CleanupBot at 04:35, 22 March 2026

2026-03-22T04:35:14Z

New page

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2022}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2022}}
{{Infobox organization
| name = Indian National Theatre
| pronounce =
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| named_after =
| image =
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| logo = Indian National Theatre logo.jpg
| logo_size = 100px
| logo_alt =
| logo_caption =
| map =
| map_size =
| map_alt =
| map_caption =
| map2 =
| map2_size =
| map2_alt =
| map2_caption =
| abbreviation = INT
| predecessor =
| merged =
| successor =
| formation = {{start date and age|1944}}
| founder =
| founding_location = Bombay (now [[Mumbai]]), British India
| extinction = 
| merger =
| type = Theatre organisation and troupe
| status =
| purpose = Theatre production, education and research
| headquarters =
| location =
| coords = {{coord|18.9575405|72.8078344|display=inline, title}}
| region =
| services =
| products =
| methods =
| fields =
| membership =
| membership_year =
| language =
| owner = 
| sec_gen =
| leader_title =
| leader_name =
| leader_title2 =
| leader_name2 =
| leader_title3 =
| leader_name3 =
| leader_title4 =
| leader_name4 =
| board_of_directors =
| key_people =
| main_organ =
| parent_organization =
| subsidiaries =
| secessions =
| affiliations =
| budget =
| budget_year =
| revenue =
| revenue_year =
| disbursements =
| expenses =
| expenses_year =
| endowment =
| endowment_year =
| staff =
| staff_year =
| volunteers =
| volunteers_year =
| website = {{URL|http://www.int-abc.org/}}
| remarks =
| formerly =
| footnotes =
}}

The '''Indian National Theatre''' (INT) is a [[theatre]] organisation and troupe founded in 1943 and based in [[Mumbai]], India. Although performing predominantly [[Gujarati theatre]], the troupe has also produced a number of plays in other [[Languages of India|Indian languages]]. In addition to theatre productions, the troupe also carries theatre education, training and research activities.

==History==

In 1940, on the 50th birthday of [[Dhansukhlal Mehta]], [[Chandravadan Mehta]] and his troupe improvised a [[revue]] performance named ''Ranglila''. The performance featured elements from ''Bhattnu Bhopalu'' (Bhatt's Hypocrisy) by [[Navalram Pandya]], ''Nawabni Mulakat'' (Nawab's Visit) by [[Ramanbhai Neelkanth]], ''Ashok Parsi Hato'' (Ashok Was [[Parsi]]) by [[Jyotindra Dave]] and ''Narmad'' by Chandravadan Mehta. Such performances, although initially improvised, gradually evolved into organised theatrical activities. In 1944, the Indian National Theatre (INT) was founded in Bombay (now [[Mumbai]]), with Damubhai Jhaveri as its first General Secretary. Other members associated with the founding included Mansukh Joshi, Gautam Joshi, Naran Mistry and Chandravadan Bhatt with D. G. Vyas providing guidance.<ref name=":3">{{Cite book |title=History of Gujarati theatre|last=Baradi|first=Hasmukh|author-link=Hasmukh Baradi|date=2003|publisher=[[National Book Trust]], India|isbn=8123740328|edition=English 1st|location=New Delhi|page=143|chapter=New Theatre: Phase Two: Theatre Troupe (1939-1949)|oclc=56096332|orig-year=1997}}</ref>

In 1942, members of [[Socialism|socialist]] youth groups who supported the [[Quit India Movement]] sought to use the fledgling theatre scene as a tool for public education, resulting in arrests and imprisonment.<ref name=":1"/>

Early performances by the theatre were of ballets or dance-dramas, such as ''Kalbhairav'' and ''Bhukh'' (Hunger), written by [[Avinash Vyas]]
and directed by Yogendra Desai.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|title=[[Gujarati Vishwakosh]]|last=Joshi|first=Probodh|publisher=Gujarati Vishwakosh Trust|edition=1st|volume=2|location=Ahmedabad|publication-date=October 1990|pages=703-705|language=gu|chapter=Indian National Theatre}}</ref> The troupe used two lorries for a stage and to travel around [[Bombay Province]].<ref name=":2">{{Cite book|url=http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780195644463.001.0001/acref-9780195644463-e-0220|title=The Oxford Companion to Indian Theatre|last=Baradi|first=Hasmukh|publisher=Oxford University Press|year=2004|isbn=0195644468|editor-last=Lal|editor-first=Ananda|location=New Delhi|doi=10.1093/acref/9780195644463.001.0001/acref-9780195644463-e-0220|oclc=56986659|via=Oxford Reference}}</ref> Apart from Gujarati theatre, the troupe also performed at least one Marathi play. In 1947, Shanti Bardhan directed a dance-drama of ''Discovery of India'', based on the [[Discovery of India|book of the same name]] by Prime Minister [[Jawaharlal Nehru]], at which he was also present and drew his appreciation, on the occasion of the Asian Relations Conference. Other big productions during this period included ''Narsaiyo'' on [[Narsinh Mehta]], ''Meera'' on [[Mirabai]] and ''Amrapali''.<ref name=":1" />

