early times report
Jammu, Dec 30: Natrang, the pioneering and leading theatre group of North India, created history in 2025 by staging an unprecedented 152 successful theatre shows and cultural events in a single year, breaking all records of the past 15 years. This extraordinary achievement sets a new benchmark in Indian theatre and reaffirms Natrang’s unwavering commitment to artistic excellence, cultural enrichment, and social engagement.
One of the most significant highlights of the year was the continued success of Natrang’s iconic Sunday Theatre series, which completed 21 years of uninterrupted weekly performances. Despite repeated disturbances in the region, the group successfully staged 52 presentations during the year, demonstrating remarkable resilience and dedication to the performing arts. Neeraj Kant as director of Sunday Theatre event turned out to be the one and only director of the country with largest number of directorial ventures to his credit during the year 2025.
Another major milestone was Natrang’s international presence. Founder and Director Padmashri Balwant Thakur represented Indian theatre on prestigious global platforms through eight presentations and interaction programmes across England. These were held at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon; Shakespeare’s Birthplace Trust; Globe Theatre, London; Tara Theatre, London; Hippodrome Birmingham; Bath; Cambridge; and Manchester. These engagements aimed at expanding Natrang’s artistic constituency and forging meaningful dialogues with global theatre institutions.
Natrang’s excellence was further reflected in national and international recognitions. Three young artists viz., n’s art fraternity that the three young stars—Supria Gorka, Advik Sharma, and Viyaan Sharma from the group made history by winning three out of six National Awards instituted by the World Forum for Art and Culture, the world’s largest cultural body with 190 centres globally and 12 Guinness World Records. In another remarkable feat, three Natrang artists Kananpreet Kaur, Adesh Dhar and Supriya Gorka received National Scholarships from the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, a rare accomplishment at the national level.
Venturing into a new artistic domain, Natrang designed and fabricated its first-ever tableau titled “Cultural Diversity of Jammu & Kashmir” for the Department of Culture. The tableau won First Prize at the Republic Day Parade 2025, marking yet another landmark achievement.
Children’s theatre remained a strong focus area, with Natrang continuing to be a premier platform for young minds. The play “Hum Hain Pratibhavan”, written and directed by Sumeet Sharma, mesmerised packed audiences. Meanwhile, “Sainyan Bhaye Kotwal”, featuring stalwarts such as Anil Tickoo, Sanjeev Gupta, Neeraj Kant, Pankaj Sharma, Pawan Verma, Meenakshi Bhagat, and Shivam Singh, with soulful music by Suraj Singh, emerged as the most successful production in the North Zone Cultural Centre’s fortnightly theatre series at Patiala.
Natrang’s legendary production “Bawa Jitto” added further glory by drawing an overwhelming audience of nearly 50,000 at the iconic Jhiri Mela, powerfully narrating the heroic struggle of a farmer against injustice and deeply resonating with the cultural ethos of Jammu.
Additionally, Natrang organised a mega youth theatre and dance festival titled “Rang Tarang” in collaboration with IIM Jammu, producing and staging 20 short plays and five dance presentations, aimed at nurturing young talent and fostering a love for theatre among youth.
Reflecting on the achievements, Padmashri Balwant Thakur stated, “This has been a landmark year for Natrang and a testament to the collective efforts of our dedicated team. Theatre has the power to inspire, educate, and unite, and we remain committed to creating meaningful artistic experiences while nurturing future generations.”
With a team of over 150 directors, actors, dancers, designers, choreographers, and arts administrators, Natrang continues to stand as one of India’s strongest cultural forces and confidently pledges to create even greater milestones in 2026. |
