Abhinaya National Theatre Festival 2010: Rajarshi Bhagyachandra - Manipuri Play: Events in Hyderabad

REVIEW FOR ABHINAYA NATIONAL THEATRE FESTIVAL...

The Abhinaya National Theatre Monthly magazine, in association with the AP State Film, TV & Theatre Development Corporation, Department of Culture of the AP Government, and the South Zone Cultural Centre (Thanjavur), is organising the Abhinaya National Theatre Festival 2010, from 16th to 19th August, at the Ravindra Bharathi auditorium. 5 stage plays and 2 street plays from all over the country will be staged during the 4-day festival.

On the last day of the festival, a Manipuri award-winning play "Rajarshi Bhagyachandra" will be staged at 7:30pm. The play has been directed by M C Thoiba, and the cast includes H Shatananda as Rajarshi Bhagyachandra, L Tiken as Khelie Nungnang Telheiba, Rita as Bimbabati, Phajaton as Tangkhul woman, Khamba as Krishna and A Syam as a young man.

Though Rajarshi Bhagyachandra is commonly known to all in different interpretations, this new perspective is little known to theatre-goers. It was the production of MC Thoiba's Banian Reperatory Theatre, which gave this chapter in Manipur's history a new light. The play blends music drama, dance, poetry and painting.

Ningthou Ching-Thang Khomba (also Rajarshi Bhagyachandra, Jai Singh Maharaja) (1748-1799) was a Manipuri monarch of the 18th century. The inventor of the Ras Lila dance, he is a legendary figure in Manipur, and much of his actions as king were mythologized. He is also credited with spreading Vaishnavism in Manipur after his grandfather Pamheiba made Hinduism the official religion, and for creating a unified Manipur.

Abhinaya National Theatre Monthly was founded in the 2004 by Gadde Srinivas, a theatre artiste. Srinivas holds a diploma in theatre arts. Quitting his lucrative profession in Telugu movies, he started Abhinaya, a first-of-its-kind magazine in India dedicated exclusively to theatre.

He organises many events throughout the year, like the State Theatre Festival in Guntur, and Padya Nataka Festival and Nataka Rachana Poteelu in Hyderabad.

Please contact G Srinivas at 93911-11622 for further details.