Nautanki
AI-drafted · awaiting admin review
Popular open-air folk opera of Uttar Pradesh, told in rhyming verse, loud song and the boom of the nagara drum.
Folk theatreWhere: Across Uttar Pradesh; the Kanpur and Hathras styles are best knownOccasion: Village fairs, weddings and festivals; traditionally through the night
| Performed by | Professional troupes of actors and singers |
|---|---|
| Costume | Bright, showy costumes for kings, queens, heroes and villains |
| Music and instruments | Nagara (kettle drum), harmonium, dholak and shehnai; verse metres such as doha, chaubola and daud |
How it is performed
- A ranga (narrator-singer) introduces the story and links the scenes.
- Actors sing most of their lines in loud verse so the whole crowd can hear, with spoken dialogue between songs.
- The nagara player punctuates entries, battles and dramatic moments with heavy drumming.
- Stories come from legends, romances and history, such as Sultana Daku, Amar Singh Rathore and Laila-Majnu.
- Comic interludes and dances keep the audience entertained between the serious scenes.
Significance
Nautanki grew out of the older Swang tradition and was the main popular entertainment in North Indian towns before cinema. Many early Hindi film actors and songwriters learnt from it.