Srinagar, May 16: With veteran artists like Ayash Arif and Mushtaque Ali making it Tagore Theatre Festival, the event is attracting huge crowds.
 Inaugurated by Minister for Tourism and Culture, Nawang Rigzin Jora the festival, as per an official handout, aims at reviving theatre activity in Kashmir.
 “The festival is an attempt on our part to revive theatre in Kashmir. Hopefully, we would be able to achieve our objective,” Jora remarked at the inaugural event.
 “The festival has got good response and we are feeling very satisfied. We have got the best of theatre productions and we are happy that we have been successful in bringing people to the venue,” Academy’s Additional Secretary, Dr Arvinder Singh Amn, said.
 The seven-day theatre festival, organised by J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages, started on May 15. This is the second edition of Tagore theatre festival.
 “The Academy has brought in Tagore’s critically acclaimed plays like Sanyasi, and Dak Ghar.
 Radio auditorium has a seating capacity of 150, but over 200 spectators came to watch ‘Sanyasi’ the other day,” Amn informed.
 On the sidelines of the event Director Mushtaque Ali said: “Srinagar people are very enthusiastic about theatre. Valley’s best productions are showcasing their talent here. This is the best platform to exchange thoughts, ideas and talent.”
 Among others the opening ceremony was attended by Commissioner Secretary, Tourism and Culture and Secretary Academy, Atal Dulloo.
 On the second day Wednesday Kashmir Cultural Society staged its play ‘Be Wane Puoz’. The play is a tribute to Tagore and has his ideas as its baseline.
 Airing his remarks director of the play, Mehrajuddin said that through the play his group was trying to pay homage to the Nobel laureate.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 16 May 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 16 May 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 IST