events, news and interviews

“A new play on the nexus between the political power, religion and traders which torments the under dog and women. Gold wish is killing all the tenderness in life”. This is how Sunday Times described ‘Mrigtrishna’ as it announced the play being performed at the National School of Drama in its weekly issue. 

In an interview published in The Times of India-East Delhi Plus, Padma Shree recipient Ram Gopal Bajaj talks about introducing Anupam Kumar as a playwright  

The performance of Anupam Kumar’s Mrigrishna was covered by Star Plus prime time TV show with a behind the scenes exclusive into the theatrical production and interview with the playwright

Anupam Kumar was interviewed by BBC Radio for the global broadcast of a segment that interviewed “young, international playwrights”

ex-NSD student V Balakrishnan, who was also cast in Anupam Kumar’s Brihannala was inspired to write “The Curse of Urvashi”, a play that revolves around female sexuality, social labels and human instincts, recalls how ‘Brihannala’ inspired him to write ‘The Curse of Urvashi” 

Anupam Kumar’s poetry recital was a periodic telecast on the TV channel which was recorded at the Sahitya Akademi in New Delhi

The publication had printed the announcement of ‘Mrigtrishna’ being performed at the Bharat Rang Mahotsav festival at the National School of Drama, New Delhi

V Balakrishnan brings his  directorial work ‘The Curse of Urvashi’ back to theatre arenas in 2018 to venues like Alliance Francaise, Chennai and Rangshankara, Bangalore . In this article, he talks about Anupam Kumar’s Brihannala and how it inspired his creation. “The inspiration was a  play by the name of Brihanalla, written in 1995 by Anupam Kumar, where he presented a very powerful conflict in the form of Uttara falling in love with Arjuna, and the latter rejecting her, as he believes her to be in the position of his daughter. That conflict inspired me to blend it with the story of Urvashi’s Curse, and create a new script,” says V Balakrishnan in the article

The news paper published an article titled ‘Anupam Kumar’s Poetry Recital’ (translated) decsribes in detail his exclusive poetry recital at the ‘Shruti’ event  organized by the Rang Prasang magazine   

The Indian People’s Theatre Association (IPTA) organized a festival at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi (JNU) to commemorate 70 years of its foundation and the birth centenary of legendary actor and IPTA activist Balraj Sahni where Anupam Kumar’s play Brihannala was performed directed by Vipul Pachori

Poems ‘Ashwathbodh’ and ‘Niyati’ were published in the magazine in two different issues, one under their ‘Article of The Year’ section for which Anupam Kumar also received a 

Theatre personality Devendra Raj Ankur, in his book Padhte Sunte Dekhte, while reviewing the scenario of Hindi theatre during the last one decade (approx. mid ninetees to middle of 1st decade of 21st century)  mentions that “while plays of established playwrights became popular, new playwrights also emerged with intense and heartwarming (or poignant) plays such as “Mrigtrishna” by Anupam Kumar….” (translated from Hindi) 

The thesis on Theatre says that “Death of Mohan Rakesh created a void in Modern Indian Theatre in the field of original Hindi plays. But after a gap there was a turning point when new playwrights marked their perception of contemporary life with novel techniques and fresh viewpoints. They experimented with their creative style and in the 90s use of humour was seen in the expression of struggle against the prevailing political and social systems as in the play ‘Brihannala’ by new playwright Anupam Kumar and ‘Uchakkon Ka Koras’ by Avinash Chandra Mishr” (translated from Hindi)

The very first performance of Anupam Kumar’s debut play ‘Brihannala’ was at the National School of Drama under the directorial excellence of Padma Shri recipient, and then Director of the Institute, Mr. Ram Gopal Bajaj 

‘Mrigtrishna was performed at Sri Ram Centre under the direction of Dr. Satyabrata Rout

‘Brihanalla’ was published in the prestigious theatre magazine ‘Natrang’ under the editorship of the late Mr. Nemichand Jain.

