15 March,2026 07:27 AM IST | Mumbai | Akshita Maheshwari
Dhvani Kothari Dalmia runs the National Ballet School of India in Mumbai, which trains more than 200 students. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi
In the last 10 days since actor Timothée Chalamet's controversial statement in an interview with Variety, saying "nobody cares" about opera and ballet anymore went viral - he has been called a "shmuck" by American thespian Nathan Lane. French actor Juliette Binoche said, "I thought cinema was a dying art". He was also graced with a poignant remark by Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli saying, "I believe we often tend to keep our distance from what we have not yet truly encountered," along with an invite to attend one of Bocelli's concerts.
The remark, although insensitive, has sparked a conversation throughout the world, including within the performing arts community in the city. Are we too passionate to admit that commercial viability of the arts may be dying? Or are statements like Chalamet's mass pop culture propaganda?
According to surveys from Opera America, an opera company in the US, the COVID-19 pandemic is what brought a lull in the industry. The total ticket count between FY2018-19 and FY2022-23 declined by 21 per cent. At the same time, in FY2022-2023, 31 per cent of all ticket buyers were first-time attendees.
I had no idea who Mozart was until I was 24," says Frazan Adil Kotwal, now an internationally celebrated opera baritone. Born and raised in Mumbai, Kotwal discovered opera almost by accident after attending a performance that deeply moved him. He went on to study the art form and now lives in Germany. "Today, I perform Mozart's music," he says.
Opera, a Western classical art form, varies in popularity across geographies. "The opera scene in the US is very different from Europe," Kotwal explains, "In the US, the arts are mostly supported by private donors. Timothée Chalamet understands opera from that American context, where there is often a lack of funding because it's privately supported. But that doesn't mean the arts are dying."
Opera and ballet, he notes, have endured for over 500 years. "If these art forms were dying, they wouldn't still be here. If anything, cinema is what's changing; streaming is taking over."
In Europe, opera benefits from strong government-backed infrastructure. During the pandemic, institutions such as the Metropolitan Opera in New York cancelled seasons and laid off workers. But in Germany - the birthplace of Bach, Beethoven, and Wagner - government programmes helped pay workers' salaries and avoid layoffs.
Kotwal believes it's this very government support that is missing in India. "In Germany, they support young local artistes even if they are not yet the best. That doesn't happen in India. I lived abroad for eight years and was never invited to perform here until this year," he says, "When I performed in Pune, the shows were sold out, and 30-40 per cent of the audience was young," he says, proving that young audiences can be converted to patrons.
Kotwal points to an example more eastward that has made an industry out of opera - China. The country boasts over 300 indigenous styles of opera, with Peking opera being the most well-known. In 2017, the country let students from primary, secondary, colleges, as well as universities, watch traditional opera free of charge. Ever since 2018, every registered student nationwide could watch one opera free of charge. "It isn't easy to make a performance career as a Western classical musician in India. We are well behind countries like China, where orchestras and opera infrastructure are much stronger."
Despite the challenges, Kotwal remains optimistic. "The performing arts are not dead - they are thriving," he says, "There's something almost supernatural about opera. Part of the awe comes from seeing a human being do something that seems almost impossible. It's like watching Usain Bolt run and thinking, âHow does he do it?' That's why audiences keep coming back. In 500 years they will still play Mozart's music. They may not play Timothée Chalamet's movies."
It's caused havoc among the ballet community," says Dhvani Kothari Dalmia when asked about Timothée Chalamet's comments dismissing ballet and opera. Kothari runs the National Ballet School of India with 200 students and is certified in the Vaganova method, a classical Russian ballet system, herself.
"To dismiss the art so casually just reflects how misunderstood classical art truly is. As someone building ballet education in India, I see the opposite every day - young dancers who are deeply committed to this form," she says.
Kothari argues that ballet today offers more opportunities than ever before. "Earlier, you would join a company and tour the world to pursue classical ballet. Now dancers combine ballet with Broadway, musical theatre, and independent productions. That's bringing many beautiful works to the world."
