Odisha government has said that it will seek a report from National School of Drama (NSD), New Delhi reports said that a Polish actor had gone nude in a drama portrayed in the closing ceremony of 18th Bharat Rang Mohatsav in Rabindra Mandap in Bhubaneshwar last week..
Tourism and Culture Minster Ashok Chandra Panda has his ministry will send a notice to NSD, which was responsible for selecting the Polish drama for the festival.
“Odisha culture doesn’t promote obscenity. The scene could have been shown in a symbolic way. We would write to the authorities of National School of Drama for a report on the matter,” Panda was quoted by Odisha Sun Times.
Members of audience had awkward moments when the play ‘Sonaka’ from Poland had an actress turned up naked up to her waist at the stage during the closing ceremony of the festival.
While some embarrassed viewers walked out of the hall mid-way, there were others who staged protests even by locking the main entrance of the auditorium.
Activists belonging to women’s rights group Nari Sachetan Mancha later organised road blockade near Rabindra Mandap in protest against the nudity.
The Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi which co-organised the drama festival has issued apology for the nude scene promising to avoid such plays in future.
“The NSD has banned the play across the country after the Odisha experience…If the play hurts the cultural sentiments of the art lovers, we apologise on behalf of NSD,” Akademi secretary Dhirendranath Mallick was quoted by Indian Express.
(Photo: Odisha Sun Times)
