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Sep

Gandhi’s Spirit on Stage: Double Bill of Plays Brings History Alive in Delhi

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Chandra Kumar Advocate

New Delhi | Wednesday | 3 September 2025

For the past few years, Delhi-based theatre group Bhagyam Arts & Ideas has been carving a niche for itself with evocative and thought-provoking productions in honour of Mahatma Gandhi. Marking Gandhi Jayanti has become an annual tradition for the group, and their productions have been widely appreciated for their originality and imaginative treatment of history. This year, the company has announced something special—a double bill of plays at Triveni Auditorium, Tansen Marg, New Delhi, that promises to bring Gandhi’s philosophy of non-violence and its global resonance vividly to life.

The two productions, “Satyagraha” and “King-Gandhi,” will be staged on September 27 (Saturday) and October 1 (Wednesday) respectively. Both are conceived, written and directed by Suranya Aiyar, who has built a reputation for weaving history, theatre, and music into compelling stage experiences.

Revisiting India’s Tryst with Non-Violence

 

Column at a Glance
Delhi-based theatre group Bhagyam Arts & Ideas is presenting a special double bill of plays at Triveni Auditorium to mark Gandhi Jayanti, showcasing Gandhi’s philosophy of non-violence and its global influence. Directed by Suranya Aiyar, the first play, Satyagraha, revisits India’s freedom struggle through Gandhi’s campaigns, juxtaposed with perspectives of leaders like Tagore and Bose.
Enriched with Bharatanatyam, Kathakali, and live music by Ustad Arif Ali Khan, it blends culture and politics. The second play, King-Gandhi, explores Gandhi’s impact on the African-American Civil Rights Movement, highlighting Martin Luther King Jr.’s admiration for non-violent resistance. With live jazz, gospel, and dance, it recreates the vibrancy of that era.
Featuring noted performers like Joy Sengupta and Rajesh Kumar, both bilingual productions combine theatre, music, and dance to create emotionally moving, intellectually rich experiences. Free and open to all, the performances emphasize Gandhi’s enduring relevance in confronting injustice globally.

 

The first play, Satyagraha, takes audiences into the very heart of India’s non-violent struggle for Independence. Instead of a simple chronological retelling of events, the production brings alive Gandhi’s campaigns through a range of voices, juxtaposing his philosophy with the perspectives of other leaders such as Rabindranath Tagore and Subhash Chandra Bose. This nuanced treatment allows the play to highlight the debates within the freedom movement about the power and limits of non-violent resistance.

Enriched with elements of classical Indian performance traditions, the play is as much a cultural experience as it is a political one. Renowned Bharatanatyam and Kathakali duo Swarnali Kundu and Akash Mallick lend their artistry to the production, while the music is composed by Ustad Arif Ali Khan of the Kairana Gharana, who will perform live with a full ensemble. The combination of theatre, dance, and music is designed to immerse audiences in the spirit of Gandhian struggle.

Gandhi’s Message Across Oceans

While Satyagraha looks inward to India’s fight against colonial rule, the second play, King-Gandhi, explores how Gandhi’s legacy travelled across continents to inspire movements for racial justice. The play traces the journey of African Americans from slavery to the Civil Rights Movement, highlighting the rich connections between Gandhi’s methods and the strategies of leaders like Martin Luther King Jr.

The title itself reflects the dialogue between two towering figures of the 20th century—Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr.—who, though separated by geography and circumstance, were united by their belief in non-violent resistance. The play brings out the admiration King and his mentors expressed for Gandhi’s success in mobilizing

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