Klesha selected for 23rd Bharat Rang Mahotsav

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Jan. 29: The play ‘Klesha’ has been selected for the 23rd Bharat Rang Mahotsav, one of the prestigious theatre festivals in the world. Conceived and directed by Vijaya Karki, the play ‘Klesha’ will be staged at the festival on February 17 and 19.

 The play was initially selected for the 2022 festival, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the festival could not be held at that time. This time, the festival has extended another invitation.

Out of the 62 plays chosen for the festival this time, only one play from Russia, in addition to a Nepali play, has been selected internationally for the festival. Under the festival, the Nepali play ‘Klesha’ will be staged twice in New Delhi and Ramnagar.

According to the official website, 59 plays from India, one from Russia, and two folk plays have been selected for the festival, which will be held from February 1 to 26. After being selected for Bharat Rang Mahotsav, the play is set to be specially staged at Mandala Theatre on February 12 and 13.

The play, which had 24 stagings in 2020, will have three special stagings in Nepal this time. Presented by Karman Art Group, the play features Sarita Giri, Surakshya Panta, Kushal Pandey, Sudeep Khatiwada, Bijay Baral, Bikash Joshi, Rosani Karki, Swopnil Ghimire, Sandeep Shrestha, Milan Karki, Sujan Khatiwada and Ruja Raut among others. 

Actress Surakshya Panta has made her theatre debut with the play ‘Klesha.’ Ramayana is the main source of the drama ‘Klesha,’ written by Pratiksha Kattel. The play has tried to present the story of sage Balmiki in a purely contemporary manner.

 Bharat Rang Mahotsav, which is organised annually by the National School of Drama under the Natya Pragya Pratisthan of India, will be held from February 1 this year.  Earlier, Sunil Pokharel, Anup Baral, Bimal Subedi and other Nepali artists trained by NSD participated in the festival which started in 1999.