99th Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Natya Sammelan will be witnessed in the city from February 22 to 25. The festival will be inaugurated by Indian playwright, screenplay writer, Mahesh Elkunchwar. The chief guest during the programme will be Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, while city mayor Nanda Jichkar will be the guest of honour.
The festival will be presided over by eminent singer Kirti Shiledar and Marathi poet, writer and playwright Premanand Gajvi.
The inaugural ceremony will be conducted at late Purushottam Darvhekar Rangamanch (main stage), Reshimbag Ground on Friday, February 22 at 6:30 pm.
The sammelan will conclude on February 24 at 6:30 pm, which will be presided over by Premanand Gajvi. Minister of higher and technical education, Marathi bhasha and cultural affairs, Vinod Tawde and Guardian Minister, Chandrashekhar Bawankule will be the chief guests during concluding function.
Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Natya Sammelan will begin on Friday February 22 with ‘Natya Dindi’ moving from Shivaji statue, Gandhi Gate, Reshimbag Ground till the main stage, late Purushottam Darvhekar Rangmanch. The inaugural will be conducted at 6:30 pm followed by drama; ‘Punha Sahi Re Sahi’ produced by Bharat Jadhav Entertainment, written and directed by Kedar Shinde, presented by Bharat Jadhav at Suresh Bhatt Auditorium, Reshimbag at 10 pm.
The programme on February 23 will begin from midnight itself.
‘Aakrosh’ (Zadipatti) will be staged at 1 am by Shivaji Kala Rangabhoomi, Wadsa at Suresh Bhatt auditorium.
One act play, ‘Gatar’ by Bahujan Rangabhoomi, Nagpur will be staged at 9 am, followed by ‘Rada’ by A B Marathi Natya Parishad, Karanja, Lad at 10 am at Suresh Bhatt auditorium. ‘Vishwadabhirama’ will be staged by A B Marathi Natya Parishad, Solapur at 11 am at the same venue.
Other one act plays on the same day are, ‘Afu’ at 1 pm, ‘Tere Mere Sapne’ at 2 pm, ‘To, Ti ani Natak’ at 3 pm, ‘Lali’ at 4 pm followed by a seminar on ‘Natak: Jagnyachi samruddha adgal’ at 5 pm at Suresh Bhatt auditorium.
‘Raghuveer Khedkar sah Kantabai Satarkar Loknatya Tamasha’ will be staged at late Purushottam Darvhekar Rangmanch, Reshimbag Ground at 6 pm.
The day will conclude with drama, ‘Visarjan’ staged by Vishwas Gyan Prabodhini and Research Centre, Nashik, written by Datta Patil, directed by Sachin Shinde at Suresh Bhatt auditorium at 10 pm.
The performances on February 24 will again begin with mid-night play. ‘Assa Navra Nako Ga Bai’ will be staged at 1 am by late Balaji Patil Borkar Smruti Pratishthan, Navargaon at Suresh Bhatt auditorium.
Drama, ‘Momos’ will be staged at 9 am followed by ‘Ekpatri Sadarikaran’ at 10 am, ‘Sammelanachi Wari’ directed by Devendra Belankar’ at 11 am, ‘Parisamvaad’ at 1 pm in Suresh Bhatt auditorium.
On the same stage, ‘Terava’ will be staged by Addhyayan Bharti, Wardha produced by Agro Theatre at 2 pm, written by Shyam Pethkar, directed by Harish Ithape. The artistes in the act will comprise mainly of widows and daughters of farmers who committed suicide.
The play will be followed by ‘Geet Ramayan’ by Warna Nagar, Kolhapur at 4 pm in the same premises.
An open session and concluding ceremony will take place late Purushottam Darvhekar Rangmanch (main stage) at 6:30 pm. Followed by, ‘Swaranandanvan’ by Maharogi Seva Samiti, Varora, Anandvan at 9:30 pm at Suresh Bhatt auditorium.
The festival will conclude on February 25 at Suresh Bhatt auditorium, with ‘Mukti’ which will be staged at 1 am, written directed by Prajakta Deshmukh, conceptualised and sung by singer Devaki Pandit.
