the inaugural chapter of the 25th Bharat Rang Mahotsav.
Ministry of Culture
Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant inaugurates
Goa Chapter of 25th Bharat Rang Mahotsav
2026, World’s Largest International Theatre
Festival
Posted On: 04 FEB 2026 3:23PM by PIB Mumbai
Panaji : 4 February 2026
The Hon’ble Chief Minister of Goa, Dr. Pramod Sawant, inaugurated today the Goa edition of the 25th
edition of Bharat Rang Mahotsav (BRM) 2026, the world’s largest international theatre festival, the
flagship festival of the National School of Drama (NSD) at Sakhali, today. Scheduled from today, the 5-
day theatre festival is curated in collaboration with the Directorate of Art & Culture, Goa.
Among the key dignitaries who attended the ceremony were Dr. Ramesh Tawadkar, Hon’ble Minister for
Art & Culture, Tribal Welfare, and Sport & Youth Affairs, Government of Goa as well as Shri Vivek Naik,
Director, and Shri Milind Mate, Deputy Director of the Directorate of Art and Culture, Government of
Goa.
Prof. Bharat Gupt, Vice Chairman, NSD Society, who is also a Padma Shri awardee, chaired the opening
ceremony.
The festival opening has taken the enthusiasm of theatre lovers in Goa to a new high. The event was
attended by a wide cross-section of the city’s citizens, theatre practitioners, art lovers, and public service
professionals.
Adding further significance to the occasion were Mrs. Siddhi Porob, President of the Sankhali Municipal
Council, and Shri Dattaram Chimulkar, Vice Chairman of Ravindra Bhavan, Sakhali, whose support
enriched this grand cultural celebration.
This year’s line-up in Sakhali features a thoughtfully crafted curation of acclaimed plays, each bringing
unique storytelling, powerful narratives, and exceptional performances. The festival opens on 2nd
February 2026 and concludes on 6th February 2026, presenting a diverse repertoire that reflects the spirit
of India’s evolving theatre landscape.
The opening day featured the Marathi play Alive, written by Sanket Parkhe and Rutvik Vyas, and directed
by Sanket Parkhe, presented by the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA).
On 3rd February 2026 at 7:30 PM, the Marathi play Father, written by Florian Zeller and Directed by
Daksha Pradeep Shirodhar, will be staged by Goa’s own Mangirish Youth Club from Mangeshi, bringing a
sensitive adaptation of Zeller’s internationally acclaimed work.The festival will continue on 4th February 2026 at 7:30 PM with The Morning Show, a Hindi play written
and directed by Avneesh Mishra and performed by Rangshila Theatre Group from Mumbai, offering a
gripping narrative infused with humour, satire, and social commentary.
On 05 February 2026 at 7:30 PM, audiences will witness Bloody Bombay, a powerful Hindi production
written and directed by Happy Ranajit and presented by Unicorn Actors Studio, Mumbai, unfolding the
raw and layered realities of city life.
The celebrations draw to a close on 06 February 2026 at 7:30 PM with the Closing Ceremony and the
Tamil play Draupathi, written and directed by Dharini Komal of Komal Theatre, Chennai, a bold and
intense reimagining of an iconic epic through a contemporary lens.
The 25th Bharat Rang Mahotsav, organized by the National School of Drama (NSD), is the world’s largest
international theatre festival. The 25th edition, BRM 2026, spans 25 days from 27 January to 20 February
2026, showcasing over 277 productions across 228 Indian and international languages, including several
underrepresented tongues. The festival brings together national, international and regional productions,
with participation from 9 countries and theatre groups from every state and union territory.
Celebrating India’s theatrical diversity, BRM 2026 includes performances by children’s groups, tribal
communities, and artists from marginalized sections, reaffirming NSD’s commitment to inclusivity and
the universalization of theatre.
NSD has been continuously working towards the spread and democratization of theatre. Recently, it
launched Rang Akash, internet radio to promote theatre along with launching its OTT platform Natyam to
avail some of its prized productions to theatre lovers across the nation.PIB Panaji| PRO NSD Delhi/ Priti Malandkar
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Read this release in: Marathi