Filmmaker Chaitanya Tamhane on his mentalism show While I Still Can opening on Independence Day

Chaitanya Tamhane and Danish Husain

Are we truly free to change who we are? That's the question a group of artistes - including filmmaker Chaitanya Tamhane and actor Danish Husain - are asking through Metamorphosis, a two-day programme that will be held as part of The Independence Project.

Slated for August 15 and 16 as part of Independence Day celebration, the line-up includes Tamhane's While I Still Can, a mentalism-led exploration of the mind and imagination. Through his live mentalism show, the acclaimed filmmaker aims to emphasise that the idea of independence begins with something as fundamental as freedom of thought.

"As a show, While I Still Can is questioning the freedom of the mind and what it means to be a human being in today's world. It's about engaging your imagination, indulging in certain thought experiments, and questioning whether we are free even in our thinking," said the director, who will conduct four shows over two days. At the event, Husain, Denzil Smith, Kaizad Gherda, and Tushar Kadam will present Poetrification that will blend poetry, music, and conversational theatre.