Ludhiana: Once a vibrant cultural hub where crowds queued up to the gates of Punjabi Bhawan for tickets, the historic Balraj Sahni Open Air Theatre now lies largely inactive, with its iron gates remaining closed on most days.Inaugurated on July 2, 1966, by the then President of India, Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, the theatre was dedicated to legendary actor and writer Balraj Sahni. Conceived as a landmark center for Punjabi performing arts, it grew into one of North India’s most celebrated open-air stages.Recalling its peak years, veteran theatre artist Tarlochan Singh noted that civil servant Dr MS Randhawa played a pivotal role in promoting the venue by bringing renowned director Harpal Tiwana to Ludhiana. “There used to be such a craze for plays that long queues for tickets extended right up to the entrance of Punjabi Bhawan,” he recalled, adding that celebrated artists including Om Puri, Raj Babbar, Nirmal Rishi, and Sardar Sohi performed on the stage. “Today, the theatre scene is nowhere near what it once was,” he lamented.Theatre artist Vipan Sharma attributed the decline to competing entertainment digital platforms, mobile phones, social media, and rising financial constraints in staging independent productions.Local performers maintain that upgrading the venue’s sound and lighting systems alongside structural refurbishment can help rebuild audiences. In response, Gulzar Singh Pandher, general secretary of the Punjabi Sahit Akademi, stated that the academy has spent ₹5.5 lakh on repainting and minor repairs during its current tenure.Pandher added that the Akademi has submitted a proposal to the municipal corporation to cover and air-condition the open-air structure under the Smart City project, while continuing to provide space for artists and planning upcoming ‘Naatak’ and ‘Pustak’ melas.
