New Delhi, May 13 -- On a weekend evening, I watched a play in an intimate space with barely a handful of people in the audience. As the actors delivered a powerful performance, I wished it had a fuller house, but unfortunately, many plays face this fate. Competition from digital content, busy schedules and traffic woes... the obstacles are many and real.

Bengaluru-based playwright and director Shatarupa Bhattacharyya argues the issue of dwindling audiences isn't linked to a lack of interest, but is a symptom of a culture that prioritises celebrity over art. "If Naseeruddin Shah performs, the auditorium is full," she says. "As independent practitioners, we often find ourselves persuading, requesting, sometimes begging people to attend." ...