MDU hosts ‘Rang-Raas’ theatre festival
The ‘Rang-Raas’ theatre festival, held at Maharshi Dayanand University (MDU), captivated audiences with its compelling portrayal of love’s conflicting emotions and life’s contradictions. Through a series of thoughtfully staged plays, the festival also beautifully highlighted the complex and often unspoken bond between a father and son.The festival opened with ‘Checkmate’, a play written by world-renowned storyteller Anton Chekhov and directed by Sonu Ronjhiya, a distinguished theatre personality from Haryana. The gripping performance mesmerized the audience.
The second play, ‘Cycle of Life’, directed by acclaimed theatre director Ginny Babbar, presented a poignant depiction of life’s varied shades. It skilfully portrayed the unspoken emotions of a father-son relationship, with Lalit Prakash as the father, Avinash Singh Tomar as the son, and Simpi Kaithwas as the mother. Their heartfelt performances exploring generational differences and familial bonds deeply resonated with the audience.
Earlier, Vice Chancellor Prof Rajbir Singh, while inaugurating the festival, highlighted theatre’s profound ability to express human emotions and unite people. He also announced plans for summer theatre workshops for MDU students.
Prof Harish Kumar, Head of the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication and the festival’s convener, emphasised theatre’s role in promoting peace and humanity, particularly in a world afflicted by wars. “Theatre serves as one of the strongest advocates of these ideals,” he remarked.
The guest of honour, Sameep Singh, Director of the Repertory Theatre at Shri Ram Centre for Arts and Culture, New Delhi, underscored theatre’s timeless significance, asserting that AI can never replace the raw human emotions portrayed on stage.
On the festival’s second day, Prof Randeep Rana, Dean (Students Welfare) and convener of Rang Mahotsav, welcomed theatre enthusiasts and provided insights into Haryana’s vibrant theatre landscape.
Several distinguished theatre personalities from Rohtak were honoured for their contributions to the performing arts. Among those recognised were Raghuvendra Malik, Dr Anand Sharma, Manisha Hans, Dushyant Kumar (SUPVA), Arun Sharma, Krishna Natak, and Avinash Saini. They were presented with mementos and shawls in appreciation of their efforts to promote theatre in Haryana and beyond.
The event was moderated by research scholar Priya from the Journalism Department, while Assistant Professor Sunit Mukherjee expressed gratitude to all participants and organisers, marking a successful celebration of theatre and artistic expression.
