Theatre has developed in a widespread manner off late. It has always flourished for it serves not to entertain but to expose societal issues and make a point. Nowadays we find more and more people participating and watching theatres as well. Here are top 5 timeless classic theatre dramas which one must watch in their lifetime- 

1. Shantata! Court Chalu Aahe (1967)

When translated into English, this play by Vijay Tendulkar literally means “Silence! The court is in session”. With the storyline of a mock trial of a school teacher who has been convicted for infanticide and having illicit relationships, this play faced a lot of backlash when it was first shown. It not only exposes the hypocrisy in the society through its narrative but was actually a protest against the orthodox norms which bound women and didn’t give them their rightful freedom. The name and the interplay of reality and allusion in the play brought it to its fame. 

2. Tughlaq (1964)

Girish Karnad’s Tughlaq is his take on the Sultan in Delhi during14th century India – Mohammad-bin-Tughlaq. The play mixes the idealism which the ruler thought he had with the objectives of the Nehru era and led to a plot where Tughlaq wished to unite the Hindus and Muslims but ends up failing. The undercurrents of the political situations are mingled in the play quite intricately, making the audience feel the gap that lies between what the situation is and what it could be. 

3. Dear Liar (1958/2013)

A theatrical adaption of the play by the same name written by George Bernard Shaw in the 1900s, this play was directed by Sayadev Dubey in 2013. Naseeruddin Shah and Ratna Pathak Shah assume the main roles of the playwright himself (Naseeruddin Shah is a huge fan) and Mrs. Campbell. The play recreates their personal relationship and these two talented actors delight the audience with their performance.  

4. Yayati (1960)

Another piece by Girish Karnad, and rather the first one he wrote, revolves around the story of Yayati from Mahabharata. Yayati was an ancestor of the Pandavas and had been cursed with aging owing to his infidelity. Being a mythological drama, it gained a lot of popularity but the dilemmas it brings about and the Karnad’s ability to lay bare the human psyche has it being readapted over time and again, like that by Arundhati Raja. 

5. Ebong Indrajit (1963)

Badal Sircar’s, play which touched the subject of the “Absurd” in life, is a perfect watch for those undergoing an existential crisis. The loneliness of the Indian youth in the post-Independence era is well portrayed here. Being a play of the experimental kind, it sets a landmark for its success. The theme of identity is well developed in it. Like any other “Absurd” play, this too does not have a coherent plot and rather leaves you facing the bitterness of its accuracy with its repeated dialogues.