Indian Theatre

  •  Jogimara cave and Sitabena caves - World oldest Amphitheatres
  • Oldest treaties for theatre art - Bharatmuni Natyashastra(200BC-200AD)
Classical Sanskrit Theatre
  • Types: Lokadharmi - These were realistic depiction of daily life
  • Natyadharmi - realistic depiction + artistic narration
Historical Sanskrit plays

Writer

Name of the play

Ashvaghosh

Sariputra Karana

Sudraka

Mrichhakatika

Kalidasa

Malvika Agnimitra,vikram urvashi, Shakuntalam

Bhavabhuti

Mahavir Charitra

Vishakhadatta

Mudrarakshasa

Harshvardhan

Ratnavali

Rules in Classical Theatre:
  • Four to seven act plays
  • Must have a happy ending
  • Male performer
  • Well defined opening, progression, pause and conclusion
Features of play:
  • Pre play rituals are must
  • Initiated with deity worship
  • Sutradhar set timing for drama
  • Theatre has capacity of at least 400 person
  • 2 storeyed building
Reasons for the decline of Sanskrit theatre
  • Playwright were becoming more interested in poetry
  • Orthodoxy presence and limited Popular appeal of sanskrit language
  • Dominance of regional and vernacular language
  • Arrival of muslim lead to promotion of Persian language
Folk theatre
  • Common people oriented
  • Simple languages used
  • Depicting local lifestyle, custom and traditions
Types of Folk Theatre
  • Ritual Theatre: Famous during Bhakti movement

Name of the play

Place

Theme

Other Feature

Ramman

Garhwal(Uttrakhand)

Bhumital devta

UNESCO Intangible cultural heritage

Ramlila

Uttar pradesh

Life of Shri ram

Perform by Male Actor

Kala

Assam

Vaishnavite

Perform in group

Ankia nat

Assam

Krishna theme

Started in time of Bhakti movement

Raslila

Gujarat and Mathura region of uttar pradesh

Krishna and Radha

Perform during janmashtami

Bhuta

Karnataka

Dead ancestors

 

  • Entertainment Theatre: More Secular and depicting Love, valour and day to day activities

Name of the Play

Place

Theme

Other Feature

Bhavai

Gujarat(Kutch and Kathiawar)and Rajasthan

Romantic

Small play called vesha Semi classical music

Daskathia

Odisha

Social and religious

Musical instrument

called KATHIA used

Garodas

Gujarat

Romance and valour

By Garoda

community

Jatra

Odisha and eastern

india

Krishan

teaching, include

other theme like

ram, chandi, shiv

Popularised by Sri

Chaitanya

mahaprabhu

Kariyala

Himachal Pradesh

Village fair and

festival

Performed in open

theatre

Maach

Malwa (Madya Pradesh)

Mythologica, Romantic

Dialogues called as

Ranger Dohas

Nautanki

North india

Drama, play

Mention in Ain-e-

Akbari

Powada

Maharashtra

Valour in Name of

Shivaji

Sung by Folk

musician Gondhalis

and Shahirs

Swang

Haryana, Punjab

Social, Folk and

Political

Mostly in Vernacular

language

Tamasha

Maharashtra

Humour and erotic

content

Mainly performed by

Females

Villu Pattu

Deccan

Ramayan

Also called as Bow

Song

Bhand Pather

Jammu and kashmir

Social satire and

mythical stories

Perform by Muslim

Bhaona

Majuli Island (assam)

Vaishnavite

Social and moral

massage are spread


Theatre of South India

Name of theatre

Place

Theme

Miscellaneous

Yakshagana

Andhra pradesh, Karnataka

Dance drama performed by Jakkula Varu

Originate in

Vijayanagara empire

Perform by Jakkula

varu

Burra katha

Andhra pradesh

Dead ancestor

Used BURRA---a

Percussion

instrument

Pagati Veshalu

Telangana & Krishna District

Role playing act like Vesham(Disguise)

 

Bayalata

Karnataka

Story of Radha

Krishna

Perform in Open

theatre

Theyyam

Kerala

Ancestors, vaishnavism, Shaktism and shaivism

Costume include

head gear and

colourful

Krishan Attam

Kerala

Life story of krishna

8 day carnival

Kuravanji

Tamil nadu

Love struck heroine

Dance ballet form

Modern Indian Theatre
  • Originated in 19 th century in calcutta
  • Theme include Social and religious like sati parhta, caste system, nationalism also
  • Commercialized in nature Unlike Open to all
  • Parsi theatre started in Gujarat and maharashtra
  • Indian People’s theatre association was formed in 1943 By CPI
  • Today Theatre is performed as an academic session with establishment of
  • National school of drama (New delhi)

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