The Sadir Theater Festival (2012-22)

Theater that is engaging, thought provoking and relevant

About

Sadir Theater Festival was the brain child of acclaimed Bharatnatyam dancer, choreographer and director Swati Gupté Bhisé.

Founded in 2012, The Sadir Theater Festival was a three-day annual festival hosted at the Goa Kala Academy…

Sadir Theater Festival was the brain child of acclaimed Bharatnatyam dancer, choreographer and director Swati Gupté Bhisé.

Founded in 2012, The Sadir Theater Festival was a three-day annual festival hosted at the Goa Kala Academy. Sadir presented theater, visual arts, and musical performances that showcased some of the finest theater artists and productions from across India, creating a vibrant platform for cultural exchange and artistic excellence.

Bridging the sociological, communal, religious, national & cultural borders.

KUNQU OPERA
IN INDIA

Significance

  • In the year 2014, Swati Bhisé brought the UNESCO heritage Chinese KunQu opera to India for the first time.

Performances

  • Hosted at The National Centre for the Performing Arts in Mumbai and Siri Fort Auditorium in New Delhi, marking an important cultural exchange between India and China.

PERFORMANCE

C Sharp C Blunt

Directed by Sophia Stepf, the play outlines the concept of the female body as a saleable item. It is a story of a smartphone app, Shilpa, created by the techies as a model of a perfect woman in the eyes of men. Being user friendly, it behaves according to the wishes of men. The play is a satire on the ‘use’ and portrayal of women in entertainment today.

C Sharp C Blunt at the Sadir Theater Festival
C Sharp C Blunt

Uney Purey Shahar Ek

Directed by Mohit Takalkar, the Marathi play is adopted from Girish Karnad’s Benda Kaalu On Toast, showcasing the soul of Pune. Things changed with times, the city which was known by the lives of people, their aspirations and effort to make a living. At present, the city has an empty, incomplete look and dreams have lost their meaning-.

Uney Purey Shahar Ek at the Sadir Theater Festival
Uney Purey Shahar Ek

Piya Behrupiya

The play is adopted from Shakespeare’s Twelfth Man which has both drama and comedy. It is story of twins – Viola and Sebastian - who get separated and their complicated love affairs. Watch how the drama unfolds and how they reunite after twists and turns.

Piya Behrupiya at the Sadir Theater Festival
Piya Behrupiya

Wedding Album

Directed by Lilette Dubey, this play is about an NRI marrying a traditional girl in India.'Wedding Album', is a contemporary play that depicts the current India in which we dwell. It shows a traditional Indian wedding that looks like a grand affair of happiness from outside, but the hearts of the people are filled with negative emotions such as jealousy, frustrations and aggression.

Wedding Album at the Sadir Theater Festival
Wedding Album

Quli: Dilon ka Shahzaada

Conceived and directed by Mohammad Ali Baig, Quli is based on the 17th century ephemeral tale of the poet prince, Quli Qutb Shah’s love for the singer-danseuse Bhagmati. Their marriage eventually led to the founding of Bhagyanagar, which later came to be known as Hyderabad. The structure used in the play is of a dialogue between Quli and Bhagmati with added elements of choreographed shadow dance, period sets, costumes, and live qawwali with original nazms (verses) written by Quli Qutub Shah.

Quli: Dilon ka Shahzaada at the Sadir Theater Festival
Quli: Dilon ka Shahzaada

Black With Equal

Directed by Vikram Kapadia, This is a satirical black comedy that takes an unsentimental look at a contemporary housing society, ultimately becoming a scathing comment on the human condition. The play starts with an annual general body meeting of a housing society – attended by a Hindu, a Sikh, a Parsi, a Christian, two Muslims, a single woman, and a gangster – which starts out amicably, but later, after a series of bizarre circumstances, is propelled to its doom.

Black With Equal at the Sadir Theater Festival
Black With Equal

Performance

Katkon Trikon

Katkon Trikon is a thought-provoking Marathi play that delves into the complexities of human relationships, morality, and the choices that define our lives. Through sharp writing, layered characters, and engaging dialogue, the play examines the emotional and ethical conflicts that arise between its protagonists. Dr. Mohan Agashe’s nuanced performance brings depth and authenticity to this compelling theatrical experience.

Broken Images

Broken Images is a compelling psychological drama by Girish Karnad that explores themes of identity, ambition, language, and authenticity. The play follows a successful writer who is confronted by her own digital reflection, leading to an intense and thought-provoking dialogue that blurs the boundaries between truth and illusion. Shabana Azmi’s powerful solo performance has earned widespread acclaim for its emotional depth and theatrical brilliance.

With Dr. Mohan Agashe and with Shabana Azmi

Sadir Festival in the News