Nandi Theatre Festival to Be Held in Tenali in January: Minister Durgesh

The Andhra Pradesh government is set to revive the Nandi Theatre Festival in a bid to restore the prominence of Telugu theatre and create greater opportunities for artistes, writers, technicians and theatre groups. The festival will be held in Tenali, Guntur district, in January, State Tourism and Culture Minister Kandula Durgesh announced on Friday.

Addressing the media at the Velagapudi Secretariat along with Andhra Pradesh Film, Television and Theatre Development Corporation (APFDC) Managing Director Viswanathan, Durgesh said the festival would not be confined to theatrical performances but would also provide recognition to the rich cultural heritage and talent of Telugu theatre.

He said the initiative was being taken under the guidance of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, with the government focusing on strengthening the film and theatre sectors and encouraging artistes.

The notification inviting entries for the festival would be issued within two to three days, while a selection committee would be constituted in October. The preliminary list of selected productions would be announced in December. The festival will begin on January 10 with the presentation of the prestigious Kandukuri awards, followed by a week-long performance of selected plays. The Nandi Theatre Festival awards will be presented at the concluding ceremony.

For the first time, Telugu theatre groups from other states will also be eligible to participate. Durgesh said selections would be made transparently on the basis of video submissions, following a process comparable to the National School of Drama model.

The government has increased the number of Kandukuri Pratishthita awards from three to five, with ₹1 lakh cash prize for each award. The awards will honour theatre personalities including Sthanam Narasimha Rao, Acharya Atreya, Garikapati Raja Rao and Bandaru Rama Rao.

As part of another initiative, 100 Kandukuri Visesha awards will be presented, with three recipients from each of the 28 districts and 16 additional awards for exceptional contributions. Categories will include padya and social theatre, writers, technical experts and theatre groups.

The government is also revising financial support to theatre councils. Instead of ₹5 lakh being given to a limited number of councils, ₹1 lakh will be provided to each council to benefit more artistes.

Durgesh recalled that 100 Kandukuri awards were presented on April 16 last year, observed as Telugu Theatre Day.

The APFDC has also introduced a single-window system for permissions related to films and theatre. The notification for Nandi awards for cinema and television will be issued this week, with awards planned by January in categories including padya natakam, social theatre, one-act plays, children's plays, college and university theatre, and the best book on stagecraft.