Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. G. Balasubramanian, has expressed the willingness to collaborate with Nigeria’s performing arts sector, particularly in theatre.
He made this statement during a film screening event organised by the Kaduna International Film Festival (KADIFF) in partnership with the Indian High Commission in Abuja.
The event featured two films: the Indian short film “Rogan Josh” and “Kaka,” which won the KADIFF 2024 Best Indigenous Language Feature Film Award.
Balasubramanian emphasized the need for enhanced film collaborations between India and Nigeria, noting that the cultural ministries of both nations have initiated a cultural exchange program encompassing various aspects of the creative industry.
So far, this exchange has mainly involved Nigerian dance troupes from the Ministry of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy and the National Council of Arts and Culture (NCAC), who have performed in India. However, Indian performers have yet to reciprocate.
The High Commissioner expressed interest in partnering with the National Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners (NANTAP) to facilitate theatrical collaboration between the two countries.
He stated, “We have a cultural exchange program between our ministries of culture, which covers all these aspects, and we hope it will foster an introduction to each other’s theatre cultures.”
Balasubramanian highlighted the strength of Indian theatre, which boasts over 22 languages, each with a rich performance tradition. He noted that the performing arts, including theatre, dance, and classical music, have a significant following in India.
In Nigeria, the theatre scene has been gradually reviving since the mid-2000s after a decline in the late 80s to early 2000s. Despite facing consistent exclusion from government support, the performing arts sector, alongside literature and visual arts, is resiliently creating opportunities and fostering community unity and development.
“As the High Commissioner of India in Abuja, I can assure you that we are eager to open our doors for collaboration. We look forward to meeting with NANTAP and exploring how this partnership can become a reality,” he urged.
