Nipun Dharmadhikari is a theatre revivalist. Yes, the stage is where his adrenalin pumps in the motivation to take this art form to the masses.
He is the founder of the Pune-based theatre outfit Natak Company. The young taskmaster is known to have revived the age-old nataks (musical dramas) into five-act plays and given them a new direction in contemporary times.
These plays have got huge recognition, especially in the Marathi theatre circuit. He also took this theatre art form to film festivals and the Bharat Rang Mahotsav.
Dharmadhikari established Natak Company in 2009, a self-funded and self-managed group of 50 individuals who collaborate to create, perform, direct, produce, and stage their shows. Before venturing into professional theatre, Dharmadhikari was a prominent figure in Pune’s amateur theatre scene. He began acting in Purushottam Karandak, a highly regarded inter-collegiate theatre competition in Pune in 2003.
His innovative work has earned praise from respected theatre personality Raell Padamsee.
Certainly, there is a lot to learn from Nipun Dharmadhikari, who follows his vision of giving theatre work a new recognition.