GUWAHATI, July 28 - The Natasurya Phani Sarma Memorial Celebration Committee, popularly known as �Natasurya�, is organising its 23rd weeklong annual drama festival in collaboration with the State Department of Cultural Affairs at the Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra, Panjabari here from August 1.
The drama festival will be inaugurated by Utpal Borah, Chairman and Managing Director, Oil India Limited, while Rupshikha Bora, Director (Finance), OIL, will be the guest of honour on the inaugural evening.
Preetom Saikia, Commissioner and Secretary, Cultural Affairs Department, Government of Assam will be the special guest on the occasion. The inaugural function will be followed by presentation of August Strindburg�s play Miss Julie by Nepathya at 7 pm. The play has been directed by Boloram Das.
On the second day of the festival Seagull will present the play Swabhabjat, directed by Baharul Islam and written by Apu Bharadwaj.
Ejon Ahangkari Manuh, a drama written by Jintu Bhattacharyya and directed by Arjoo Amin and Tapan Deka, will be staged by Eagle on August 3. On the same evening Natasurya will felicitate Sangeet Natak Akademi awardee Nuruddin Ahmed.
Barnali Sarma, Director, Cultural Affairs, Government of Assam, will be the special guest of the occasion. Playwright Nabajyoti Bora�s Hayera Jetuki Bai, directed by Moni Bordoloi and produced by Rangamancha, will be staged on the fourth evening of the festival.
On the fifth day a commemorative souvenir will be released by noted director and actor Dulal Roy. This will be followed by staging of the play Dhanbar Ratani, written by Dr Ajit Bharali, produced by Nibedan and directed by Jyotiprasad Bhuyan.
On the sixth evening of the festival, the celebration committee will specially felicitate Giyas Uddin Ahmed, founder general secretary of �Natasurya�, who is a well-known playwright and director. Bhagnangsha, a drama written by Giyas Uddin Ahmed and directed by Ashimkrishna Baruah, will be staged on the same evening. Dr Amarjyoti Choudhury, Vice Chancellor, Down Town University, will be a special guest on the occasion.
On the concluding evening of the festival the committee is planning to welcome Dharmajam, a renowned group from Mumbai. They will present a historical hit Chanakya, acted in and directed by veteran actor, director Manoj Joshi and written by Mihir Bhuta. It is worth mentioning that the group has been continuously staging the drama for the last 24 years and this year is the 25th year of its glorious presentation.
The drama will be formally inaugurated by Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, while Naba Kumar Doley, Minister, Cultural Affairs, will be the guest of honour. Hrishikesh Goswami, Media Advisor to the Chief Minister will be the special guest on the occasion.-
