- Why Choose Us
Major Activities in
House of
Variety
artistic and cultural programmes.
Theatre Productions
Performances by leading national and local theatre groups. Approximately 140–150 theatre and cultural performances are presented annually.
Acting Workshops
A month-long acting workshop was organised in December 2022, attracting more than 200 applications, from which around 70 participants were selected.
Since then, the institution has regularly conducted acting courses, workshops, and masterclasses.
Film Festivals and Screenings
Through the House of Variety Film Club, the institution regularly presents classic Indian and international cinema.
Highlights include
Retrospectives dedicated to Raj Kapoor, Meena Kumari, Guru Dutt, Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, and other legendary filmmakers.
The organisation of PatnaCine Festa and other film festivals.
Screenings of independent films followed by discussions and critical conversations.
Literary and Cultural Events
Poetry readings, Book launches, Author and artist interactions, Podcast recordings, Music and ghazal evenings, Dance performances, Documentary screenings and Film Shooting.
Notable Artists Featured At The Venue
Sanjay Mishra, Sonal Jha, Robin Das, Vineet Kumar, Ashish Vidyarthi, Seema Pahwa, MK Raina, Kumud Mishra, Saurabh Shukla, Vijay Kumar, Sanjay Sonu, Anamika Haksar, Baharul Islam, Bhagirathi Bai, Salim Aarif, Sanjay Upadhyay, Parvez Akhtar, Pankaj Tripathi and more . . .
- About Us
About House Of Variety
Establishment
The institution was conceived and developed through the collective efforts of four key individuals:
Suman Sinha
Founder Trustee and
Visionary
Vineet Kumar
Senior Actor and
Artistic Advisor
Punj Prakash
Theatre Director, NSD alumnus,
and Creative Head
Shweta Sinha
Trustee and Creative
Collaborator
The architectural and theatre design of the project was conceived by Robin Das, an acclaimed theatre designer and alumnus of the National School of Drama. A distinguished theatre director, actor, and educator, he is a recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award.
The auditorium’s lighting design was created by Souti Chakraborty, a leading theatre director and lighting designer, also an alumnus of the National School of Drama. He has been honoured with the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, along with the Manohar Singh Memorial Award, Tapas Sen Memorial Award, and Natsamrat Award.
House of Variety (Patna) was formally inaugurated on 04th January 2024 by the renowned actor, writer, and director Saurabh Shukla.
Historical Background
- House of Variety
At a Glance
Regent Cinema 1929 to now
Post-Globalization, Patna’s cultural vibrancy gradually declined. However, the soul of artistic expression remained alive, awaiting revival. Regent Theatre, spanning two generations remained a haven for quality cinema, adapting to the evolving entertainment landscape.
Enter Suman Sinha, a visionary inspired by his uncle Shivendra Sinha, who was a luminary in performing arts nurtured by Jagdish Chandra Mathur (ICS), the then Culture Secretary of Bihar. Shivendra Sinha was sent on a Govt of India Scholarship to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts from where he graduated in the year 1957. Shivendra Sinha’s dream and vision found its outlet in his nephew Suman Sinha.
Suman Sinha envisioned reviving the glory of entertainment in Patna with a renewed zeal and determination. He collaborated with veteran theatre and film actor Vineet Kumar, a fearless thinker and committed to the cause of theatre for close to five decades. Vineet Kumar identified the right people to join this collaboration and gave a road map to progress, an endeavor culminating in the creation of House of Variety.
Vineet Kumar and his close associate from National School of Drama (NSD) Punj Prakash, took upon the responsibility to gauge, understand and disseminate the current state of art and culture in Bihar and Patna in particular. They decided to organize a month-long workshop in acting with master classes from 8th December 2022. The workshop announcement received an overwhelming response of over 200 applicants, out of which 70 were selected.
As a result of this exercise Suman Sinha, Vineet Kumar and Punj Prakash came to the conclusion that there was an imperative need of the hour to do something for the youth of Bihar who were both passionate and enthusiastic and waiting to be groomed for the theatre. Here on, the trio moved ahead whole heartedly in the direction of creating an art and culture center House of Variety.
Seating arrangements
Robin Das; a veteran artist, teacher, film and tv actor and above all one of the best theatre designers of the country was roped in to give physical shape to this idea. Robin Das designed the entire space with great attention to detail, on the first floor of the adjacent building of Regent Theatre, namely THE HUB. To execute this project, he worked with Sharan Pratap Singh, an architect from Patna and Punj Prakash, a talented and tenacious theatre actor, director who played a pivotal role in overseeing the completion of the space.
Sauti Chakraborty, another graduate of the NSD, who is also a very gifted technological stalwart in the field of auditorium light and sound, gave detailed inputs and helped equip this compact auditorium. He, alongside Robin Das made sure that House of Variety is studded with a state-of-the-art technology. Under their advice and supervision, plans were executed by a team of technical experts from NSD.
The Stage
House of Variety comprises a flexible technical cell for varied performing arts and an annex for diverse activities. Impeccable design and cutting-edge technology promise to transport audiences back in time. The seating capacity is small but luxurious. It definitely stands as a testament to the lost magical world, offering a diverse array of performances including theatre, poetry, musical soirees, podcasts, dance, book readings and more.
Spearheaded by Suman Sinha, Vineet Kumar, Punj Prakash and Shweta Sinha as trustees, House of Variety is poised to rekindle the enchantment of culture, inviting patrons to celebrate this cultural renaissance.
Our Vision, Mission & Goals
VISION
- To become the cultural heart of Patna by creating a world-class space for theatre, cinema, literature, music, and visual arts.
- To nurture artistic excellence while preserving Bihar’s rich cultural heritage.
To build an inclusive platform that connects local creativity with national and international artistic communities. - To inspire meaningful dialogue, innovation, and cultural participation through the performing arts.
MISSION
- To establish House of Variety as Patna’s premier centre for performing and visual arts.
- To present high-quality theatre, cinema, music, dance, literature, and multidisciplinary cultural events.
- To mentor and empower emerging artists through workshops, training programmes, and professional guidance.
- To encourage collaboration among artists, educators, cultural institutions, and audiences.
- To promote arts education and lifelong cultural engagement within the community.
- To create opportunities for artistic experimentation and professional productions
- To expand Bihar’s cultural presence on the national and international stage.
GOALS
- Curate annual festivals in theatre, cinema, music, literature, and visual arts.
- Develop House of Variety as a resource centre for artists, researchers, and students.
- Introduce grants, scholarships, and fellowship programmes for deserving artists.
- Organize regular workshops, masterclasses, and artist residencies.
- Establish a dedicated Children’s Art Wing to nurture creativity from an early age.
- Host community screenings, theatre performances, exhibitions, discussions, and cultural events throughout the year.
- Launch membership programmes to build a vibrant and engaged cultural community.
- Position House of Variety as one of Eastern India’s leading cultural institutions.
- Audience Stories