Street plays have a deep-rooted history in the Tamil community: Renuka Dinakaran

With a rich history of using performance to spread awareness on various social issues, street plays have remained an essential part of public discourse. This weekend, the city will witness the Chennai Street Play Festival 2025, organised by Kael Theatre. “This festival will reignite the spirit of street theatre, offering a platform to engage with pressing social justice issues through live, interactive performances,” informs Renuka Dinakaran, a member of the organising team.
Speaking about the significant role of street plays in Chennai’s cultural fabric, Renuka, a psychologist, storyteller and transformation coach, shares her insights on the growing importance of this art form. “Street plays have a deep-rooted history in the Tamil community, dating back to the early 20th century, when they were first used as a tool for social awareness and political movements. The tradition of using public spaces for performance art was inspired by a desire to directly engage the common people. Over the years, this form of performance art has evolved to address contemporary issues, ranging from politics to environmental issues, and from social justice to gender equality.”
She says, “Twelve groups will be performing at the street play fest, with each performance lasting 15 minutes. The participants come from various theatre groups across Tamil Nadu.” She adds, “While street play has gained significant awareness in north India, there is still limited recognition in the south, and we aim to raise awareness through this event.”

‘A tribute to the icons of social justice’
“This year’s festival serves as a tribute to the icons of social justice, including Dr BR Ambedkar, Badal Sircar, and Safdar Hashmi, a legendary street theatre activist who was tragically murdered in 1989 in Jhandapur while performing the street play, Halla Bol. The festival is also held on April 12 to honour Hashmi, as his birth anniversary falls on the same day.”