New Delhi: Festival to pay homage to veteran artiste Mohan Rakesh

New Delhi (PTI): Delhi government's art and culture wing Sahitya Kala Parishad will pay tribute to legendary playwright Mohan Rakesh with a festival showcasing plays by upcoming artistes from across the country.

The four-day festival, "Mohan Rakesh Natya evam Samman Samaroh", that opens on November 11 at the Kamani Auditorium here will stage plays selected through an earlier-held competition.

Rakesh, widely-known as one of the brains behind the 'Nai Kahani' (New Short Story) literary movement of Hindi literature in the 1950s, wrote the first modern Hindi play, "Ashadh Ka Ek Din" in 1958.

Also, he made significant contribution to the forms of the novel, short story, travelogue, criticism, memoirs and drama.

"The event being a homage to the theatre legend Mohan Rakesh aims to provide a platform to the upcoming talents in the field of theatre. We may just get another Mohan Rakesh of this generation. "With so many submissions of playwrights from across India with a unique storyline, it was tough for the expert committee to select four best plays. I wish the best to every talent and may their flair be recognised worldwide," Manish Sisodia, Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, said. The festival will stage Sanjeev Kumar's "Kritha", directed by Sanjay Upadhyay; Ravikant Mishra's "Ant se Arambh", directed by Abhilash Pillai; Yogesh Tripathi's "Chauthi Cigarette", directed by Danish Iqbal; and Raas Bihari Dutt's "Chhaya-Hindol", directed by Bharti Sharma. The festival will come to an end on November 14.