Itihasher Mohanayokera

Theatre troupe Universal Theatre has organised a seven-day theatre festival at the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA), focusing only on plays based on the historical figures of the sub-continent. A total of six troupes from Bangladesh and one from India are participating in the festival that also includes a seminar on the closing day (November 10). 

Cultural Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Noor inaugurated the festival on November 4 at the National Theatre Hall Auditorium of BSA, where eminent thespians Ramendu Majumdar, Nasiruddin Yousuff, and Hasan Arif spoke as special guests. 

On the opening day, Palakar staged their play "Bangla'r Mati Bangla'r Jol" (centering on Rabindranath Tagore), written by Syed Shamsul Haque and directed by Ataur Rahman. On the second day, Theatre staged "Baramkhana" (on Lalon Shah) written by Pantho Shahriar and directed by Tropa Majumder, based on Sunil Ganguly's famous novel "Moner Maanush". Today's play at the festival is "Surjo Sen" (on Master'da Surjo Sen) by Chittagong Shilpakala Academy's Repertory troupe, written by Shobhonmoy Bhattacharya and directed by Moslem Uddin Sikdar; tomorrow, Loko Natyadal (Siddheshwari) will stage "Mujib Manei Mukti" (on Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman) directed by Liaquat Ali Lucky. Host troupe Universal Theatre will stage "Mahatma" (on Mahatma Gandhi) on November 8, written and directed by Mazharul Haque Pintu, followed by Aranyak Natyadal's "Ebong Bidyasagar" (on Ishwar Chandra Bidya Sagar) written by Mannan Hira and directed by Mamunur Rashid, the next day. The festival will close with Indian troupe Kalyani Natya Bhabna's "Shromon" (on Gautam Buddha) the following day. All plays will begin at 7pm at the National Theatre Hall.