A form of Indian popular theatre, incorporating both dialogue and song, and taking themes from Indian myth and from contemporary social issues.
Origin
1960s. From Hindi nauṭaṅkī from the title of a dramatized version of a Multani folk tale. The following quot. explains the origin of the character's name.
Definition of nautanki in US English:
nautanki
nounnɔːˈtaŋki
A form of Indian popular theatre, incorporating both dialogue and song, and taking themes from Indian myth and from contemporary social issues.
Origin
1960s. From Hindi nauṭaṅkī from the title of a dramatized version of a Multani folk tale. The following quot. explains the origin of the character's name.