Theatre Festival: Opening & Two Shows

About the Festival PLAYINTERPLAY is a theatre festival with a difference. It celebrates 50 years of the Inlaks Shivdasani Foundation, bringing together its theatre awardees and scholars to show their work, share their experiences, skills and learnings, and converse on matters of common interest. PLAYINTERPLAY presents plays that are new to Bengaluru. What is different, however, is that it looks back as well as forward, featuring a work of theatre that has been specially revived for the festival and readings of plays that are still to become the finished article. PLAYINTERPLAY does more: it forges connections between its constituent parts — performances, workshops, conversations and experience sharing — emphasising the interplay between thought, learning and practice. See the plays! Apply for the workshops! Join the conversations! Soak in the magic of theatre. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- PROGRAMME Please be in your seats by 4:15 p.m. Opening Address - 4.30 p.m. – 5.00 p.m. The 2026 Inlaks Theatre Awardees’ Showcase - 5.15 p.m. – 6.15 p.m. Ek Mulaqat Manto Se - A Performance - 7.00 p.m. – 8.00 p.m. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- About the Inlaks Theatre Awardees’ Showcase Held every year since 2023, the Inlaks Theatre Showcase offers a platform for the recipients of the theatre opportunities of that particular year to present their work and connect with the Inlaks theatre alumni community. This year’s showcase, featuring the presentations of the three 2026 theatre awardees, has been directed by 2016 Inlaks theatre awardee Kiyomi Mehta. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ek Mulaqat Manto Se Language: Hindi, Urdu Directed and performed by: Ashwath Bhatt About the Performance Saadat Hasan Manto is an Indo-Pakistani writer known for his irreverent and controversial writing. Hailed as one of Urdu's finest writers, he held up a mirror to society, especially in ugly times. The performance is based on Manto’s articles and explores his life and times, and the social changes he witnessed at the time of India’s Partition. Ashwath Bhatt plays Manto, who engages with the audience in trying to answer the larger question, “Why I write what I write”. The Manto that Ashwath plays, decodes the enigma and idiosyncrasies of Manto. Correlating his writing with the political climate of the time, this performance follows the writer as he contemplates his journey, changing mindsets, family life and poetry. For enquiries please