The Hindu Metroplus Theater Fest

Padmanabhan talked about how the MetroPlus Theatre Festival came to be, "The idea of the Fest was spawned over a cup of (possibly tepid) coffee I shared sometime in early 2005 in my office cabin with L.V. Navaneeth, then a General Manager with the advertising and marketing division of The Hindu. In fact, the credit for getting the Fest off the ground must go largely to him. (Navaneeth has since moved to another company.) He had the confidence and support of the management (critical for a project of this nature), was unafraid of taking risks, and had the ability to make quick decisions. I like to think we made a great team, one that understood our roles, mutual strengths and weaknesses."[1]

Over the years, the Fest has showcased theater from various parts of India and the world. This year marks a watershed in the evolution of the festival, which travels this month to three other South Indian cities – Bangalore, Coimbatore, Hyderabad, Chennai Kochi and Bangalore. This fest brings unique plays by talented drama companies who will showcase original, unusual and experimental work for discerning audiences.[2][3]

The Fest has spawned the MetroPlus Playwright Award. A further synergy has been created by staging award-winning plays at the Fest. The award, instituted in 2008, carries a cash prize of Rs. 1 lakh for the best new English theatre script.[4][5][6]