Nagpur: In a first on the city's theatre landscape, a group of passionate artists under the banner of Backstage Playmakers launched Nagpur's debut fringe theatre project in digital format with the release of a ‘shot play' titled ‘adieu' on June 11.

The unique initiative is the city's introduction to a global theatre trend that blurs the line between stage and screen.Written by Onkar Ghare and directed by Sonal Trivedi-Malkan, ‘Adieu' is a tender, 15-minute portrayal of a father battling terminal illness, reflecting on his disconnection with his children. It stars senior theatre voice Moiz Mannan Haq, alongside fresh faces Sumedh Chaudhary and Shivani Joshi.‘Adieu' was a format shift — no audience, no retakes, but all the emotional intensity of a stage performance, said Prof Haq, former HoD of the Nagpur University's mass communication department and veteran journalist. "It was a challenge. A single take in front of cameras, like a real play, but designed for a digital audience. It's a daring experiment, and we want it to succeed."Shot in a modest hall in Bajaj Nagar transformed into a makeshift black-box theatre, the play was recorded using multiple cameras but stayed faithful to live theatre's conventions — uninterrupted action, real-time performances, and no cinematic tricks.

The production is part of a series of three shot plays that will be released in phases over the coming week.Explaining the concept, Backstage Playmakers founder Onkar Ghare said, "We are passionate about fringe theatre. This format is new for Nagpur, but globally, it has been explored widely in the UK, Europe, and some parts of the US."What makes the initiative stand out is the inclusion of many first-time actors from Nagpur experiencing both fringe theatre and on-screen performance for the first time.

"We ensured that everything we did could be done on a real stage," added Shubankar Mishra, founder member of this group. "This is our homage to pure theatre, adapted for the digital age — without losing its beating heart," he added.BoxAbout Fringe Theatre and Shot PlayFringe theatre refers to experimental, low-budget, and often non-mainstream productions that typically focus on intimate settings, original scripts, and bold themes.

"It has a long tradition in the UK, especially through the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the world's largest arts festival," said Sonal Trivedi-Malkan.A shot play is a relatively new format where a play is performed in one continuous take — like on stage — but captured using multiple cameras. This hybrid form gained attention during the pandemic.Two more Shot Plays soon ‘What's New' (English/Hindi), written by Harsh Dayaramani and directed by Shubhankar Mishra, features Ranveer Virkhare, Parul Tidke, Aayushi Shahu, and Siddhant Patel. It will be released on June 14. ‘Rorschach Morse Remorse' (English), a psychological drama written by Rudra Garge and directed by Onkar Ghare, stars Bhupesh Wankar, Ashwin Khobaragade, and Nischay Bellani, and is scheduled for release on June 17.