Three-day festival at the National School of Drama showcases diverse theatrical traditions and promotes international cultural exchange
BRICS Theatre Festival 2026 opened at the National School of Drama (NSD) in New Delhi on Monday, bringing together theatre practitioners and cultural representatives from nine BRICS member and partner countries for a three-day celebration of performing arts.
Organised by the Ministry of Culture under Indiaās BRICS Presidency 2026, the festival runs from October 12 to 14 under the theme āShared Stories, Shared Futuresā. It aims to promote artistic collaboration, cultural dialogue and people-to-people connections through theatre.
Union Minister of Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat attended the inaugural ceremony as the chief guest. Other dignitaries included Vivek Aggarwal, Secretary, Ministry of Culture; Sudhakar Dalela, Secretary (Economic Relations) in the Ministry of External Affairs and Indiaās BRICS Sherpa for 2026; and Chittaranjan Tripathy, Director of the National School of Drama. Ambassadors and heads of mission from participating countries were also present.
Addressing the gathering, Shekhawat highlighted the importance of cultural exchange in strengthening mutual understanding among nations, particularly when countries face competing international interests.
He said that while diplomacy supports negotiations and economic cooperation promotes prosperity, culture helps societies understand one another and build connections beyond political boundaries.
The participating countries are India, Thailand, Indonesia, Russia, Iran, Vietnam, South Africa, Kazakhstan and Ethiopia. Their theatre institutions and performers are presenting works that reflect different languages, cultural perspectives and performance traditions.
The opening day featured Samudra Manthan, written by Asif Ali, with design, direction and music by Chittaranjan Tripathy. The production was staged at the Abhimanch Auditorium on the NSD campus.
The festival features classical, contemporary and experimental theatre productions. India will present two productions, while Russia is represented by two theatre groups. Participating countries will showcase performances reflecting their respective theatrical traditions and contemporary creative practices.
Performances are scheduled across several New Delhi venues, including the Abhimanch and Sammukh auditoriums at NSD, Kamani Auditorium, LTG Auditorium and Meghdoot Theatre.
Tickets are available through BookMyShow at ā¹200 per ticket, according to the organisers.
The programme also includes interactive workshops and discussion sessions on the mornings following performances. Directors, actors and crew members will discuss artistic vision, acting methods, performance traditions and stagecraft, giving participants and audiences opportunities for dialogue and professional exchange.
These sessions are intended to encourage intercultural learning, knowledge-sharing and future collaboration among theatre practitioners.
Indiaās BRICS Presidency for 2026 is guided by the theme āBuilding for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainabilityā, with a people-centric approach to international cooperation.
The cultural programme under the presidency focuses on collaboration in cultural and creative industries, protection of cultural heritage, and the role of culture in climate resilience and sustainable development.
The BRICS Theatre Festival complements these priorities by creating a platform for artists and institutions to share creative practices and strengthen cultural connections across national borders.
The National School of Drama, an autonomous institution under the Ministry of Culture, is the nodal agency for organising the festival.
Through performances, workshops and professional discussions, the festival seeks to celebrate distinct cultural identities while encouraging sustained artistic exchange and mutual understanding among participating countries.
