NSD’s 25th Bharat Rang Mahotsav Ahmedabad Chapter to Commence from 14 February at Upasana Auditorium

Ahmedabad, Gujarat, Feb 12, The National School of Drama today announced the commencement of the Ahmedabad chapter of the 25th Bharat Rang Mahotsav (BRM) 2026, the world’s largest international theatre festival.
Organised in collaboration with Gujarat University, Ahmedabad, this three-day celebration will be held at Upasana Auditorium, Gujarat University Campus, from 14 to 16 February 2026.
Addressing the Ahmedabad media, Dr. Viraj Bhatt, Director, Upasana School of Performing Arts, and Dr. Chavan Pramod, Festival Coordinator for the BRM 2026 Ahmedabad chapter, stated that this edition reflects the festival’s spirit of “Sambad Sanskritiyon Ka”—bringing together diverse voices, narratives and artistic innovations from across India. This year’s chapter is dedicated to Raju Barot, honouring his immense contribution to Gujarati theatre.
In his message to the theatre lovers of Ahmedabad, Chittaranjan Tripathy, Director, National School of Drama, said: “Ahmedabad has always been a city where art breathes freely and fearlessly. Bringing the 25th edition of Bharat Rang Mahotsav to this culturally vibrant city is both a privilege and a celebration of its rich theatrical tradition. Through this Mahakumbh of theatre, NSD is striving to create a confluence where classical, contemporary and experimental forms stand shoulder to shoulder. I hope the audience embraces these productions with the same warmth and curiosity that define Ahmedabad’s artistic spirit.”
The festival will open on 14 February 2026 with Desert Bloom – A Musical Tale, written and directed by Mahadev Singh Lakhawat.
The opening day of BRM 2026 Ahmedabad chapter will be  followed by Avalanche, written by Tuncer Cücenoğlu and dramatically adapted by Gandharv Dewan, Shardul Bhardwaj, and Rajesh Nirmal, directed by Gandharv Dewan and presented by The Gathered from Mumbai, in Hindi.
The BRM 2026 Ahmedabad chapter will conclude on 16 February 2026 with Sita No Vesh, inspired by Uttararamacharita and written by Mahakavi Bhavabhuti, directed by Dr. Chavan Pramod R., and presented by Upasana School of Performing Arts, Gujarat University, in Gujarati.
The NSD’s BRM 2026 celebrations in Gujarat commenced earlier this month with a five-day festival in Surat, organised in collaboration with Gujarat State Sangeet Natak Academy, Jeevanbharti Mandal, Gandhinagar, and the Surat Performing Artists Association.
The 25th Bharat Rang Mahotsav, organised by the National School of Drama (NSD), is the world’s largest international theatre festival. The 25th edition, BRM 2026, spans 25 days from 27 January to 20 February 2026, showcasing over 277 productions across 228 Indian and international languages, including several underrepresented tongues. The festival brings together national, international and regional productions, with participation from 9 countries and theatre groups from every state and union territory.
Celebrating India’s theatrical diversity, BRM 2026 includes performances by children’s groups, tribal communities, and artists from marginalised sections, reaffirming NSD’s commitment to inclusivity and the universalisation of theatre.
NSD has been continuously working towards the spread and democratisation of theatre. Recently, it launched Rang Akash, internet radio to promote theatre along with launching its OTT platform Natyam to avail some of its prized productions to theatre lovers across the nation.