 Early Times Report
JAMMU, May 16: Marking the completion of its eventful 43-year journey, Natrang launched its ambitious mission, 'Theatre for Schools', with the powerful staging of its internationally acclaimed play Aap Hamaare Hain Kaun written and directed by Balwant Thakur at Abhinav Theatre. The initiative aims to introduce theatre in schools in a highly professional and transformative manner, enabling students to experience the immense educational and emotional potential of performing arts.
As part of this pioneering initiative, leading educational institutions from across the region were invited to witness the performance so that teachers and young students could directly experience the power of theatre. Schools that participated in this landmark programme included DPS Jammu, Nagbani; KC Public School; Jammu Sanskriti School; KC International School; Scientia International School; Shri Ram Universal School; India Kids Udhampur; IDPS Ghoumanhasan; MIER; Luthra Public School; and Tiny Tots Higher Secondary School.
At the outset, the visionary behind this initiative, Balwant Thakur, spoke in detail about the transformative power of theatre and its ability to shape personalities, build confidence, enhance communication skills, and nurture creativity among children. Having worked extensively in more than 100 international cities and spent over four decades engaging with children's theatre in India and abroad, Balwant Thakur shared that, together with his colleagues Neeraj Kant and Sumeet Sharma, he has evolved a completely new methodology of theatre training for children.
He emphasized that theatre should not remain merely a word-centric classroom activity but should become a dynamic process of experiential learning capable of transforming young minds. To demonstrate this innovative training process, Natrang presented Aap Hamaare Hain Kaun, a production specially developed through this new methodology. The emotionally engaging and artistically rich performance left a deep impact on the audience, especially the students and teachers who witnessed the show.
The presentation proved that theatre is not merely entertainment but a powerful educational tool that inspires sensitivity, imagination, discipline, teamwork, and self-expression. The overwhelming response from participating schools reflected a growing realization that theatre can play a vital role in holistic education. With the launch of 'Theatre for Schools', Natrang has taken a historic step towards creating a culturally vibrant and creatively empowered generation, reaffirming its commitment to meaningful theatre and social transformation through the arts.The show was brilliantly anchored by Gauri Thakur and those who thirilled everyone with their mind blowing performance included Aaradhaya Thakur, Rishaan Marhatta, Ruhaan Chandan, Dwijesh Dutta, Kavish Sharma, Advik Sharma, Sachetas Anand, Supria Gorka, Samaeira Raina, Anmol Sharma, Mahira Gupta, Aadhwika Gupta, Priyal Ashok Gupta, Mehak Chib, Araiya Shan, Aanandita Dutt and Aarohi Singh. |
