The Indian Heritage & Cultural Association of New Jersey (IHCA-NJ) celebrated its 11th Annual Natya Darpan Multilingual Short Play Festival on July 11, 2026, at the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center (NBPAC).
It brought together artists, directors, playwrights, and theater enthusiasts from diverse backgrounds, featuring five productions in Marathi, Hindi, English, and multilingual formats, each exploring timely social issues.
The festival was inaugurated by Consul Upendra Singh Negi from the Indian Consulate in New York.
IHCA-NJ Founder and President Dr. Ashok Chaudhary welcomed attendees and introduced the volunteers and executive team. The ceremonial lamp-lighting ceremony was led by Consul Negi, theater director and actor Vijay Kenkre, Middlesex County Commissioner Deputy Director Shanti Narra, and members of the Natya Darpan Executive Team.
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A video message from India’s Consul General Binaya Srikant Pradhan, New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill; and actor, psychiatrist, and Padma Shri awardee Dr. Mohan Agashe, were played.
The festival opened with “Seen Under the Weight,” an English play written and directed by Yona Downes. The production explored the silent struggles faced by graduate students dealing with academic pressure, burnout, bullying, and mental health challenges. It stressed the importance of seeking support during difficult times.
A panel discussion on mental health followed, led by Prof. Marshall Jones, Dean of Access at Rutgers University’s Mason Gross School of the Arts.
The second production, “Daldal,” directed by Seema Shahane, revisited the emotional landscape of the COVID-19 pandemic. Through the experiences of ordinary individuals navigating lockdowns, uncertainty, and isolation, the Hindi drama captured the emotional toll of the crisis while highlighting hope, resilience, and the lasting impact of the pandemic on mental well-being.
The Marathi science-fiction drama “Human in the Loop,” directed by Atul Athavale, explored artificial intelligence and its growing influence on modern life. It invited audiences to reflect on memory, identity, ethics, and the indispensable role of human judgment in an increasingly AI-driven world.
The fourth presentation, “The Calculus of Guilt,” written and directed by Dr. Manoj Shahane, portrayed family expectations, hidden truths, and mental health within the South Asian community.
The Awards Ceremony for the inaugural Natya Darpan National Playwriting Competition, recognized excellence in original multilingual playwriting.
- Mini Short Play category,
First Prize -Ritambhara Mittal (Alpharetta, Georgia) for Gulabi Shareh,
Second Prize – Dr. Siddhesh Kulkarni (Jersey City, New Jersey) for Spring Bloom.
- Short Play category
First Prize – Shirin Mhadeshwar (Livingston, New Jersey) for Zadat Punha Ugavaya
Second Prize – Sumit Kulkarni (New Jersey) for Behind the Uniform.
Theater director and actor Vijay Kenkre congratulated the winners for their creativity and contributions to contemporary theater.
The festival concluded with “Dhaaga,” a multilingual production directed by Amita, which addressed the global issues of sustainability and fast fashion. The play illustrated how individual choices connect to worldwide environmental and humanitarian challenges.
Emcees Sucheta Sathe and Vishal Chedda, conducted the program.
Dr. Chaudhary thanked the artists, volunteers, sponsors, partners, dignitaries, and attendees for making the festival a success.
“For the past eleven years, Natya Darpan has demonstrated that theater is much more than entertainment—it is a catalyst for dialogue, understanding, and social change,” Chaudhary said.
Founded in 2013, the Indian Heritage & Cultural Association of New Jersey (IHCA-NJ) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization with the mission to promote the performing arts, preserving cultural heritage, and fostering cross-cultural understanding through theater, dance, music, and educational programming.