Mannu Bhandari’s Novel At Bhopal's Bharat Rang Mahotsav 2025

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The five-day Bharat Rang Mahotsav-2025 ended with a Hindi play, Betiyan Mannu Ki, at Bharat Bhavan in the city on Sunday. Written by Priyadarshan and directed by Devendra Raj Ankur, the 60-minute play is based on eight short stories and a novel written by Mannu Bhandari.

It was presented by artistes from Hansakshar, Delhi. The play explores the feminist dimension of her writing that has been generally ignored by critics till date. The play serves another purpose as it depicts the changing world of Indian women.

These are stories of first-generation Indian girls who came to work, went to office and faced many social problems and personal dilemmas. These working women had to maintain a delicate balance between tradition and modernity.

They had to choose between job, family, husband and lover. They forge relationships, embrace diversity and discover their freedom and the meaning of this freedom. The play begins with Bunty, the protagonist of the novel, Your Bunty, coming on stage and introducing himself.

This is followed by a conversation between Bunty and his mother Shakun. National School of Drama organised the world’s largest theatre festival from January 28 to February16 across 13 cities in India, Nepal and Sri Lanka.