Archive · 22 Jan 2026
Bharat Rang Mahotsav 2026: World's Largest Theatre Festival
The National School of Drama is organizing the 25th Bharat Rang Mahotsav, the world's biggest theatre festival, from January 27 to February 20, 2026.
It will take place in 40 locations across India and include performances from countries on all seven continents.
This year, the festival will feature plays by transgender communities, sex workers, senior citizens, and other groups that are not often seen in theatre.
There will be 277 Indian plays and 12 international plays in 228 different languages.
The festival will also have special events to honor important historical figures and theatre experts.
There will be many types of performances, workshops, and even a market for new plays.
The goal is to make theatre accessible to everyone and celebrate the diversity of languages and cultures.
The 25th Bharat Rang Mahotsav (BRM) 2026 will be held from 27 January to 20 February 2026 across 40 locations in India and one country in each of the seven continents.
The festival will feature 277 Indian productions and 12 international productions in 228 languages and dialects, making it the largest theatre festival in terms of linguistic diversity.
For the first time, productions by transgender communities, sex workers, senior citizens, and other underrepresented groups will be included.
The festival will include various curated and allied theatre festivals, such as Adirang Mahotsav, Jashne Bachpan, and Poorvottar Natya Samaroh, along with folk art performances, street theatre, seminars, and workshops.
Special performances will honor historical figures like Bhagwan Birsa Munda, Lok Mata Ahilya Bai, and Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee, as well as theatre stalwarts like Ratan Thiyam and Ebrahim Alkazi.
- Who
- National School of Drama (NSD)
- What
- 25th Bharat Rang Mahotsav (BRM) 2026, the world's largest international theatre festival
- When
- 27 January to 20 February 2026
- Where
- 40 locations across India and one country in each of the seven continents
- Why
- To celebrate and democratize theatre, showcasing diverse languages, genres, and theatrical expressions from different communities and age groups
- Organizer
- National School of Drama (NSD)
- Edition
- 25th
- Dates
- 27 January to 20 February 2026
- Locations
- 40 locations across India and 7 continents
- Productions
- 277 Indian and 12 international productions
- Languages
- 228 Indian and foreign languages and dialects
- Applications
- 817 national and 34 international applications
- Special Features
- Productions by transgender communities, sex workers, senior citizens, and other underrepresented groups