Friends gift Badhaai Natyotsav, a theatre fest, to dramatist of Saroj Kumar on his 75th birthday in Indore

The curtains rose to unveil a birthday present, which was in the form of a theatrical performance held at Jal Auditorium recently. This year’s first theatre fest, Badhaai Natyotsav, was the 75th birthday gift for noted writer and dramatist of the city, Saroj Kumar. The three-day long fest was a hit amongst the audience with power-packed performance by theatre artistes depicting different genres via their acts.“Saroj Kumar is lucky to get such kind of gift from his friends. I am honored to be a part of this festival,” said Anuradha Shankar, IG, Indore.
Not ready for adult comedy: Directed by Sandeep Dubey, Hi! Handsome, the first play staged at the fest received mixed response from the audience due to its adult content. “I was here to watch an entertaining play, but this lacks quality. The double-meaning comedy portrayed here is not what Indore wants,” said Idraak Hashmat, a theatre artiste. While Ritesh Bagare, a media student appreciated the bold move. “The act was refreshing. The theatre scene of Indore is undergoing a revolutionary change and this one is a milestone.”
When birthday boy got emotional: While Bhoolbhulaiyya, a play based on William Shakespeare’s well-known play The Comedy of Errors kept everyone glued to their seats, theatre buffs were in for a treat with the other two emotional but highly engaging plays, Poorna Viraam and Jebkatra. “This is overwhelming. Even though, I don’t deserve this much love and respect, my friends who arranged this festival have surely earned it for me. The fest is a landmark for Indore,” said Saroj.
-Tanmay Chandniwala