I remember the first time I went to watch a play in my graduation year. The dimming of lights, the silence before the curtains went up, and the raw emotions of the actors presented on the stage— it was magical. Unlike movies where mistakes can be edited and scenes can be reshot, theatre is an art that thrives on flaws and imperfections.
Theatres are real, close to life, and are immediate. It's right there. “Theatre isn’t just a performance, it’s a living, breathing bond with the audience. But now, it feels like it’s struggling for air," says Mimansha, an aspiring theatre artist in Delhi.
Theatres that once used to echo with applause now have trouble getting people to come. The voices that once breathed life into stories are now going quiet.
This decline comes against the backdrop of recent efforts by the National School of Drama (NSD) to spark interest in theatre. Its international event the Bharat Rang Mahotsav 2025, was in play in Delhi from January 28 to February 6 and is showcasing over 200 productions from across India and 9 other countries.
Despite these initiatives, the challenge remains: how to keep theatre relevant in a world captivated by digital content.
Theatre in Delhi is breathing its final breath. It's not dying with a big dramatic final scene, but instead, it's fading away—like an echo getting weaker in a time when screens and digital content grab our attention. Theatre used to be a strong way to tell stories, bringing revolution, a medium for cultural expression.
The fall from grace
The theatre was once the blood of entertainment. Shows weren't just acts, they mirrored society and sparked change. Starting from Bahratmuni’s Natyasashtra to Kalidasa's Shakuntala and Vijay Tendulka’s Ghashiram Kotwal, Delhi theatre has long provided a stage for both mythic splendour and sharp social commentary.
Irshad, a student of the National School of Drama, while talking about the importance of theatre in his life said, “Theatre for me is a way of life. I was an introvert and theatre helped me gain my confidence and now I can speak and perform in front of public.”
But now, theatres are in a fight with irrelevance.
What's causing this?
There are several reasons— shrinking audiences, lack of funds, obsession with digital content, and a generation that doesn't care much for live acts. While movies and OTT platforms have kept up with the changing trends, theatre is stuck in old ways failing to connect with a generation that is obsessed with 30-second content and instant gratification.
Fighting to stay alive
Walk into any theatre in Delhi these days, and you'll notice the cracks in the ceiling—both literal and metaphorical. Empty chairs in the halls, lack of sponsors, and actors still working for passion with the bare minimum of money, are the reality of Indian theatres.
Shivang, an aspiring theatre artist adds, “Theaters are struggling to even sell the tickets. They are not the commercial medium of entertainment like movies. Nobody knows about folk theatres and it is an institute like NSD only where you will see them on stage.”
Even organisations like the National School of Drama (NSD), which aims to keep theatre alive, can do so much. Events such as Bharat Mahotsav try to spark interest again, but a single yearly festival isn't enough to bring back a fading art form.
To stay relevant, theatre needs ongoing backing of new stories and a way to fit in with today's platforms.
NSD chairman Chittaranjan Tripathy during the launch of Bharangam 2025 said, “People go and watch such awful movies but will not come to watch theatres.” Rajpal Yadav, a former NSD alumnus and ‘Rangdoota’ for ongoing Bharangam highlighted the lack of funds for theatres due to which they are dying.
Can theatre be saved?
Maybe. But only if it changes. Theatre needs to reach its audience by integrating different formats and by taking up stories that are more relatable to the young audience. There need to be more institutions like the National School and more funds should be allocated to keep the theater houses alive.
“We should add theatres in the school curriculum as well. Theatre is a way of life and it can create a positive impact on people. This message should be spread among the common masses”, Shivang added further.
Divyansh, an FTI student and a B-tech graduate said, “I always thought theatre is a place of the rich but this perception changed when I went to college. I think this is what needs work, to make the society understand that theatre is for everyone, and once we succeed in doing that, the condition of theatres will change a lot.”
If theatre ends, we don't just lose an art. We lose a place for raw human connection. And if we allow that, the last bow won't just mark the end of theatre—it will signal the loss of a piece of our culture that once showed who we are.