In 1949, the INT began performing Gujarati plays such as ''Lagnani Bedi'' (Fetters of Marriage), a Gujarati adaptation of [[Acharya Atre]]'s Marathi play of the same name,<ref name=":1" /> directed by Chadravadan Bhatt.<ref name=":3" /> This play also saw the first pre-sale of tickets. It was followed by a mystery play ''Snehna Jher'' (Poison of Love) in which different scenes were simultaneously performed on a partitioned stage. One of the founding members of the INT, Naran Mistry, also directed a number of successful plays. Productions in other Indian languages, such as the Parsi ''Mota Dilna Mota Bava'' (Parsi Man with Big Heart) and ''Shirinbainu Shantiniketan'' (Shirinbai's Shantiniketan) also began, as well as one-act plays by Firoze Antia, ''Chalo Jher Pao'' (Get Me Poison), ''Bairini Bala'' (Trouble of Wife). During this time, Firoze Antia, Madhukar Randeria, Anjani Desai, Shankarprasad Desai, Devyani Desai, Vrajlal Parekh, Vanlata Mehta, Nilanjana Mehta and Niharika Divetia became associated with the INT. The INT celebrated the centenary of [[Gujarati theatre]] later that year with plays.<ref name=":1" />

Other notable productions included ''Dekh teri Bambai'', Gujarati plays''Jesal Toral'', ''Moti Verana Chowkma'' (Pearls Scattered in the Yard), and ''Santu Rangeeli'' (Enchanting Santu), and [[Marathi theatre|Marathi play]]s ''Batatyachi Chal'' (Potato Chawl) by [[P. L. Deshpande]] as well as ''Kanyadan'' and ''Kondu'' by [[Vijay Tendulkar]]. The INT also produced Gujarati children's plays on ''Chhako Mako'' and ''[[Bakor Patel]]''.<ref name=":2" />

The English productions department of the INT produced [[W. Somerset Maugham]]'s ''[[The Sacred Flame (play)|The Sacred Flame]]'' directed by [[Adi Pherozeshah Marzban|Adi Marzban]] as well as several other plays.<ref name=":3" />

From 1950 to 1960, the INT organised [[Garba (dance)|Rasgarba]] competitions, which started a tradition of folk performances from [[Saurashtra (region)|Saurashta]] and [[Gujarat]] in Mumbai. The theatre also organised the All India Folk-dance Festival in 1955 and since 1974, has been organising Intercollege Theatre Competitions (later in an association with ''[[Gujarat Samachar]]'').<ref name=":1" />

==Contemporary activities==
The INT produces commercial, art, and folk theatre, does research on folk theatre, and trains actors and directors, and has built facilities in Gujarat and Maharashtra for these activities.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":2" />

The [[impresario]] department of the INT performs plays overseas in collaboration with the Indian Council of Cultural Relations.<ref name=":1" />

The INT performs throughout India in theatres as well as nontraditional venues, and uses no scenery. Productions focus on issues of [[social justice]], and rely on [[pantomime]] and dialogue.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.britannica.com/art/theater-building/Developments-in-Asia#ref463838|title=Theatre – Developments in Asia|work=Encyclopedia Britannica|access-date=2018-06-06|language=en}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}
{{authority control}}
[[Category:Gujarati theatre]]
[[Category:Theatrical organisations in India]]
[[Category:Arts organizations established in 1944]]
[[Category:Culture of Gujarat]]
[[Category:Theatres in Mumbai]]
[[Category:Hindi theatre]]
[[Category:National theatres]]
[[Category:1944 establishments in India]]

Indian National Theatre - Revision history

CleanupBot at 04:35, 22 March 2026