Bhubaneswar: The 27th edition of National Kalinga Nata Mahotsav, a five-day multilingual theater festival, organised by Satabdira Kalakar, one of the mo acclaimed theatre groups in India, is all set to kick off on March 22 at Rabindra Mandap in Bhubaneswar.
The event will showcase a diverse range of plays, including Odia, Sambalpuri, Hindi, and Assamese productions.
The Inaugural evening will feature the Odia play “Mahasangramara Mahanayak”, directed by Dhira Mallick and written by former Governor of Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, Biswabhusan Harichandan, and will be staged by the artistes of the host institution.
On March 23, Assamese play “Dronacharya” will be staged by the artistes of Purba Ranga, an Assam based theatre group. While the play is directed by Gunakar Devgoswami, it is written by Mrinmaya Bhuyan.
Other notable productions include “Sadhana” (Sambalpuri), by Shree Cultural Association, Sambalpur, directed by Satya Ranjan Behera and written by Ashis Sonar, on March 24; “Karnagatha” (Hindi), by Bharatendu Natya Akademi from Lucknow, directed by Oasis Sougaijam and written by Asif Ali, on March 25; and “Dhara” (Odia), by Kalakar Theatre, Bhubaneswar, directed by Hara Prasad Pattnaik and written by Dr Nibedita Jena, on March 26.
The festival will also honour several esteemed personalities.
Two eminent theatre personalities Bibhuti Bhushan Mohanty and Sakaleswar Pattanayak will be honoured with Lifetime Achievement Award. Similarly, actor Alhadini Kar, director Hemant Kumar Mohapatra, director Ramachandra Sasamal, Similarly, actor Alhadini Kar will receive Sumitra Samman, director Hemant Kumar Mohapatra will receive Rabindranath Das Natyakar Samman and Ramachandra Sasamal and Ramesh Chandra Maharana will receive Pramila Pratibha Samman.
Likewise, journalist Harapriya Prusty, writer Narendra Kumar Mishra, actor Chittaranjan Ray, writer Prashant Biswal, actor Mukunda Satapathy, journalist Shreemaa Satapathy, actor Debadutta Pati, Pramod Biswal, journalist Kshirod Kumar Behera, journalist Jitendra Kumar Nayak and photojournalist Tikan Biswaranjan will also be felicitated with Satabdira Kalakar Samman.
The event was on Wednesday announced at a press conference at Biju Natya Kendra in the presence of organization’s president, Gourahari Das; advisor, Bijay Das; working president, Bighnaraj Jena; and secretary, Dhira Mallick.
President Das informed that Culture Minister Suryabanshi Suraj and Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan will grace the event as honourable guests.
At the presser, it was also informed that Satabdira Kalakar is going to complete its long journey of fifty years on April 18, 2026.
To commemorate the Golden Jubilee, a yearlong programme has been contemplated and will be started from April 18, 2025 to April 18, 2026.
It will be started with the play ‘Harmonium’ at Bhanja Kala Mandap, Bhubaneswar on April 18, 2025 followed by “Biplabi Kruttibas” on April 21 and “Baanchhara Bagicha” on April 22 at Rabindra Mandap, Bhubaneswar.
Similarly, at least one production will be presented each month till April 2026 either in Bhubaneswar or in the state’s any other place.