Even mainstream culture is cashing in on ballet's aesthetic. "It's evident in the collaborations with Nike and SKIMS. Ballet is entering fashion, films, and luxury brands."
The audience, too, appears to be growing. "Our production of The Little Mermaid at the Royal Opera House sold out in two days," she says, "Shows at NMACC are selling. India is seeing a wave of new live performances coming to the country, like Wicked and The Phantom Of The Opera. We didn't have this culture two or three years ago - big productions where people could really see what musical theatre, ballet, and opera look like. "
Speaking of money learning, ballet is no cheap hobby either. Kothari says, "It does come with a certain price tag - there is no denying that. We do outreach programmes to sponsor people who are extremely talented but don't have the means."
Carnatic music runs in my family," says 18-year-old veena player Maheshwari Ravindran, "My mother enrolled me in classes when I was around four or five."
Audiences with small attention spans have been challenging as well. She says, "People consume 30-second reels. How do you expect them to sit for a three-hour concert?"
Still, classical music continues to find younger champions. Ravindran points to 24-year-old Carnatic percussionist Ganesh Murali Iyer, who collaborated with Ed Sheeran on songs from his latest album Play, adding the ghatam to tracks like Azizam and Symmetry.
Another rising figure is veena player Ramana Balachandran, also in his mid-twenties. What makes him stick?
"His aura," Ravindran says, "He still follows the strict rules of Carnatic music, but brings his own touch. That's what young people connect with." Balachandran is also set to be featured in the Dhurandhar: The Revenge [2026] soundtrack.
While Western performing arts are still finding their footing in India, what about forms indigenous to the country? Priya Ramnath began her Bharatnatyam journey at the age of four. "Then I learnt Carnatic music, Kathak - they all go hand in hand," she says.
Her husband, Shivkumar Anantharaman, comes from a family of musicians and was initiated into Carnatic classical music at six, making him a fourth-generation performer. Today, the two are part of a band called 72/35 Southern Street.
Asked about the current performing arts scene in Mumbai, Ramnath points to the city's long-standing sabhas. "There are organisations and sabhas that promote classical arts. We've been attending these concerts since we were kids," she says, "But the demographics have changed. Today, we'll probably be the youngest people in the audience."
Classical art often carries the perception that it is "for the classes, not the masses," says Ramnath. "That is where you see the difference between classical and folk. Folk music itself says it's for everyone; it comes from the people. There are no rigid boundaries; it's a free-form art." Over the years, Ramnath hypothesises, "the discipline and parameters of classical music and dance - the science behind the art form - have isolated those who don't understand."
To bring younger audiences in, they believe artistes must meet them where they are. "In the classical scene, we're purists about our work. Any deviation is considered dilution," says Ramnath, "With 72/35, we present the music differently without changing the core of the art form. We don't touch the tune or lyrics; we just make the presentation more palatable."
Anantharaman argues that evolution has always been part of classical music. "The legendary Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar structured Carnatic concerts into a two-and-a-half-hour format when they once ran four or five hours. Would you call that dilution? No. Today he's known as the father of the modern Carnatic concert structure."
Chairman of the National Centre of Performing Arts Khushroo Suntook says, "At the NCPA, the overall footfall has grown significantly, with a 15 per cent year-on-year growth since we reopened after the pandemic."
But what are the problems faced by the arts? "While there is an appreciation for the need to preserve and celebrate India's rich artistic heritage, which is largely oral, this huge responsibility is shouldered by very few institutions including the NCPA. Few corporations divert their CSR funds in this area," he says, "While the scenario in the West may not be a fair comparison, emerging Asian economies have realised the potential of culture as soft power, setting aside significant budgets for their performing arts. Sustained corporate and government patronage will go a long way in strengthening our arts ecosystem, which includes the well-being of both, our art forms and artistes."
Eifman Ballet's Anna Karenina at the NCPA in 2025. Pics/Courtesy NCPA
