From powerful new plays and musical symphonies to dance, dastangoi, workshops, and global theatre screenings, Prithvi Festival 2025 celebrates 47 glorious years of storytelling and community, reaffirming Mumbai’s status as India’s beating cultural heart.

Prithvi Festival 2025 (1st – 17th November) is celebrating 47 years of Mumbai’s beloved Prithvi Theatre — a haven for creativity, community, and collaboration. The annual festival presents a vibrant lineup featuring Yuki Ellias, Mahabanoo Mody Kotwal, Aditya Rawal, Mohit Takalkar, Akarsh Khurana, Atul Kumar, and Dastangoi Collective, alongside NT Live screenings, workshops, classical music and dance, and jazz concerts. From thought-provoking theatre to immersive performances, Prithvi’s stage becomes a living pulse of Mumbai’s artistic soul, inviting audiences to experience stories that move, challenge, and inspire. Tickets available on BookMyShow.
The Spirit of Prithvi: A Celebration of Legacy

The Prithvi Festival, from 1st to 17th November 2025, marks 47 years of Prithvi Theatre, the cultural cornerstone envisioned by Jennifer Kapoor. What began as a dream to nurture theatre as a living art has now become a movement that inspires generations. This year’s edition continues that legacy — a gathering of artists, dreamers, and audiences united by a shared love for performance and dialogue.
Zahan Kapoor, Trustee of Prithvi Theatre, shares: “This year’s Prithvi Festival promises a bouquet of fresh performances by some of the finest directors in the fraternity today. Furthermore, our Fringe lineup boasts fresh faces, and Pragya Tiwari returns to host the 14th edition of StageTalk@Prithvi. Most of all, I am looking forward to the buzz of our vibrant community while we come together to celebrate the performing arts in our magnificent city!”

Adding to that, Kunal Kapoor, Trustee of Prithvi Theatre, reaffirms: “The Festival has always been about giving back and rejuvenating the world of theatre — for both performers and audiences. It’s a celebration of the performing arts, of our community, and of our roots.”
Theatre Highlights: Stories That Stir and Speak
The mainstage at Prithvi hosts new works by some of India’s leading theatre voices, each exploring contemporary ideas through compelling storytelling.

0written by Alice Birch, this haunting play traces three generations of women bound by invisible threads of legacy and trauma. Presented with the Bhasha Centre for Performing Arts, it’s an emotionally charged portrayal of mental health and inherited pain.

Cast: Faezeh Jalali, Amba-Suhasini Jhala, Mallika Singh Hanspal, Sagar Deshmukh, Sukant Goel, Dilnaz Irani, and others.
Akvarious’ A Perfect Time to Panic
(11th–12th November)

Written and directed by Akarsh Khurana, this musical, loosely based on Shakespeare’s The Tempest, merges wit and urgency in a climate crisis narrative about an environmentalist who becomes a reluctant hero.
Cast: Abhinav Sharma, Lisa Mishra, Mantra, Taaruk Raina, and ensemble.

D For Drama’s Ambaa (Adapted from Aristophanes’ Lysistrata)
(13th–14th November)

Directed by Atul Kumar, this bold adaptation by Wrishabh reimagines the Greek classic into an Indian context, turning gender politics and war into biting satire.
Cast: Kamna Pathak, Manasi Bhawalkar, Rizwana Parween, and ensemble.
These plays represent the pulse of modern Indian theatre — blending humour, resistance, and introspection in ways that reflect the world we live in.

Beyond the Stage: Music, Movement, and Dastangoi
Prithvi Festival 2025 brings together dance, music, and narrative traditions that complement its theatrical spirit, creating a truly interdisciplinary experience.

SOI@Prithvi (10th November)
In collaboration with the NCPA and Istituto Italiano di Cultura di Mumbai, the SOI Chamber Orchestra presents a stirring evening of classical compositions, featuring Milan-born pianist Isa Trotta performing Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 2, alongside cellist Sherali Mukhanbetkali in Haydn’s Cello Concerto No. 1.

Leela: The Divine Play (15th November)
Renowned Bharatanatyam artist Shreema Upadhyaya performs a solo piece exploring the concept of the divine as cosmic play — a lyrical journey through stories of devotion, philosophy, and transcendence. This evocative performance invites audiences to witness divinity unfold through rhythm and movement.

