Veteran Film and Theatre Actress Leela Gandhi to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award

Bal Gandharva Rangmandir Anniversary Celebrations from June 24 to 26

Pune: Bal Gandharva Rangmandir is a cultural treasure of Pune city. Its anniversary is celebrated every year with grandeur. For the past 17 years, this celebration has been held in a grand and magnificent manner. This year, the 57th anniversary will be celebrated from June 24 to June 26, 2025, organized by the Bal Gandharva Parivar Trust Maharashtra. Various art performances will be showcased during this three-day festival, as announced by Bal Gandharva Parivar president Meghraj Raje Bhosale in a press conference.

On June 24, 2025, senior film and theatre actress Leela Gandhi will be presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the hands of Hon. Murlidhar Mohol (Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation). Additionally, individuals who have made significant contributions in the fields of musical drama, prose theatre, and social service will be honored with the Bal Gandharva Gaurav Award.

Distinguished guests such as Ajit Pawar (Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra), Ashish Shelar (Maharashtra’s Minister of Cultural Affairs), Chandrakant Dada Patil (Minister of Higher and Technical Education), MP Dr. Amol Kolhe, and Prashant Damle (President, Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Natya Parishad) will grace the event.

Prominent artists like Dr. Amol Kolhe, Prasad Khandekar, Namrata Sambherao, Abhinay Berde, Devyani Bendre, Namrata Das, and Pooja Puri will also contribute to the celebration.

The festival will begin on June 24, 2025, at 9:30 AM with a Ganesh Vandana by Anjali Raut from Nagpur. The day’s events will include a musical theatre performance, a program featuring ghazals by poet Suresh Bhat, and a musical tribute to lyricist Jagdish Khebudkar. In the evening, there will be a panel discussion on commercial theatre, featuring renowned personalities like director Vijay Kenkre, Chandrakant Kulkarni, and actor Prashant Damle.

On June 25, the second day of the festival, there will be a one-man show in the morning and a felicitation ceremony for children of artists who passed 10th/12th grade. This will be followed by a Lavani Festival exclusively for women, with actress Dipali Sayyad in attendance.

In the evening, a panel discussion on the topic “How Safe are Women Today?” will be held, featuring participants such as Anjali Damania, Dipali Sayyad, Rupali Chakankar, and Trupti Desai, with Namrata Wagle as the interviewer. The evening will conclude with a folk music program.

On the third day, June 26, a cultural program titled “Maharashtra’s Lokdhara” will be held, followed by the performance “Mogra Phulala” in the afternoon and a traditional Lavani showcase. The day will conclude with a casual conversation session with the cast of the film “All is Well”, along with performances by popular comedy artists Prasad Khandekar and Namrata Sambherao.

Each evening will feature a musical night, with performances by Manisha Latad, Kolhapur’s famous orchestra Zankar Beats, and Bollywood Hits presented by Mukesh Dedhia / Tejaswini.