early times report
Jammu, July 24: Padma Shri Balwant Thakur, internationally acclaimed theatre director, former cultural diplomat and the founder of Natrang left today for England on a significant 25-day tour aimed at expanding the international footprint of Natrang’s pioneering theatre work. This visit will involve engagements with premier universities and leading theatre institutions across the United Kingdom to explore collaborations, performance opportunities, and avenues for cultural and academic exchange.
The visit is part of a larger vision to strengthen Natrang’s global presence and bring its vibrant theatrical productions to a wider audience. During the tour, Balwant Thakur will be visiting eminent institutions including the Royal Shakespeare Company and birth place of Shakespeare in Stratford-Upon-Avon, West End Theatre, Globe Theatre, Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (RADA), Tara Theatre, London, London International School of Performing Arts, Nehru Centre (London), Birmingham Repertory Theatre, and the Birmingham Hippodrome, among others.
On 8th August, 2025 he will visit Lyceum Theatre, London where world’s most popular theatre show ‘The Lion King’ is running as West End’s longest running show. The show ‘s technical review is aimed at exploring possibilities of evolving Indian mythology based spectacles of much bigger scale than ‘Lion King’ back in India.
A major focus of this tour will also be reviving interest in staging Natrang’s most celebrated Dogri play ‘Bawa Jitto’ in London. The play was previously shortlisted for the prestigious London International Theatre Festival but could not be staged due to the organisers' request to reduce the number of performers—an artistic compromise Balwant Thakur chose not to make. With renewed efforts and deeper dialogues planned during this visit, hopes are high for a breakthrough that respects the original artistic integrity of the production.
Balwant Thakur is no stranger to the UK cultural scene. In 2016, he directed and presented a spectacular series titled ‘Celebrating Diversity’ in London. These performances, held under the aegis of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) in collaboration with the Jammu & Kashmir Festival, were staged at the British Parliament, Nehru Centre (London), Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, and Trafalgar Square, where nearly 50,000 spectators witnessed the grand spectacle. The production received overwhelming appreciation, and even today, there is strong demand for its revival.
Globally acknowledged for evolving a new dramaturgy rooted in Indian ethos while embracing modern sensibilities, Balwant Thakur has become a sought-after voice in international theatre circles. His recent innovations in applied theatre—extending theatrical methodologies into non-arts domains such as management, medicine, and technology—have created waves. These theatre-led interventions have been successfully conducted at institutions like IIMs, IITs, and AIIMS, demonstrating the transformative potential of theatre in leadership, communication, and creativity training. Balwant Thakur started visiting the U.K. in 2001when he presented his theatre research paper at the prestigious University of Oxford at an international conference.
During his UK visit, Balwant Thakur will also engage with academicians, researchers, and theatre professionals interested in his pioneering work and methodologies. Workshops, discussions, and exploratory meetings are scheduled with the aim of building new partnerships and expanding the pedagogical impact of his theatre practices.
This landmark visit underscores Natrang’s continuing mission to take the richness of Indian theatre to the world stage, while also inviting global influences that can enrich its ever-evolving creative journey |
