June 2025: There's Some Love And Some Loss

This month, more than ever, love and loss seem to sit on either end of the balancing scale in the recommendation column. Actually, if I'm being honest, it's more like they're on the same side - as it often happens in real life. But just cause we're feeling the feelings, doesn't mean there's no light and laughter. It's a mix of it all!

1.Elephant in The Room | English When: Sunday, 1 June 2025 Where: Experimental Theatre, NCPA What: This play happens to be one of my all time favourites, every time it has a run I end up watching it - for the story, the characters and the performance. The little Master Tusk has run away from home, following a rather heated interaction with his father. One where he ended up losing his head. Literally. Now, already struggling to manage the mammoth weight of his new, unusual head, he also has to navigate the forest he's stumbled into. Drawing from Indian mythology, the play beautifully touches on several things like grief, anger, encroachment of the natural world, and the art of letting go, and it does all this without being preachy or overt. To top it all of, Yuki Elias' performance is absolutely stunning. Know More 

2.The Father | English When: Tuesday 3 June onwards Where: Experimental Theatre, NCPA What: This play may have your heart strings in a bit of a jumble. The Father is a sharp, disorienting, quiet portrait of a man slowly losing grip on reality. Past audiences have lauded the play for the way it realistically creates the fog of it all. Scenes repeat, faces change, and timelines blur. But more than just a story of an illness, it's one about care. The act of caring for a loved one as they fade is anything but simple and The Father captures that with a lot of grace. And watching Naseeruddin Shah, sharp, witty, crumbling, in the role of André is an experience that you shouldn't miss. Know More

3.Cock | English When: Tuesday, 10 June 2025 Where: Prithvi Theatre What: Come this Pride Month, AllMyTea's Cock is making its debut. Written by Mike Bartlet the text is incredibly rich and follows a man caught between his long-term boyfriend and a woman he unexpectedly falls for. The play explores the notions of identity, sexuality, relationships and how they all intertwine. Answers are never easy to find and honestly, some answers we outgrow. With Manish Gandhi directing the play and an impressive cast, we're quite excited to see how this rendition turns out! Not to mention, it marks producer Shweta Tripathi's return to the theatre after a long time. Know More

4.I Killed My Mother It Wasn't My Fault | English When: Wednesday, 11 June 2025 Where: Prithvi Theatre What: Why is it that mother daughter relationships are so often wrought with so much strain and pain and anger? This play does not seek to answer the aforementioned question. Instead, it is this unspoken tension that underscores a majority of the events that take place - all of which follow the 20 something year old who wakes up to unemployment, a ton of digital noise and disappointment. The protagonist isn't written to be very likeable, but the ensemble who embody the different fragments of her, have so much fun with what they're doing, that it's hard not to find the whole thing charming. It's fun. It's edgy. It's, as the team calls it, 'a seriously frivolous play.' And it's having its last run of shows. So hurry, book your tickets today! Know More

5.Kheyechish | English, Hindi, Bangla When: Tuesday, 17 June 2025 Where: Harkat Studios What: If you’ve ever felt adrift in a big city, Kheyechish may strike a chord with you. Set in traverse, the play follows a young woman navigating life in Bombay as a theatre maker, while grieving the loss of her father, and misdirecting her frustration at the one person still anchoring her— her mother. Kheyechish serves up some food for thought - asking what it means to stay fed in a city that leaves you hungry in more ways than one: for comfort, for dignity, for a familiar voice at dinner time. There's also some real food that is cooked up during the play that audiences are welcome to eat after the show. And trust me, the aaloo posto is just as mouthwatering as the story is tear-jerking. It all feels like a warm warm hug. Know More

6.Dekh Behen | English, Hindi When: Sunday, 20 June 2025 Where: Royal Opera House What: A gaggle of bridesmaids, just hours before the wedding, struggle to get through sangeet practice, dole out tones of family gossip and share in their mutual dislike - for the dress they are wearing - and the bride. Inspired by Alan Ball's play "Five Women Wearing the Same Dress", Dekh Behen is a light-hearted sneak-peak into female friendships, and what it means to be a woman in India. Having premiered in 2018, the play at the time was one of the few pieces that delivered a glimpse of the 'girls locker room talk.' Today, it continues to be outrageous, funny and spirited. Know More

7.Jo Dooba So Paar | Hindi, Urdu, Persian When: Friday & Saturday, 27 June & 28 June 2025 Where: Prithvi Theatre What: Jo Dooba So Paar has been around for a while, and so have the rave reviews surrounding the show. Afterall, it's quite a well knit, simple, and magical musical. If you’ve never quite known who Amir Khusrau really was, beyond the occasional mention or famous couplet, well buckle up for a journey like no other. Told through Dastaangoi, with pitch-perfect performances by Ajitesh Gupta and Mohit Agarwal. Their chemistry, supported by a spirited ensemble. Know More

8.Traasadi | Hindi When: Sunday 29 June 2025

Where: Prithvi Theatre What: Written, directed, and performed by Manav Kaul, Traasadi is a quiet, yet incredibly moving solo piece about loss. There’s something gentle and unshowy about the way Kaul performs. He’s not trying to play to the audience, he’s trying to remember. And in doing that, he invites us to remember too. The play is about grief, yes, but it’s also about memory, language, the unravelling of time, and the stories we tell ourselves to survive the ones we lose. Know More

9.Great Text Reading | English When: Monday, 30 June 2025 Where: Andheri What: Over the last two months, QTP's Great Text Readings have been paying a tribute to Athol Fugard, the South African playwright and novelist who passed away earlier in March this year. His plays were often 2-3 handers, featuring incredibly nuanced and layered characters and primarily delved into the lives of people living in apartheid Africa. This month marks the third and final instalment of this season. So get ready devour the next play, with some squash and biscuits on the side. Other details shall follow soon.