Two Sri Lankan stage productions have been selected from among thousands of entries to be showcased at the New Delhi Drama Festival, also known as Bharat Rang Mahotsav, one of the world’s largest international theatre festivals. The selected plays are ‘Matama Athe’, directed by Buddhika Damayantha, and ‘Kolombo Hathe Panthana’, directed by Chamika Hatlawattha. Their selection followed a highly competitive evaluation process and is being regarded as a significant international recognition for Sri Lankan theatre.
However, according to actor Jehan Appuhami, the two drama groups are facing serious difficulties in traveling to India, as they are required to arrive by February 1 to stage their performances. He states that the Ministry of Cultural Affairs currently lacks the necessary funds to sponsor the groups.
In a video statement released on social media, Appuhami warned that losing such a rare opportunity to represent Sri Lanka on a global stage due to delays and inaction by the Ministry would be a major setback. He emphasized that if this opportunity is missed, it would go down in history as a significant loss to the country’s stage drama industry.
