Mohd Yaseen
On 15th May, 1983, 42 years ago, the foundation of a global cultural brand ‘Natrang’ was laid by Balwant Thakur. At the time, no one could have foreseen that this name would one day become a household symbol of excellence, pride, and a cultural identity, not only of Jammu & Kashmir but of the Indian theatre at large. Today, when we talk about the global recognition of our regional language and culture, no one can deny the pivotal role played by Natrang in securing an international identity for the region through its powerful theatrical productions and unmatched artistic contributions.
From Russia to Germany, South Africa to England, UAE to Mauritius, Italy to China audiences have begun to recognize the intellectual and cultural vibrance of Jammu and Kashmir, thanks to the remarkable work of Natrang. Its original and innovative plays are studied in prestigious theatre institutions globally, with mentions in the Oxford Press UK, South African Theatre Journal, and Drama Review New York for their contribution to contemporary world theatre. Before Natrang, the people of Jammu had never witnessed grand productions with hundreds of artists on stage, mesmerising electrifying visual spectacles like Rangla Jammu, Gulab Gatha, Mata Ki Kahani, Colors of Jammu and Kashmir, and Celebrating Diversity.
On May 15, 1983, the audience at Abhinav Theatre in Jammu was taken by surprise as Natrang made its dramatic debut with the staging of ‘Neeli Jheel’ by Dharamveer Bharti and ‘Nanhen Kandhey Nanhen Pair’ by Srikant Verma, both directed innovatively by Balwant Thakur. The leading roles were played by Arvind Anand, Vijay Attri, Asha Arora, Prabodh Jamwal, and Arun Sharma. Impressively, many of them are still associated with Natrang today, with Arvind Anand continuing to play the lead in the iconic play Bawa Jitto. In its very first year, Natrang won the Best Play Award in the J&K Academy’s annual drama festival, and continued winning first position in 1984, 1985, and 1986. It broke barriers by becoming the first theatre group from Jammu to participate in national theatre festivals beginning in 1985, bringing Dogri Theatre to national attention and acclaim.
Natrang was never limited to traditional approaches. It ventured into new dimensions of theatre through initiatives such as theatre camps, children’s theatre, dance and music repertory, script banks, theatre laboratories, Sunday Theatre, a resource centre, and a comprehensive archives and documentation wing. It also became the only institution to preserve the region’s vanishing folk performing traditions in digital form. Some of the longest-running contemporary theatre plays for both adults and children are Natrang’s proud creations which include ‘Bawa Jitto’, ‘Ghumayee’, ‘Mahabhoj’, ‘Mere Hisse Ki Dhoop Kahan hai’ and ‘Aap Hamaare Hain Kaun’ .
In its 42-year journey, Natrang has staged an unprecedented over 7500 shows. The core acting team included Neeraj Kant, Anil Tickoo, Suresh Kumar, Arvind Anand, Sanjeev Gupta, Vikrant Sharma, Sumeet Sharma, Pankaj Sharma, Sat Salarbi, Vijay Bhat, Mohd Yaseen, and many more. Over 40 Natrang artists have earned national and international honors, including fellowships, scholarships, and national awards. Among them, Balwant Thakur received the Padma Shri, the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, and recognition from UNESCO. Anil Tickoo became the first actor from J&K to win National Academy Award. In youth category propud artists of Natrang Sanjeev Gupta, Sumit Sharma,and Ashish Nijhawan worn award for Direction and Vikrant Sharma and Sunil Palwal earned Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards for acting. While Deepika B. Thakur, Neeraj Kant, Mohd Yaseen, Rahul Singh, Sajra Qadir, Shivam Singh, and others have received national fellowships and scholarships for their work in theatre.
Plays that made waves across India include Bawa Jitto, Ghumayee, Mahabhoj, Aap Hamare Hain Kaun, Poster, Mere Hisse Ki Dhoop Kahan Hai, Chauraha, Raktbeej, Kanjoos, and many others. Natrang has also produced over 2000 actors, many of whom have earned fame in TV and film, including Bhanu Goswami, Anjali Abrol, Sunil Palwal, Harish Khanna, Ekta Kaul, Mansi Sharma, and Mridul Suri. Several of these actors received international training at prestigious institutions like the London School of Acting and Speech, Lee Strasberg Institute in New York, and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London.
One of Natrang’s most recent milestones was its prestigious participation in the G20 Cultural Events held in Kashmir, where it presented the vibrant cultural diversity of the region to global delegates. Natrang’s performance at this high-profile platform not only highlighted the artistic strength of Jammu and Kashmir but also projected India’s soft power through the lens of regional theatre and traditional arts.
In 2016, Natrang represented India’s cultural diversity at Trafalgar Square, London, performing before a crowd of over 50,000. With a dream of making Jammu an international theatre destination, Natrang envisions a future campus with a state-of-the-art auditorium, studio theatres, residences, and a children’s theatre centre. Although Balwant Thakur is currently posted abroad as a cultural diplomat for the Ministry of External Affairs, he has always emphasized the importance of nurturing the next generation of theatre leaders. In his words: “I want the second line of actors, directors, and creators of Natrang to hold the flag and carry forward the legacy.”
As the renowned theatre critic Prof. Chaman Ahuja rightly observed in Contemporary Theatre of India: “To sum up, both Jammu & Kashmir hold out promises of a potential that is likely to be realized unless Kashmir regains peace and Balwant Thakur regains his priorities.” As Natrang enters its 43rd year, we hope to see the return of its visionary founder to accelerate its mission and take this cultural brand to even greater heights.
(The writer is a National Scholarship and Fellowship Holder from Ministry of Culture, Government of India in the field of Theatre)