A theatrical extravaganza

Theatre in India, much like other places in the world, has a paradoxical image. As those in the Indian theatre scene would attest, lack of funds and the occasional distracted audience remain an obstacle in what should otherwise be a free-flowing creative pursuit. 

At the same time, there is a small but significant section of intelligentsia, who are trying to make the scene perceivably inaccessible to those who may not be so actively clued in to the theatre space. But all that is set to change this year.

Aadyam, an initiative by the Aditya Birla Group, is bringing 5 new plays from highly reputed theatre groups, to Delhi and Mumbai. Crafting a holistic approach for each play that extends beyond the stage, Aadyam  brings a fresh perspective to our understanding of watching a play, and through this, takes theatre to newer audiences.

With production houses like Rage Theatre, QTP, Masque Theatre, AK Various and Arpana 

Theatre on board for its first year, five new plays with  45 shows are scheduled in Mumbai and Delhi across eight months. 

The groups will stage The Siddhus of Upper Juhu, The God of Carnage, The Merchant of Venice, The Hound of the Baskervilles and Mere Piya Gaye Rangoon (Hindi) respectively. Focusing on theatre this year, Aadyam has   completed the first set of shows in Mumbai and is presenting the  productions in Delhi.  Aiming to create a brand new theatre experience for the audience; with a curated pre-show event, off-stage activities will be coupled with experiential night outs after the performance.

Director(Theatre) for Aadyam, Divya Bhatia  said, “It is a diverse and strong mix. Combined, these groups have been associated with an enviable variety of projects that cover the gamut of theatrical experiences in Mumbai.”

While being deeply satisfied with the response to the initiative and the first schedule of shows in Mumbai, he has his eyes firmly on the future of this cultural movement. He added, “Aadyam’s made a good beginning. In its very first year, we’ve generated immense interest among theatre makers in Mumbai who have been very appreciative of Aadyam’s effort.”

They see this as a bold and correct move to attract larger audiences and to developing good theatre. We’re now bringing the plays to Delhi and are hoping for a good response here as well. We have also begun working on our next few productions - our broad mandate remaining the same, we’ll see the works of Indian playwrights as well.”