BRICS Theatre Festival opens in Delhi with India's 'Samudra Manthan'

A three-day BRICS Theatre Festival opened in New Delhi on Monday, gathering performers, directors and scholars from nine nations to showcase diverse dramatic traditions across five venues in the capital.

Organised by the Ministry of Culture, the festival is anchored by the National School of Drama, which serves as the nodal agency. The opening day was led by India's production of Samudra Manthan, staged at the NSD premises' Abhimanch Auditorium. Written by Asif Ali, the play was directed and set to music by NSD Director Chittaranjan Tripathy, drawing on ancient Indian lore to open the multilateral exchange.

Cultural diplomacy on stage

Opening the event as chief guest, Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said that building platforms for dialogue is essential at a time when countries face complex international landscapes. While formal diplomacy settles negotiations and commerce drives growth, culture remains the fundamental bridge for societies to understand one another, the minister noted.

The gathering brings together nine BRICS member and partner countries, highlighting India's expanding role as a cultural convener among emerging economies. Foreign ambassadors, heads of mission, Union Culture Secretary Vivek Aggarwal, and Sudhakar Dalela—Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs and India's BRICS Sherpa—attended the inaugural session.

Venues and public access

The festival's curated calendar includes classical, experimental and contemporary stagecraft. India is scheduled to present two productions over the three days, matched by two visiting troupes from Russia, alongside works from national dramatic academies across the participating countries.

Performances are distributed across central New Delhi to accommodate public audiences alongside visiting delegations. In addition to the NSD's Abhimanch and Sammukh auditoriums, plays are being staged at Kamani Auditorium, LTG Auditorium and Meghdoot Theatre. Public access has been kept direct, with tickets priced at ₹200 each via BookMyShow.

By convening national academies from Southeast Asia, Africa, Central Asia and Eastern Europe, the festival reflects New Delhi's steady institutional push to pair economic and strategic alliances with sustained cultural diplomacy.