Page No. : 506-508

Mid-first century BCE saw the emergence of India’s complex textual, sculptural, and dramatic effects, making it one of the oldest forms of theatre. Like in the realms of music and dance, Indian theatre is defined by the dramatic performance centred on the Sanskrit notion of Nritya, which encompasses dramatic storytelling, virtuoso dance, and music. Ancient China and other countries in the Far East were influenced by Indian theatre in the past.

With the beginning of Islamic conquests in the 10th and 11th centuries, theatre was discouraged or outright prohibited. Subsequently, in an effort to reassert indigenous values and ideals, village theatre was supported throughout the subcontinent and developed in a vast number of regional languages between the 15th and 19th centuries. Contemporary Indian theatre originated during the period of British colonial control, from the mid-19th century to the early 20th century. In the latter half of the 19th century, the number and practise of theatres in India increased. Following India’s independence in 1947, theatres flourished throughout the country as a form of entertainment. As a heterogeneous, multi-cultural country, India’s theatre cannot be reduced to a single, uniform trend. In modern India, television businesses and the proliferation of films produced by the Indian film industry located in Mumbai (previously Bombay) and known as "Bollywood" pose the greatest threat to the theatre. Lack of funds is another significant problem.