Category 6 · Art & Culture

Theatre, Cinema & Puppetry

15 micro topics in Art & Culture for UPSC Prelims, in book order: History of Theatre in India; Classical Sanskrit Theatre (Natyashastra, Kalidasa's plays); and 13 more.

6.1

History of Theatre in India

Theatre in India has a history of over two thousand years, running from Vedic dialogue hymns and the Natya Shastra of Bharata Muni (about 200 BCE to 200 CE) to classical Sanskrit drama, medieval folk theatre,…
6.2

Classical Sanskrit Theatre (Natyashastra, Kalidasa's plays)

Classical Sanskrit theatre is the written drama of ancient India, governed by the rules of the Natya Shastra of Bharata Muni and staged in royal courts and temples from about the 2nd century BCE to the…
6.3

Traditional Theatre (Ram Lila, Ras Lila, Yakshagana, Nautanki, Bhavai, Tamasha, Jatra)

Traditional theatre of India is the folk and ritual theatre that grew from the Bhakti period in regional languages, mixing dance, music, dialogue and religious stories. Main forms are Ram Lila (Uttar Pradesh, based on the…
6.4

Regional Theatre

Regional theatre in India means the modern theatre of each language region, which grew from the 19th century onwards beside the older folk forms. Bengal has the oldest and richest modern stage (Girish Ghosh, Utpal Dutt,…
6.5

Modern Theatre in India

Modern theatre in India is the urban, director-led and playwright-driven stage that developed after the 1940s, using written scripts, the proscenium or open space, and social and political themes. It grew with the Indian People's Theatre…
6.6

Renaissance of Indian Theatre

The renaissance of Indian theatre is the revival of the Indian stage from the late 19th century to the 1980s, after the decline of Sanskrit drama, when reformers, nationalists and artists made theatre a voice of…
6.7

Cinema in India

Cinema in India is one of the largest film industries in the world by number of films made, producing films in over 20 languages every year, led by Hindi (Bollywood), Telugu (Tollywood), Tamil (Kollywood), Malayalam (Mollywood),…
6.8

History of Indian Cinema (Dadasaheb Phalke)

The history of Indian cinema began on 7 July 1896, when the Lumiere brothers' films were shown at Watson's Hotel in Bombay. Dhundiraj Govind Phalke, known as Dadasaheb Phalke, made Raja Harishchandra (released 3 May 1913),…
6.9

Classification of Indian Cinema Film (National Film Awards)

Indian films are classified in three ways: by certification (CBFC categories U, UA with 7+, 13+ and 16+, A and S under the Cinematograph Act, 1952, amended in 2023), by style (mainstream or commercial, parallel or…
6.10

String Puppets

String puppets (marionettes) are figures moved by strings tied to the head, hands and sometimes the back, held by a puppeteer from above. In India they are found mainly in Rajasthan (Kathputli, from kath meaning wood…
6.11

Shadow Puppets (Tholu Bommalata)

Shadow puppets are flat figures, usually of treated animal hide, held against a lit white screen so that the audience sees their shadows. The best known Indian form is Tholu Bommalata of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana…
6.12

Rod Puppets

Rod puppets are figures supported and moved from below by one or more rods fixed to the body, held by a puppeteer who is often hidden behind a screen and holds the puppet over his head.…
6.13

Glove Puppets

Glove puppets, also called hand or sleeve puppets, are small figures worn like a glove over the hand, with the forefinger in the head and the thumb and middle finger in the arms, so the puppeteer…
6.14

Modern Puppetry

Modern puppetry in India is the contemporary use of puppets in theatre, education, television, advertising, therapy and social campaigns, mixing traditional forms with new materials, techniques and themes. Pioneers include Dadi Pudumjee, who founded the Ishara…
6.15

Tribal Puppetry

Tribal puppetry means puppet traditions held by tribal, nomadic and hereditary communities, often linked to ritual, oral epics and the community's own gods. Examples include the Thakar tribe of Maharashtra, who perform Chamdyache Bahulya leather shadow…

← All Art & Culture categories

Frequently asked questions

Which topics are in Theatre, Cinema & Puppetry?

Theatre, Cinema & Puppetry has 15 micro topics in Art & Culture: History of Theatre in India; Classical Sanskrit Theatre (Natyashastra, Kalidasa's plays); Traditional Theatre (Ram Lila, Ras Lila, Yakshagana, Nautanki, Bhavai, Tamasha, Jatra); Regional Theatre; Modern Theatre in India; Renaissance of Indian Theatre; Cinema in India; History of Indian Cinema (Dadasaheb Phalke); Classification of Indian Cinema Film (National Film Awards); String Puppets; Shadow Puppets (Tholu Bommalata); Rod Puppets; Glove Puppets; Modern Puppetry; Tribal Puppetry.

Is Theatre, Cinema & Puppetry important for UPSC Prelims?

Theatre, Cinema & Puppetry is a part of the UPSC Prelims Art & Culture syllabus map on MaargX UPSC. Each of its 15 published topics has key terms, a Mains angle and practice questions.