Indraranga, a city-based theatre group, is organising what it called a first-of-its-kind competition-cum-festival of productions by groups from districts across Bengal.

The initiative is billed as an attempt to democratise Bengali theatre, which has largely remained “Calcutta-centric”, and provide a level-playing field to groups from districts.

“The districts have had a very important role in the history of Bengali theatre since the pre-Independence days…. But like all roads lead to Rome, theatre has become Calcutta-centric,” actor-director-playwright Bratya Basu, president of the festival, said at a news conference on Friday.

Though Bengal has a tradition of theatre groups holding shows elsewhere, the exchange has primarily been one-way as only teams from Calcutta get invites to the districts. The reverse hardly happens.

Basu, a minister in the Mamata Banerjee cabinet, said Indraranga’s initiative to invite theatre groups from the districts to take part in the competition-cum-festival is aimed at correcting the anomaly.

In its earlier two theatre festivals, the city-based group from Paikpara in north Calcutta had brought productions from across the country. Prominent names such as Paresh Rawal, Saurabh Shukla, Suchitra Krishnamoorthi and Sharman Joshi had featured in the festivals.

“So many good productions are taking place in the districts, but they don’t get a platform to perform in Calcutta… We wanted to bridge this gap,” said Basu.

Indrajit Chakraborty, convenor of the festival, said 70-odd teams from districts had sent their nominations.

“A team of 16 judges watched the productions and selected 10 entries…. In the final leg of the competition-cum-festival, these 10 plays will be performed at Mohit Moitra Mancha (in Paikpara) between November 3 and November 7,” he said.

A seven-member jury will decide the 12 winners in various categories such as best production, best actor and best director.

The participating groups include Prantik and Rangrashram from Murshidabad, Chakdah Natyojan from Nadia, Naihati Bratyojan from North 24-Parganas, Ebong Amra from West Burdwan and Malda Theatre Platform.

“Over Rs 4.85 lakh will be given as prize money to the winners,” said Chakraborty, who is also a member of Paschim Banga Natya Akademi, a wing of the information and cultural affairs department of the state government that aims to promote theatre.

Numbers available with the Paschim Banga Natya Akademi reveal that there are around 1,400 theatre groups across Bengal, which churn out productions every year despite constraints.

Basu said the Mamata government, unlike its predecessor, is committed to the cause of theatre — an indicator of the cultural vibrancy of the state — and that’s why over 250 groups get an annual grant of Rs 50,000 each. “This form of art cannot flourish without patronage. Our government is trying, but there hasn’t been any support from the Centre,” he said.