International Theater Festival of Kerala was organized from 23 February, 2, 2025, photo credit: KK Najeeb
I recently returned after participating in the 15th edition of Kerala (ITFOK) International Theater Festival in Thrissur. More than plays in the show, many of which were notable, such as Follow (Iraq) and Dear children, honestly (Sri Lanka), I came back deeply by the inclusive and nutritional character of the festival, resulting in an engagement audience and an egalitarian and democratic social place. I say that after participating in public art festivals in many places across the country, my experience was unique in Kerala.
The festival spreads over a week that plays from the country and abroad through a selection process that focuses on diversity and focuses on contemporary practices. This version of ITFOK, themes around the cultures of resistance, the plays presented which deal with the same-sex desire (Dear Tamasha Theater, Mumbai), Development vs. Community (Tribal cry Akhoka Theater, Manipur), and women sexuality (Project darling Dramanan, by Bengaluru).
The opinion about the quality of the plays made on the festival was different and I was found to be rich in debate. There was no shortage of conversation and the credit for creating such an active public place goes to the audience who came in large numbers from Kerala, waiting patiently in long queues, and saw every show, sometimes saw the second and third repetitions of the same performance. All this in scorching summer, and they returned to hear the artist interaction sessions the next day.
When diversity is in danger
One still from the Sri Lankan Play ‘Dear Children, Cincivali’ at the 2025 International Theater Festival at the International Theater Festival in Kerala. Photo Credit: KK Najeeb
The audience members did not shy away from asking difficult questions, often recorded their humble disagreement with the speaker or producer of the play. After the performance ended, they remained hanging for a long time, discussing what they had seen and to invite strangers in the formation of improptu groups to really join the discussion. Language obstacles were violated and ideas were exchanged independently. Isn’t it the purpose of an art festival? Most of the audience I faced by the theater or art backgrounds were not necessary. Nevertheless, he was full of curiosity and was encouraged to participate in this non-dancing place that the festival was successfully created.
You may ask, but what is special about all this? The vacancies that actively celebrate the variety are becoming rare and are constantly being threatened by major forces. Therefore, whatever should be observed and perhaps enthusiasts turned into a template for public engagement and discourse on art that is constantly shrinking. There is no dearth of cultural offerings in metropolitan centers across the country, but the place of festival like ITFOK does not meet the interests of a certain class of society alone. This is not especially for the cultural elite.
Theater festivals should visit
Meta, Delhi: Performance and recognition of the best in contemporary Indian theater through a rigorous selection process.
Bharat Rang Festival, Delhi: Country’s Largest Theater Festival organized by National School of Drama
Ranga Shankara Theater Festival, Bangalore: Annual Festival is based on a central theme, which is held in the famous Ranga Shankara Theater Space
Prithvi Festival, Mumbai: The Iconic Theater Festival showed various types of new and old plays
Saal Tree, Under Assam: A unique focus on contemporary theater practices of this festival, held inside a forest in Golpara in Golpara.
Windermier Theater Festival, Bareilly (UP): There is an array of plays from all over India
Shashipur Natak Utsav, Delhi: A unique community-curated theater festival with a strong emphasis on socially relevant subjects and concerns
Spontaneous reactions
ITFOK welcomes and is available for all and diverse. The tickets are incredibly cheap. This festival is supported by the state government, certainly helps reduce overall costs, gives social level people an opportunity to see plays and interact with them. This congregation is unique and restoration of confidence in the resulting domesticity.
A view of a scene of ‘Adivasi Kryi’ by Akhoka Theater, Manipur at the International Theater Festival in Kerala 2025. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
For example, after the staging of a drama from Egypt, most of us disliked for various reasons, including a poor script, a viewer member stood, criticized him loudly in Malayalam, and went out. There was a regular audience here, a part of the public, offered his spontaneous resistance to a work of art with which he failed to agree. He was not shocked or embarrassed. Places where we can agree to disagree independently and give voice to our dissatisfaction without retaliation.
In a celebrity-brocade country like us, where the reservation of seats in cultural programs is an ideal, no seat was reserved for anyone in the festival. Even the secretary of the festival had to sit on the floor when the auditorium was full. No one was received for VIP treatment or not.
The most running part was that people came from everywhere, to see, discuss and argue. And art was also available for him. Is there a better way of cultural spread? And they could do all this because space enabled these experiences. Perhaps this is possible because it is Kerala? But what does the rest of us stop trying?
The author is a critic and cultural commentator. He teaches at Flame University, Pune.
Published – March 21, 2025 12:40 pm IST
