Theatre, art, and culture take centrestage at Kohinoor Theatre Carnival in Hyderabad

“We may not have the Kohinoor diamond, but our true treasures lie in the arts, music, dance and culture,” says Hyderabad-based theatre personality Ajay Mankanpalli, the mind behind the Kohinoor Theatre Carnival. Set to run in Hyderabad from September 15 to 17 , this multilingual festival aims to spotlight theatre and its allied arts.

Ajay Mankanpalli
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Special Arrangement

The three-day cultural showcase brings together theatre personalities from across India, presenting a mix of productions. Alongside the performances, the festival offers an lineup of talks and workshops, from body movement, dappu , mime, and storytelling to traditional martial arts like kalari and karrasaamu, set and stage design, lighting, script writing, tribal folk performances, and even an art exhibition.

Ajay points out that cultural exchanges remain largely confined to Hyderabad. “States like Kerala, Maharashtra, and Karnataka host thriving theatre festivals that enrich their local culture. While the National School of Drama organises Rang Mahotsav in Hyderabad, it rarely features theatre practitioners from the city,” he observes.

A still from the play ‘Salumaragala Thayi Thimmakka’
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Special Arrangement

With limited opportunities to participate in theatre festivals across states, Ajay believes local creativity is often curtailed. “The idea of KTC is to celebrate, create, and collaborate,” he says. “Exchanging ideas and stories broadens our perspectives. Watching varied presentations and their production styles offers insights into different creative approaches, adaptations, and storytelling.”

This year’s carnival features seven productions, including Salumaragala Thayi Thimmakka (Karnataka), Dusro Na Koi (Madhya Pradesh), Alphi 12 Missing (Kerala), and Rukmini (West Bengal), a biopic on Rukmini Devi Arundale. Bhagyashree Take’s Salma Deewani adds a Deccani flavour, while Rameshwaram Kaakulu and Bharat’s Natyashastra by P. Basheer and Ram Mohan Holagundi represent Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

A still from the play ‘Dusro Na Koi’
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Visitors can also explore an art exhibition that showcases diverse styles and expressions. For Ajay, the festival is a long-cherished dream. “My wings were not big then,” he recalls of his youth, when he was new to the field with little means. Today, with years of experience as a theatre actor, director, film performer and writer, he sees the carnival as his way of giving back to the art that shaped him.

Ajay has invested much of his own resources into the festival, with support from other stakeholders. The initiative is also backed by the Telangana government’s Culture Department and the Telangana Sangeeta Nataka Akademi.