LIFE—STRUGGLE—CREATIVITY
NISHANT NATYA
MANCH
Delhi-INDIA
Nishant Natya Manch*
(Nishant in Hindi means 'end of darkness', Natya Manch stands for Theater
Forum) is an extremely active street theatre group based in Delhi, India.
This group of about 100 committed activists performs in Hindi, Urdu, Haryanvi,
Bhojpuri, Nepali, Punjabi and Telugu-the languages spoken by the downtrodden of
this region. Nishant and its members are deeply committed against
de-gradation of women, de-humanization, caste persecution, religious
intolerance, war-hysteria, atomic bombs, so called globalization, corruption,
loot, and repression. In addition, Nishant publishes low priced literature
on issues relevant to the cultural, social and political events in present day India
and the world for circulation among its audiences. Nishant also has a series if
audio and video cassettes of its songs and plays.
Nishant started its
cultural journey in 1971 with the object of taking the dreams of justice and
equality of martyrs like Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, Sukhdev, Ashfaqullah,
Chandershekhar Azad, Udham Singh, Bibi Gulab Kaur and Ramprasad Bismil who laid
down their lives while opposing the British rule in India through songs and
street plays to the common people who were cheated of freedom by the ruling
classes; the Brown Sahibs who replaced the British Masters.
Nishant
has to its credit more than 50 plays and hundreds of songs. Some of the plays
on women, communalism, corruption, war-hysteria and de-humanization have been
performed more than 5000 times. Nishant also helps the upcoming committed
theatre activists specially those who are concerned about women, Dalits,
religious fanaticism, peace and Globalization/Imperialism, through training and
cultural inter-action. Nishant is known for its quick cultural intervention at
any place where it is needed. Often more than one team is out performing in India
or countries of the sub-continent.
Nishant
neither takes up commercial assignments nor accepts governmental,
foreign/corporate funding. It is not an NGO. We depend solely on our audiences
who have never failed us.
Let us come together
to culturally intervene through struggles and creativity in order to make this
world humane and free of exploitation!
The group is presently
led by Neelima Sharma.
Phone: 91-11-27248242. Mobile-9968007740
theatreforjustice@yahoo.com