Mr Ram Gopal Bajaj had started NSD’s periodical ‘Rang Prasang’ in which Mrigtrishna was published under the editorship of Mr. Prayag Shukla.

‘Mrigtrishna’ was performed at Bhartendu Natya Academy, Lucknow directed by Professor Satyabrata Rout

Poems ‘Ashwathbodh’ and ‘Niyati’ were published in the magazine in two different issues

Anupam Kumar’s poem ‘Ashwatbodh’ was recited by Mr. Ram Gopal Bajaj at the Sahitya Akademi in New Delhi 

The Yogeshwari Mahavidyalaya in Ambajogai, Maharashtra performed ‘Brihannala’ at the Maharashtra Rajya Natya Spardha

‘Mrigtrishna’ was performed at the NSD’s Bharat Rang Mahotsav under the direction of Dr. Satyabrata Rout

The Indian People’s Theatre Association (IPTA) organized a festival at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi (JNU) to commemorate 70 years of its foundation and the birth centenary of legendary actor and IPTA activist Balraj Sahni where Anupam Kumar’s play Brihannala was performed directed by Vipul Pachori

Anupam Kumar’s exclusive poetry recital was held at the ‘Shruti’ event  organized by the Rang Prasang magazine   

Other than the above venues and publications, Anupam Kumar’s plays have been adapted/ performed by different theatre directors and performed in various arenas across the country

Published work, performed plays and recitals
Published work, performed plays and recitals

The very first performance of Anupam Kumar’s debut play ‘Brihannala’ was at the National School of Drama under the directorial excellence of Padma Shri recipient, and then Director of the Institute, Mr. Ram Gopal Bajaj 

‘Mrigtrishna was performed at Sri Ram Centre under the direction of Dr. Satyabrata Rout

‘Brihanalla’ was published in the prestigious theatre magazine ‘Natrang’ under the editorship of the late Mr. Nemichand Jain.

Mr Ram Gopal Bajaj had started NSD’s periodical ‘Rang Prasang’ in which Mrigtrishna was published under the editorship of Mr. Prayag Shukla.

‘Mrigtrishna’ was performed at Bhartendu Natya Academy, Lucknow directed by Professor Satyabrata Rout

Poems ‘Ashwathbodh’ and ‘Niyati’ were published in the magazine in two different issues

Anupam Kumar’s poem ‘Ashwatbodh’ was recited by Mr. Ram Gopal Bajaj at the Sahitya Akademi in New Delhi 

The Yogeshwari Mahavidyalaya in Ambajogai, Maharashtra performed ‘Brihannala’ at the Maharashtra Rajya Natya Spardha

‘Mrigtrishna’ was performed at the NSD’s Bharat Rang Mahotsav under the direction of Dr. Satyabrata Rout

The Indian People’s Theatre Association (IPTA) organized a festival at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi (JNU) to commemorate 70 years of its foundation and the birth centenary of legendary actor and IPTA activist Balraj Sahni where Anupam Kumar’s play Brihannala was performed directed by Vipul Pachori

Anupam Kumar’s exclusive poetry recital was held at the ‘Shruti’ event  organized by the Rang Prasang magazine   

Other than the above venues and publications, Anupam Kumar’s plays have been adapted/ performed by different theatre directors and performed in various arenas across the country

INVITATIONS AND EVENTS ATTENDED

ex-NSD student V Balakrishnan, who was also cast in Anupam Kumar’s Brihannala was inspired to write “The Curse of Urvashi”, a play that revolves around female sexuality, social labels and human instincts, recalls how ‘Brihannala’ inspired him to write ‘The Curse of Urvashi” 

Anupam Kumar’s poetry recital was a periodic telecast on the TV channel which was recorded at the Sahitya Akademi in New Delhi

The publication had printed the announcement of ‘Mrigtrishna’ being performed at the Bharat Rang Mahotsav festival at the National School of Drama, New Delhi