Vijayawada: The prestigious International Theatre Festival “Bharat Rang Mahotsav” was organised for the first time in Andhra Pradesh by Vedika, in association with the National School of Drama, Ministry of Culture, Government of India. The festival was held from February 6 to 10 at Sri Venkateswara Vignana Mandir, Guntur. Theatre enthusiasts were treated to an array of performances in different languages including Manipuri, Kannada, and English, along with international productions from countries such as Poland and Russia.

One of the most captivating presentations of the festival was the Polish/English production “Umadevi – Absurd Wanda Dynowska.” Unique in both theme and presentation, the visually rich theatrical work was written and directed by Lukasz Chotz of Warsaw, Poland. The play creatively blended drama with puppet theatre to depict the inspiring life of Wanda Dynowska, who was later named “Uma Devi” by Mahatma Gandhi.

The production stood out for its artistic excellence. The puppets were designed by Marcin Bikowski, while video design, lighting, and music were handled by Marcin Bartnikowski. Paula Jarnecka delivered a compelling performance in the title role. The play highlighted Wanda’s tireless efforts towards women’s emancipation, her dedicated service to Tibetan refugees, and her vision of fostering cultural harmony through dialogue among religions and societies. The production was supported by the Polish Institute, New Delhi.

The festival was organised by Vedika, a collective of cultural organisations headed by Muthavarapu Suresh Babu. Theatre lovers wholeheartedly appreciated the initiative and enjoyed the enriching theatrical experience.