Each year towards the end of January, theatre connoisseurs from the city unite for a one-of-a-kind event - an all-night theatre festival . This year was no different as Punekars got together at the Yashwantrao Chavan Natyagruha in Kothrud to celebrate plays and performances from various genres. As Lakshmi S Kshirsagar, a dance teacher put it, "What a rollercoaster of emotions and laughter we experienced throughout the night."



Spearheaded by Wide Wings Media, Nattya Sattak is a week long theatre festival, that ends with an all nighter of just plays and other performances.









Bringing back the habit of baithaks




Decades ago, night-long natak baithaks were common in the city. Over time, that habit faded. This fest aims to bring back a version of that experience, asking for time, patience, and attention in a way few events do anymore. This year’s edition leaned strongly into music, poetry, and folk-led storytelling, giving the night a steady rhythm. Between performances, stand-up comedians Akshay Joshi and Sanket Joshi kept the audience engaged without breaking the emotional flow.









Discovery, consistency and a dedicated audience




Hooting, clapping, whistling, even breaking into small bursts of dance, responses from the audience kept coming throughout the 11 hours of the event. Every performance found its moment - a line that landed, a song that hit home, a rhythm that made fatigue feel irrelevant. By the time the final act was performed, it was clear that tiredness was a lost thought, the audience was there, engaged, and fully enjoying every bit of what was unfolding on stage.









A diverse lineup





Tharlay Forever, a romantic comedy, stood out for its presentation




Kalagi Tura, which revived a lost village musical tradition through folk vocals and percussion




Akshar Akshar Tujhech Ahe paired poetry with music to draw younger audiences toward Marathi poetry




Shwasat Raja, Dhyasat Raja closed the night with readings and songs on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj








“It's a treat to witness a fresh lineup of excellent plays and discover several new faces on stage. I loved Tharlay Forever. It was extremely relatable and I loved Hruta Durgule and Kapil Redekar's performances




-Rajas Kulkarni, event coordinator and regular attendee







Even those who don't follow theatre closely are drawn to this one-night celebration. For me, getting to see different art forms coming together on one stage was what stood out




- Parth Kulkarni, an assistant director