Question

Explain the progress of Dramatic Art of India

Answer 1

Hint: Drama in itself is considered a complete form of arts. It includes acting, dialogue, poetry, music, etc. India prepared and developed a manual on theatre called Natyashastra attributed to Bharata, which became the basis Indian performance genres for centuries to come.

Complete answer: The Indian theatre is defined by the dramatic performance and by the concept of Natya, which is a Sanskrit word for drama with expressions, dance, and music.
There is an understanding that performing arts are audience-oriented and it must continuously adapt to the socio-cultural landscape of their patronage. The 13th century marked this change for the Indian culture, where Sanskrit dramas and stagecraft had been previously revered by the elites, it was now no longer relevant.
Under British rule, modern Indian theatre began when a theatre was started in Belgachia. The 1st play, during British rule, was Buro Shalikher Ghaare Roa (1860) by Michael Madhusudan Dutt. The British had the thought that the Indian actors were mythical creatures.
From the last half of the 19th century, theatre and drama in India experienced a spike in numbers and practices, both. After Indian independence in 1947, the practice spread throughout India as one of the means of entertainment.
Improvisational is a form of theatre in which the actors use improvisational acting techniques to perform spontaneously. They use audience suggestions to guide the performance as they create dialogue, setting, and plot extemporaneously. Improvisational Theatre and Drama is largely used for educational, interventional and entertainment purposes.

Note: Indian theatre had shown its influence beyond its borders, reaching ancient China and other countries in the Far East. In 1999, Bev Hoskins and Mary Good introduced Playback theatre to India and it started to take its shape in the remotest parts of India.