AMI Arts Festival 2024 by Kolkata Centre for Creativity presents Taking Sides, a play written by Ronald Harwood and directed by Atul Kumar, set in post-World War II Germany during the period of ‘denazification’. While on the surface the play is about the investigation of a world-famous music conductor of that time – Wilhelm Furtwangler – it takes on larger discussions and motifs throughout, spanning music, art, culture, life, politics, morality, ethics and more. 

About the Director:  

•  Atul Kumar is renowned for his remarkable contributions to cinema, with notable works including “The Story of a Spy,” “Talvar,” “Mukhbir,” “Shiddat,” “Trial by Fire,” “Ujda Chaman,” “Dcoupled,” “Guilty Minds,” and “Commando 2,” among others.
• Beyond his cinematic endeavors, Kumar boasts an extensive background in theatre and acting, accumulating over 30 years of experience. Moreover, his collaborations with renowned institutions such as Compagnie Philippe Genty in Paris, France, and Sacramento Theatre Company in California, USA, have further shaped his artistic vision.
• Notably, his directorial prowess was recognized by the prestigious Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in the UK, where he was invited to direct their International Theatre Festival.