Mumbai's theatre scene gets a boost from Drama School Mumbai grant

A moment from Inquilab Ki Aakhri Kisht. Pics Courtesy/Drama School Mumbai

The idea of the playwright as the hard-nosed idealist sacrificing riches for the sake of art is a myth. "The inflation costs are crazy. Hiring a space for rehearsal costs money. Plus, you cannot really rehearse a play for hours, in Mumbai, without an AC," states Chanakya Vyas. The head of the Niloufer Sagar Alumni Production Grant at Drama School Mumbai understands that theatre is no longer a zero-pay venture. In a year when the Hormuz Strait dominates all things, it is no surprise that a conversation about theatre veers into gas prices.

But Vyas has a point. The alumni grant, founded in 2021, was created to provide support to theatremakers in the post-pandemic era. The process began almost a year ago with 37 applicants. "We work with the jury led by Shernaz Patel, Anitha Santhanam, and Sharmishta Saha, to whittle it down to the five finalists," he says. Founder Jehan Manekshaw calls it the culmination of a ‘seven-month-long creative process'. Since the founding of the school in 2013, the founder has seen the city's theatrical scene evolve in leaps and bounds.

Jehan Manekshaw and Chanakya Vyas

This evolution, both add, is evident in the pieces that made it to the stage from June 8 to 12. "There are musical pieces, one of which is Inquilaab ki Aakhri Kisht that explores Dastangoi, theatre, and storytelling. Another, Goodbye Birdie, is a devised piece of physical theatre with very little props. The other facet is the languages explored. We have one play in Marathi, one in Hindi-Urdu, another in Hindi and Haryanvi, while the final play (Mai ki Aakhri Chhath) has Magahi, a dialect from Bihar," Vyas informs.

The school began as a platform to nurture young talent. While the city has a rich theatrical legacy, Vyas points out, it is also not the easiest place for actors and directors to sustain themselves. The rise of black box spaces and little theatres across suburban neighbourhoods, such as Aram Nagar has changed things.

A scene from Goodbye Birdie

The role of the school then, the founder adds, is to create a "community of mentors." He explains, "Over the last few years, we have been working to provide the right mentorship that helps them create better work. We want to create a space that allows these works to gestate. In the end, the best way to grow as a theatremaker is by making plays."

With the second cycle coming up in September 2026, preparations are underway for the next set of applicants. "The one thing we hope to do with the grant is to give playwrights a chance to sustain in this city," Vyas says. We shall keep our ears open.

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