Naatak Radio

Send us Fan Mail In August, 1947, when the British finally left it after 300 years of subjugation, the Indian subcontinent was divided into two independent nations purely based on religion, India and Pakistan. This abrupt partition, and the hastily drawn borders, sometimes running across people's compounds, led to one of the greatest migrations in human history. Nearly 15 million people compr...

Send us Fan Mail Covid-19 has spared no one. Among the hardest hit are the elderly who live in a state of constant fear. Many, especially in India, would have seen and survived the horrors of the 1947 partition, and could not have imagined reliving the panic and chaos. Anant Yatra (A never ending journey) by Rekha Rajvanshi is a story of one such individual. Shri Jitendra Nath, is forced to cut sh...

Send us Fan Mail Microfiction is an art of telling a story in as few words as possible. In today's limited word-count driven short attention spans, Microfiction presents a unique challenge to writers. Tell the same hard-hitting tales, but with fewer words. And then, reduce some more. Presenting, Naatak Radio's first microfiction piece, Aasman Ka Sitara, by Savitha Samu . The most sacred...

Send us Fan Mail Presenting the second in our series of Microfiction short stories, Mannaton Ke Dhaage, by Trilochana Kaur . The village's beloved Babool tree was suffering due to the customs held dear by the people until the chief comes up with a clever solution. Narrator: Vikas Dhurka Background score: "Indian Tabla + Hangdrum Music" by Meditative Mind Story source: 1 May 2020 iss...

Send us Fan Mail Shattered by the discovery that her husband is leaving her, a devoted housewife retaliates, gathering the pieces rather cleverly. Based on “Lamb to the Slaughter”, a short story by Roald Dahl, and adapted and directed by Mahesh Umasankar , Bali Ka Bakra was also presented by Naatak in Mela, 2016 . Voice Actors: Savitha Samu , Anush Moorthy , Dilip Ratnam , Swagato Basumallick and...

Send us Fan Mail There is an undisputed law of lazy Sundays. The moment you relax, is the moment you lose the Sunday. Presenting Aao Baat To Suno, the third play in Saadat Hasan Manto's radio play series Aao. On a lazy Sunday, Kishore volunteers to run a small errand for Lajwanti who's feeling under the weather, and the neighborhood piles on. Cast: Kishore: Harish Sunderam Agastya Lajwan...

Send us Fan Mail Songs from Naatak's Grand Musical: Mahabharat staged in 2018. It is said that every story that can possibly be told has been told in the Mahabharat . In 2018, Naatak presented this greatest epic ever written with live music and dance, and setting it in an undefined era that could be modern, ancient or anywhere in between. This was Naatak’s largest production in 25 years. Ther...

Send us Fan Mail Songs from Naatak's Grand Musical: Mahabharat staged in 2018. It is said that every story that can possibly be told has been told in the Mahabharat . In 2018, Naatak presented this greatest epic ever written with live music and dance, and setting it in an undefined era that could be modern, ancient or anywhere in between. This was Naatak’s largest production in 25 years. Ther...

Send us Fan Mail Why is the Ace, a faceless card considered the most supreme? Why are there only 3 female cards in the whole suite? Kishore is clearly up to something. Can Lajwanti get him to reveal his secrets through a game of cards? Does Narayan's entry change anything? Presenting Aao Taash Kheien (Come, let's play cards), the second in a series of short plays written by Saadat Hasan...

Send us Fan Mail Presenting the first in a series of short plays written by Saadat Hasan Manto. While working as a writer for the Urdu service of All India Radio, Manto wrote these short plays in Mumbai specifically for radio and the collection was published in 1940. Each play presents a delightful banter between the husband Kishore, the wife Lajwanti, and their friend Narayan. Light-hearted and a...

Send us Fan Mail Nearly 300-million (30 crore) people in India live at or below the poverty line and the 2020 pandemic is expected to throw many more in deep penury. This story, written by eminent story writer, Gnanpeeth (2009), Vyas Samman (2009), and Sahitya Akademi Award (2007) winner, Amarkant presents a tale of such a family. It presents the real life struggles of many and uses a narrative th...

