DOGRA HERALD BUREAU
Jammu 15th May, 2024
The leading cultural movement of Jammu & Kashmir popularly known as ‘NATRANG’ celebrated its 42nd foundation day with huge fun and fare. Featuring senior actors of Natrang in the celebration performances, the occasion also marked a detailed presentation by founder Director Natrang, Balwant Thakur tracing the exciting journey of 41 years of Natrang and cake cutting ceremony. The celebrations opened with the remarkable performances by Anil Tickoo and Neeraj Kant featuring both in Manoj Mitra’s ‘Bagia Bancharam Ki’ under the direction of Adil Hussain. Both Anil Tickoo and Neeraj Kant mesmerised the audiences with their highly matured histrionics.
This is the cultural institution which gave a new cultural identity to this part of the world globally, tirelessly worked day and night to become the most sought after cultural destination of India. With over record 7,310 events to its credit, Natrang created a history for having participated over 360 national/International cultural/theatre festivals. Founder Director Natrang, Padamshree Balwant Thakur expressed his heartiest gratitude to everyone who contributed immensely for the growth and development of this brand called ‘Natrang’. He further said that in last 41 years, through the selfless contribution of thousands of its associates, Natrang has brought the J&K theatre to the National and International limelight and its highly acclaimed plays which vibrated the theatre world and proudly travelled the whole length and breadth of the country and also crossed the boundaries of India as well and won appreciation in Russia, Germany, U.K., Singapore, Turkey, Hungary, Poland, South Africa, Mauritius, Central Asia and UAE and thus established a globally acknowledged brand called NATRANG. This organization has been highly instrumental in giving a new cultural and intellectual identity to this part of the country and revolutionized the cultural life of the place through its out of the world creative initiatives. Last year Natrang accomplished the country’s most prestigious task of showcasing J&K before global audiences in the G20 conference and won world acclaim for outstanding performances.
While narrating the journey of 41 action packed 41 years of Natrang, Balwant Thakur shared few inspiring movements which were instrumental in maintaining the consistency of its continuous growth and development.
Prior to the inception of Natrang in Jammu, this region never witnessed the presence of a professionally managed cultural institution. Despite having seen lots of ups and downs, Natrang never stopped working even in challenging times. There is not even a single day in 41 years when Natrang was not working. On the occasion he thanked his wife Deepika Thakur and daughters Aarushi and Gauri for supporting and strengthening his mission wholeheartedly. Fact remains that Natrang has been highly instrumental in giving a new flip to the cultural life of this region and shaped the career of many aspiring actors/directors and young professionals. Natrang pioneered in introducing Children Theatre, Theatre Camp, Weekly ‘Sunday Theatre’, ‘Theatre Laboratory’, ‘Theatre Repertory’, ‘Script Bank’, ‘Documentation Centre’ and ‘Mega Productions’ (Featuring over 500 performers). Natrang was established on 15th May, 1983 with the presentation of two unique short plays ‘Neeli Jheel’ and ‘Nanhen Kandhey Pair’ directed by Balwant Thakur at Abhinav Theatre Jammu.
The actors who featured in the first performance of Natrang included Vijay Atri, Aasha Arora, Arvind Anand, Mohan Singh, Prabodh Jamwal and Arun Sharma. In 41 years, the plays which vibrated the theatre scene of the country included ‘Bawa Jitto’ ‘Ghumayee’ ‘Mahabhoj’ ‘Aap Hamare Hain Kaun’ ‘Chauraha’ ‘Poster’ ‘Mere Hisse Ki Dhoop Kahan Hai’ ‘Sainyan Bhaye Kotwal’ ‘Raktbeej’ ‘Comedy of Terrors’ ‘Suno Eh Kahani’ ‘Kanjoos’ ‘Holi’ ‘Mind Games’ ‘Richard III’ ‘Choona Hai Aasmaan’ ‘Mata Ki Kahani’, “Gulab Gatha’, ‘Rangla Jammu’ and ‘Kaun Nachaye Naach’ etc. Natrang has produced over two thousand actors and many have made their mark in films and TV world as well. Prominent among them include Bhanu Goswami, Anjali Abrol, Sunil Palwal, Harish Khanna, Neelu Dogra, Tajasvi Sharma, Ekta Kaul, Mansi Sharma, Vikram Sharma, Mridul Suri, Nariender Sachchar, Arvind Anand, Mohit Sharma, Pankush Verma, Ashok Verma, (Vrinda Gujral and Satyam Mehra, Child Artists). In addition to having Seven pass-outs of National School of Drama and Seven Masters in Dramatics, Natrang sent four for International studies which included Harish Khanna (London School of Acting and Speech), Aeishesh Nijhawan (London International School of performing Arts) Aarushi Thakur (University of Leicester, UK & Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, London) and Vikram Sharma (Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute, Manhattan, New York USA). Out of near about 7310 shows by Natrang in Forty years, the credit of maximum number of participation is shared by Neeraj Kant, Anil Tickoo, Suresh Kumar, Arvind Anand, Sanjeev Gupta, Vikrant Sharma, Sumeet Sharma, Pankaj Sharma, Juhi Singh, Sat Salarbi, Vijay Bhat, Dimple Sharma, Mohit Sharma, Mohd. Yaseen, Rahul Singh, Gaurav Jamwal, Pawan Verma, Subash Jamwal, Gauri Thakur and Sajra Qadir and in these years over forty actors of Natrang brought National/ International honours and acclaims. From National scholarships to International fellowships, the recognition brought by Natrang artists gave a distinct identity and pride to Jammu theatre. Prominent honors included International fellowships to Balwant Thakur (Ford Foundation USA) Harish Khanna (British Council UK) Ashish Nijhawan (Inlaks), National Awards to Balwant Thakur (Padamshree, Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, Sanskriti Award, National Senior Fellowship, Gurushree Samaan, Abhinayak Samaan, World Theatre Day Honor). Anil Tickoo (Sangeet Natak Akademi Award & National Fellowship), Sanjeev Gupta, Sumeet Sharma, Ashish Nijhawan, Vikrant Sharma, Sunil Palwal (Sangeet Natak Akademi’s Yuva Bismalla Khan Award) Deepika B. Thakur (National Fellowship) Neeraj Kant (National Fellowship) Mohd Yaseen (National Fellowship and Scholarship), Rahul Singh (National Fellowship and Scholarship), Brejesh Avtaar Sharma (National Fellowship) Sajra Qadir, Shivam Singh, Meenakshi Bhagat, Gopi Sharma, Kritika Bhau, Rhythm Misher, Asma Gul, Vrinda Gujral (National Scholarships). Amongst others, Suraj Singh, (Music) Brij Mohan (Music) Suraj Ganjoo (Lights) Ankush Lakhnotra (Lights) Chander Shekhar (Publicity Design) contributed immensely to the growth of Natrang. In the year 2016, Natrang brought yet another laurel for the State of Jammu & Kashmir by presenting its cultural diversity at London where these performances were cherished by more than 50000 audience at the historic Trafalgar Square. Director Natrang, Balwant Thakur expressed that Natrang has a dream for Jammu and a mission to establish this place as an International destination of theatre. The Institution is all set to create an International level campus in Jammu housing an auditorium, two Studio Theatres, theatre residences, resource centre and an exclusive centre for children. On the occasion he thanked all those who contributed to the making of this historic revolutionary creative journey a history for ‘Natrang’ and hoped that all admirers and patrons of Natrang will continue to shower their blessings. Show must go on…..
