Bhubaneswar, May 23: Youngsters eager to take up theatre as a career had a golden opportunity as the National School of Drama (NSD) hosted a screening session for its drama course here recently.

The preliminary test was hosted for selection into NSD's three-year diploma course in dramatic arts, on July 17.

Around 25 students appeared for the test held in the city. Of them, five have been selected for the final round of screening to be held on NSD campus in Delhi. The selected candidates are Ghanasundar Gartia, Kanhu Charan Mallick, Radhakrushna Nanda Brahma, Dipanwit Dashmopahatra and Daya Sagar Dharua.

This is the first time that the preliminary screening session took place in Bhubaneswar. Earlier, candidates had to travel to Calcutta to appear for the examination.

Among other things, the course teaches the methods of eminent theatre personalities who have shaped contemporary theatre in all its forms and expressions. It includes broad-based training in classical and modern drama traditions of India and the West, and the folk theatre of India.

Two among the selected candidates - Radhakrushna Nanda Brahma and Dipanwit Dashmopahatra - are engineering students. They have worked in a number of plays as a part of theatre group Uttarpurush. "This was a great opportunity for theatre lovers of the state. A number of artistes earlier could not appear for the test outside Odisha because of financial constraints," said Dipanwit.

The test is also hosted in Guwahati, Calcutta, Chennai, Bangalore, Bhopal, Mumbai, Lucknow, Chandigarh and New Delhi.

Five representatives from the NSD and two theatre personalities from the state - Dolgobinda Rath and Subodh Patnaik - were present as jury members.

"Around 15 years ago, the test was once held in Bhubaneswar. But that happened only because the venue in Calcutta had to be cancelled at the last moment. But, this was for the first time that Bhubaneswar was chosen as a test centre," said Subodh Patnaik, founder of Natya Chetana.

The selected candidates will report on NSD campus on June 9 for the final workshop. The workshop will be held from June 10 to 14. Around 150 students selected from the preliminary tests from across the country will take part in the workshop, from which 26 will be selected for the course.

"We hope that the test will be hosted in Bhubaneswar every year from now. This will make sure that more artistes from the state get a chance to hone their skills at the prestigious institute," added Patnaik.