Hyderabad Hosts NSD's Silver Jubilee Festival

Hyderabad:The Hyderabad chapter of the 25th Bharat Rang Mahotsav, the silver jubilee edition of the National School of Drama’s (NSD) annual theatre festival, began at Ravindra Bharathi on Friday, bringing four curated productions to the city over four evenings with free entry for audiences.

“Bringing the 25th edition of Bharat Rang Mahotsav to Hyderabad is a momentous occasion for the city’s vibrant theatre community,” said K.L. Kaithwas, Head Coordinator of BRM 2026 Hyderabad. “As we celebrate our Silver Jubilee, we are celebrating the ‘Samvad’ between cultures. This is a rare opportunity for Hyderabadis to witness world‑class theatre right in their backyard.”

The festival, recognised by NSD as the largest theatre festival in the world, runs from 7 to 10 February at Ravindra Bharathi Auditorium, Lakdikapul, with shows scheduled daily at 6.30 pm. The Hyderabad leg features four hand‑picked plays chosen to represent linguistic and narrative variety within Indian theatre.

The opening ceremony was attended by Enugu Narsimha Reddy, director, department of language and culture, Government of Telangana, as chief guest, and Dr Alekhya Punjala, chairperson of the Telangana Sangeeta Nataka Academy, as special guest. Theatre personalities Prof. Kotla Hanumantha Rao, Prof. D.S.N. Murthy and Prof. N.J. Bhikshu were guests of honour.

Nationally, the silver jubilee edition spans more than 40 locations and includes 277 Indian productions and 12 international plays. Organisers said the decentralised format seeks to make theatre accessible beyond major metros by taking performances directly to regional audiences.