The Dastangoi Collective (15th–16th November)
Under Mahmood Farooqui’s direction, Dastangoi takes centre stage with a trilogy of performances:

• Dastan-e-Guru Dutt – a poetic homage to the auteur’s melancholy and cinematic magic.
• Dastan Raja Vikram ke Ishq Ki – a lyrical retelling of love and redemption.
• Dastan-e-Kabir – a philosophical exploration of Kabir’s verses through a contemporary lens.

Each of these revives the age-old art of oral storytelling, connecting the modern to the mythical with mesmerizing language and performance.

Udayswar@Prithvi (16th November)
A soul-stirring recital by Ustad Shujaat Husain Khan, one of the greatest North Indian classical musicians of his generation. Known for his lyrical gayaki ang style, Shujaat Khan’s sitar recitals embody India’s musical heritage with rare grace.

Jazz@Prithvi (17th November)
Closing the festival with rhythm and flair, the final night brings together Louiz Banks, Gino Banks, Sanjay Divecha, Sheldon D’Silva, and Jarryd Rodrigues, joined by Rahul D’lima on tap. A seamless fusion of jazz, percussion, and dance — an electrifying finale to a fortnight of art and soul.

Screenings and Workshops: Expanding the Conversation
NT Live Screenings
For theatre lovers, the NT Live series transports London’s stage to Mumbai’s Prithvi. Screenings include:

• A Streetcar Named Desire (8th & 10th Nov) – Gillian Anderson and Vanessa Kirby shine in this Tennessee Williams masterpiece.
• Inter Alia (8th–9th Nov) – Rosamund Pike stars in Suzie Miller’s new play about modern motherhood and identity.
• Dr. Strangelove (8th–9th Nov) – Steve Coogan delivers an explosive performance in this stage adaptation of Kubrick’s satire.
  Present Laughter (9th–10th Nov) – Andrew Scott leads Noël Coward’s timeless comedy of fame, love, and chaos.

These screenings reaffirm Prithvi’s commitment to connecting Indian audiences with world theatre — bridging continents through shared storytelling.

Workshops@Prithvi
On 7th November, Shernaz Patel conducts Voice and Speech, a workshop designed to help performers unlock the power of expression. Emphasizing practical techniques, Patel guides participants to master their vocal range and emotional resonance — continuing Prithvi’s educational tradition of nurturing skill and discipline.

Fringe@Prithvi House: Bold Voices, Fresh Perspectives
Prithvi House once again transforms into an intimate arena for fringe performances — a space for experimentation, emerging artists, and unconventional narratives.

Kya Hi Farq Padta Hai (11th November)
Written by Waris Ahmed Zaidi and directed by Jitender Singh, this moving solo explores art, identity, and the courage to dream in the face of tradition.

Jashn-e-Krishan Chander (11th November)
Curated and directed by Jameel Gulrays, this Mehfil celebrates the 111th birth anniversary of the iconic Urdu writer Krishan Chander, with readings by Ila Joshi, Sachin Bhusari, and Amey Borkar.

Being Insaan (12th November)

From Ansh Theatre Group, directed by Bharat More and creatively led by Makarand Deshpande, this poignant play reflects on the essence of love and memory through allegory and lyrical storytelling.
Neeli Deewaron Ke Beech (13th November)

Written and directed by Sumit Chandel, this play portrays an artist’s struggle between art and survival in the age of digital triviality — a haunting reminder of theatre’s vanishing purity.

Margam (14th November)

Choreographed by Jignesh Surani, Margam brings Bharatanatyam’s traditional repertoire to the fringe, celebrating feminine energy through classical compositions. Performed by Pritha Bakshi, it highlights the power and grace of womanhood.
These intimate performances reaffirm the Prithvi Fringe ethos — art that’s fearless, fluid, and deeply personal.

Prithvi Festival 2025: Mumbai’s Cultural Heartbeat

For 47 years, Prithvi Theatre has remained more than a venue — it’s a sanctuary for artistic dialogue and discovery. The 2025 edition, with its blend of mainstage plays, global screenings, classical and contemporary performances, and community workshops, embodies Mumbai’s vibrant cultural soul.

Every evening, the lawns light up with conversations, laughter, and chai; the steps hum with anticipation; and inside, stories unfold that remind us why theatre matters — because it reflects life itself.
As the curtains rise this November, Prithvi invites you to experience theatre in its truest form — alive, breathing, and uniting us all.