Indian theatre dates back over 5000 years ago, originating as Sanskrit Dramas which reflected Indian life. The very first book on drama was called the Natya Shahtra and was written in India by Bharat Muni. As time passed, it became more structured and formed into the current genres of Indian theatre including: classical dance drama, traditional, folk theatre, puppet theatre, modern theatre, and street theatre.
The first branch to form was classical Indian dance drama, which was developed in the early 15th century and incorporated different Indian dance forms such as Kathak, Bharatnatyam, Odissi, Kuchipudi, Mohinittam, and Yakshagana.
The second branch was traditional theatre performances, which were mainly performed by devotees and connected with Hindu religious stories. This type of theatre was based on a “larger than life” perspective of the world and included many monologues and soliloquies.
Folk theatre originated during the late 15th century as a form of drama based on religion, legends, history, art, and mythology. Each ethnic group in India created their own kind of traditional folk theatres with their respective languages for communication. In folk theatre, the main protagonists are the narrator and a comedian. Folk theatre features loud music, dance, bright makeup, masks, and chorus songs.
Puppet theatre was introduced during the end of the medieval period and got more popular over time. Early puppet shows in India were based on stories of famous kings and heroes and were, at times, a satire on social and political life. Puppet shows usually conveyed useful messages to audience members and started taking on religious themes after the introduction of shadow puppetry.
Indian street theatre is a form of theatre that broke the barrier of orchestra pits and gallery seating to make shows accessible to common people. Street theatre illustrates and highlights prevalent social issues to the general public. This form of theatre appears at markets, bus stops, and garages and is cheaper and easier to purchase a ticket for than other forms of theatre in India.
Modern Indian theatre is mainly in English, Hindi, or a combination of both. During British rule, English theatre was brought to India and was watched by the rich, upper class. This changed after independence as Indians started becoming included and theatre opened up for common people as well. Many English plays today are based on Shakespeare and other popular foreign authors.
Sources cited:
A brief history of theatre in India. Theatrepeople. (2021, January 22). Retrieved April 3, 2022, from https://www.theatrepeople.com.au/a-brief-history-of-theatre-in-india/
Theatre. iloveindia. (n.d.). Retrieved April 3, 2022, from https://www.iloveindia.com/indian-traditions/theatre.html
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