Shreeram Lagoo Rang-Avakash to Mark Its First Anniversary with a Spectacular Cultural Fest
Pune, 13th January 2025: To mark the first anniversary of Shreeram Lagoo Rang Avakash, Maharashtra Cultural Centre has organized a series of events from Friday, January 17, to Sunday, January 19, 2025. Shreeram Lagoo Rang Avakash is an initiative expanding the horizons of experimental theatre that has added a new dimension to Pune’s theatre scene. The events will take place at both Jyotsna Bhole Auditorium and Shreeram Lagoo Rang Avakash, located at Hirabaug Chowk on Tilak Road.
Speaking about Shreeram Lagoo Rang Avakash’s one-year celebration, Rajesh Deshmukh, Secretary of Maharashtra Cultural Centre, said, “Over the past year, Shreeram Lagoo Rang Avakash has hosted numerous performances featuring national and international artists, and we are positive that this momentum will continue. The anniversary celebration aims to cherish the art, people, and memories that enriched its journey.”
The celebrations will begin (17th January) at 4 pm at the Jyotsna Bhole Auditorium with a discussion on renowned Hollywood director Steven Spielberg. The event will feature an analysis and review of Spielberg’s filmmaking style, with participation from Satish Jakatdar, Deepak Devdhar and Suhas Kirloskar. This session is free for all with prior registration.
At 7:30 pm, on the same day, the English-Hindi play ‘Raat Ki Raniyan’, written and directed by Trishla Patel, will be staged at Shreeram Lagoo Rang Avakash. The play features Jaya Virley, Fatima Arif, Aanchal Poddar, Sohini Niyogi, Sanjina Gadhvi, and Akshay Anand in lead roles. This is a ticketed event.
On Saturday, 18th January at 5 pm, a free program titled Swar-Shobha will be held at Jyotsna Bhole Auditorium to commemorate the birth centenary of renowned vocalist Shobha Gurtu. Organized by her disciple Rajashree Pathak, the event will feature classical vocal performances by Dr. Sandhya Kathavate, accompanied by Pandit Arvind Azad on tabla and Suyog Kundalkar on harmonium. Later, at 7:30 p.m. at Shreeram Lagoo Rang Avakash, renowned Bharatanatyam dancer Vaibhav Arekar will present his dance performance Venugaan. This event is ticketed.
The final day of the celebrations will begin at 11 am at Shreeram Lagoo Rang Avakash with a lecture titled ‘Remembering Raza’ by renowned Bhopal-based artist Akhilesh from the Raza Foundation, New Delhi. The lecture will be followed by the inauguration of an exhibition of prints of Raza’s paintings, with eminent singer Mukul Shivputra as the chief guest. This exhibition, sponsored by the Raza Foundation, will be open to all free of charge. Akhilesh and acclaimed Kathak guru Shama Bhate will participate in this event.
At 5 pm, a slideshow presentation titled ‘Unthinkable Experiences at Unreachable Places: From North Pole to South Pole’ by wildlife photographer Vikram Potdar will be held at Shreeram Lagoo Rang Avakash. This event is free for all. The celebrations will conclude at 7:30 pm with a dramatic reading of Kaamaturanam, a performance exploring Vatsyayana’s ‘Kama Sutra’ through Indian erotic poetry and tales, presented by Theatre Academy and Maharashtra Cultural Centre. The reading will feature Madhuri Purandare, Hrishikesh Joshi, and Kiran Yagnopavit. This event too is free and open to all.
The Shreeram Lagoo Rang Avakash was created by Maharashtra Cultural Centre with the support of Dr. Shreeram Lagoo’s family, with an aim to provide directors and artists with a space to explore the evolving definitions of theatre and experimental performances. Based on the ‘black box’ concept, this venue offers flexible stage configurations including proscenium theatre, sandwich theatre, thrust seating, and four-sided arena seating, accommodating 140 to 200 attendees at a time for plays, workshops, cultural, and artistic events. This facility has been well-received by theatre practitioners and audiences alike.
