As India commemorates the centenary year of the historic Kakori Train Action of 1925, the cultural spotlight will shine on Lucknow with the staging of the play Bade Aa Se Azaadi on July 3 at the UP Sangeet Natak Academy. This event is a part of the state's year-long celebration honouring the bravery and sacrifice of the revolutionaries who orchestrated one of the most daring acts against British colonial rule.

The play, directed by Shubham Tiwari, a native of Lucknow, will be performed in the Uttar Pradesh Sangeet Natak Academy's Sant Gadge Auditorium. After a month-long session, Dastak Manch founder and organiser Deepak Kabir claims non-actors would be presented as actors. During the session, renowned theatrical directors Tariq Khan and Salim Arif also provided the aspiring artists with insightful advice.

On August 9, 1925, a group of young Indian revolutionaries led by Ram Prasad Bismil looted a British government train near Kakori, just outside Lucknow, to fund the Hindustan Republican Association’s freedom efforts. The act led to a nationwide crackdown by British authorities and the eventual execution of many of the freedom fighters. It remains one of the most defining acts of resistance in India’s independence movement.

With Bade Aa Se Azaadi, the younger generation gets a chance to witness a dramatized retelling of the sacrifices made for India's independence. The play is not just about revisiting history, but about reviving the spirit of patriotism, unity, and fearless resistance.

When: 3rd July

Time: 6:30 pm onwards.