Send us Fan Mail A satire on the modern Indian urbanized society, Bholaram Ka Jeev, starts with a unique premise: Great confusion has ensued in Yamraj's offices in heaven. The soul of the story's protagonist, Bholaram a government servant, has gone missing. This causes Yamraj to issue a search warrant for Bholaram and deploy Narad to investigate. Narad visits Bholaram's family in di...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when California decides to secede from the United States? This is the premise of this brand new play by Rithvik Agastya. Crossover tracks the journey of two couples living in the newly formed "Republic of California" and "Michigan, United States" over a span of 10 years. Are they happy with their choices or are they ready to Crossover? Actors: Amar...

Send us Fan Mail Thursday, May 21, was International Tea Day. To celebrate we present not one but two episodes this week on Naatak Radio. First is a short story - Raawat Tea Stall, by Varsha Thakur. We all have our favorite hidden gems in our favorite vacation spots. A tea stall, a restaurant, a coffee shop, a book store, etc. Arup tries to retrace his path to the best chai he ever had during his...

Send us Fan Mail The second episode this week to celebrate the International Tea day. " Chai Anthem " from Naatak's Mr. India . ABOUT THE PLAY A half-blind, bumbling tea-seller in Delhi rises to become Prime Minister of India in this hilarious and hard-hitting satire on Indian democracy. Based on the 2007 novel The Peacock Throne , acclaimed by Time and The Guardian , the play is a...

Send us Fan Mail Written by Gulzar, Seema is a poignant and touching tale about love and longing, and has appeared in many of his short story collections. “Seema” revolves around three individuals, theatre director Sudhir, his actor wife Seema, and their mutual friend TK. Seema’s and Sudhir’s life appears picture perfect, but appearances are often deceptive in the world of showbiz. The story was e...

Send us Fan Mail A poignant short tale by Siyaramsharan Gupt shows the innocence of a small child dealing with an unexpected loss. Narrated by: Anitha Dixit Support the show Subscribe to Naatak Radio on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Jio Saavn or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also listen to our library of over 100 episodes on our website at naatak.org/naatakradio/ Love the sho...

Send us Fan Mail A couple in their thirties has completed ten years of marriage. One late afternoon, the wife tells the husband that she is pregnant but the child is not his. The husband meanwhile has secrets of his own. Numerous intricate confessions are revealed in the plethora of twists and turns of the tale. A classic comedy of a couple taken by their desires. Based on "The Problem"...

Send us Fan Mail Having recently moved to a new house, a seemingly well-to-do family is visited by a supposedly petty thief whose, arrival throws their lives into confusion.  Written by: Narendra Kohli Directed by: Monica Mehta Chitkara Cast: Deepal Pandya , Ashok Vijay , Manasi Raje Deshmukh and Rajat Sharma Also staged by Naatak in Mela'16 Support the show Subscribe to Naatak Radio on Apple...

Send us Fan Mail Ek Saste Jahaaj Ka Sapna is a comical take on the life of a common man and his vision towards society. The story revolves around Genda Singh who dreams of owning a new affordable airplane designed in Latvia. Will he be able to turn his dream into a reality? Actors: Yaduvir Singh , Surender Singh , Shreya Bhattacharji and Avadhoot Bhambare Directed by Vikas Dhurka Support the show...

Send us Fan Mail Two non-Bengali speaking friends go to watch a movie and get the crux of the film all wrong. Sharad Joshi's hilarious hindi satire narrated and directed by Rajiv Nema .  Support the show Subscribe to Naatak Radio on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Jio Saavn or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also listen to our library of over 100 episodes on our website at n...

Send us Fan Mail Ande Ke Chilke : A tale set in the 1960s, about a  strict vegetarian household where even eggs are a taboo. The daughter-in-law of the house however, was brave enough to break the rules for herself, her husband, and her brother in law. Will the matriarch of the house discover these nefarious activities happening right under her nose? Or will the family members succeed in keeping a...