GUWAHATI, July 27 - The 24th edition of the Natasurya Drama Festival will be held this year with a seven-day programme from August 1 at the Srimanta Sankaradeva International Auditorium and Sri Sri Madhavadeva International Auditorium of the Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra here.
In a joint statement issued on Saturday, Natasurya president Swapnanil Barua, working president Pulak Banerjee and general secretary Ramakrishna Sarma said the festival would start at 6.30 pm on August 1 with a chorus by the Natasurya members under the leadership of Pulak Banerjee and Manisha Hazarika. Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma will formally inaugurate the festival.
Noted stage director Dulal Roy, who is also the president of the Assam Natya Sanmilan, and Preetam Saikia, Commissioner Secretary of the Cultural Affairs department, among others, would attend the function as distinguished guests.
Noted playwright, stage director and actor Hemanta Dutta would be presented the Giyasuddin Ahmed Memorial Award at the function. The inaugural function will be followed by staging of two short plays at the Sri Sri Madhavadeva International Auditorium. Nayan Prasad will direct the plays � Mukhamukhi and Smriti Tar Sugandhi Pakhila. The first play is written by Bipuljyoti Saikia based on a Shirshendu Mukhopadhyaya short story, and the second is the Assamese rendering of the Hindi play based on Vijay Tendulkar�s short story Mother.
On August 2, Tezpur-based JB Production will present Bhagna Pratichhabi, while the Natasurya will present Dant. The venue will be the Sri Sri Madhavadeva International Auditorium. On August 3, Jirsong Theatre will present Antigonimenia, at the same venue.
On August 4, Guwahati-based Rangamancha will present Laluksola at the same venue. The next day, Nagaon-based Shilpacharcha will present Jonake Dhowa Aranya at the Sri Sri Madhavadeva International Auditorium. On August 6, Maligaon-based Gandharva will present Murta Bimurta Nil-Deepali, based on the life and struggles of artiste couple Nilpawan Barua and Dipali Barthakur. A souvenir in the memory of Natasurya founder general secretary Giasuddin Ahmed will also be released that evening.
On August 7, Felicity Theatre of Mumbai will present Jab We Separated, the famous Hindi play by Rakesh Bedi. Noted actors Shweta Tiwari and Rahul Bhusar will feature in this play. Cultural Affairs Minister Nava Kumar Doley will attend the valedictory function that evening as the distinguished guest. The souvenir brought out by the Natasurya in connection with the festival will also be released at the function.
