World Theatre Day - Safdar Hashmi

Puzzle cube mural of Safdar Hashmi

Safdar Hashmi was an Indian playwright, director, actor, and activist, best known for using street theatre as a powerful tool for social change. As the founder of the theatre group Jana Natya Manch (JANAM), he brought attention to issues like workers’ rights, political oppression, and social justice. His bold performances made theatre accessible to the common people and turned it into a medium of resistance.

He was brutally attacked and killed on January 1, 1989, while performing the street play Halla Bol in support of labor rights in Sahibabad, Uttar Pradesh. Despite this, his legacy lives on, and January 1st is now observed as “Safdar Hashmi Memorial Day”, inspiring countless artists and activists to use art for justice.