A central focus is the life and 1989 murder of founder-member Safdar Hashmi , which occurred while the group was performing the play Halla Bol . Major Plays Discussed
The book highlights several landmark productions that defined political theatre in India: Performing Solidarity: 50 Years of Jana Natya Manch A History of the Jana Natya Manch: Plays for th...
Ghosh examines Janam's close ties to the organized Left in India and its focus on issues like labor rights, caste, gender equality, and communalism. A central focus is the life and 1989
The book explores Janam’s founding in 1973 by student radicals and its emergence from the Delhi branch of the IPTA. It documents the group's transition to street theatre
It documents the group's transition to street theatre in 1978 and its methods for scripting, training talent, and performing "skin-to-skin" with spectators in working-class industrial areas.
A History of the Jana Natya Manch: Plays for the People (2012) is a comprehensive chronicle of (Janam), a radical Delhi-based theatre collective active since 1973 . Written by Arjun Ghosh , a faculty member at IIT Delhi, the book functions as a "biography" of the group, detailing its four-decade evolution from the legacy of the Indian People's Theatre Association (IPTA) to its role as a major force in political street theatre. Key Themes & Content