Come July, and nostalgia will reign supreme on Mumbai’s theatre circuit. Led by Raell Padamsee, the seasoned icons of Theatre Bombay will return to the city’s stage. “The troupe was started back in the early 1940s by my uncle Sultan aka Bobby Padamsee. This was back in the day when Indian actors did not often take up English plays"
Pic/Nimesh Dave
The Write Choice
Undeterred by his prosthetic hand, a journalist takes down notes during a press conference briefing in Ahmedabad about the recent plane crash in the city
The return of Theatre Bombay
A dated photograph of a performance. Pic Courtesy/Theatre Group Bombay
Come July, and nostalgia will reign supreme on Mumbai’s theatre circuit. Led by Raell Padamsee, the seasoned icons of Theatre Bombay will return to the city’s stage. “The troupe was started back in the early 1940s by my uncle Sultan aka Bobby Padamsee. This was back in the day when Indian actors did not often take up English plays. He began to stage performances of the classics and Shakespearean works,” Raell recalled to this diarist. The name of the group paid homage to Lee Strasberg’s Group Theatre. Prominent personalities like Alyque Padamsee (right), Sabira Merchant, Farrokh Mehta, Gerson DaCunha were members of the group during its heyday. “As current president of the troupe, we thought it was the apt time to bring it back, and speak about its legacy to a new generation. We will open on July 12 with a reading of Shakespearean works at Darshan Apartments in Malabar Hill, followed by conversations about old memories,” she revealed. With an eye on the future, the theatremaker added, “We will also reach out to colleges to source new talent, host workshops and masterclasses in the near future.”
Double bill for Bagli
An illustrated work from Flight of the Pink-Headed Ducks and Other Stories. Pic courtesy/BNHS; Illustration courtesy/ Zainab Tambawalla
Author Katie Bagli (inset) knows the saying about two birds and a stone far too well for this diarist to repeat. With two of her books — Flight of the Pink-Headed Ducks and Other Stories, and Stories of Trees from India (Shree Books) — nominated for the Sahitya Akademi’s Bal Sahitya Puraskar announced last week, the author certainly is delighted. “The Flight of the Pink-Headed Ducks was announced during the pandemic. Published by the Bombay Natural History Society [BNHS], it was a story about five animals from the endangered species. We actually had an online launch for it,” Bagli recalled.
The peace mudra
A moment from Aditi Bhagwat’s previous performance, Panchsheel, at Seoul. Pic Courtesy/Aditi Bhagwat
Professional Kathak dancer, Aditi Bhagwat, will perform at the opening week of the 11th Buddhism Dance Festival 2025 in South Korea that commences in early July. “This is my third visit to the festival. This time around, I have shaped my performance around the recent terror attack in Kashmir, using it as the metaphor for our inner conflicts between good and evil, and the eventual peace. For me, dance is the pathway to find peace, or the Buddha,” Bhagwat told this diarist.
November jam in Shillong
A view from the concert venue; (right) Jason Derulo. Pic Courtesy/Instagram
Last year, this diarist spent a few days at the Shillong Cherry Blossom Festival, witnessing the likes of Akon and Boney M’s Maizie Williams in performance. Now, the organisers have revealed a few big-ticket artistes who will attend this year’s edition. After collaborations with Shah Rukh Khan and the rapper King, American singer-songwriter Jason Derulo seems to have discovered a new fanbase in India. The Florida-born singer will return to Meghalaya’s scenic capital city. Scheduled to be held at Shillong’s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium next to Ward’s Lake, Irish soft-rock band, The Script will headline the fest on November 14 and 15. Though it will mark a debut for the Irish band, Derulo was recently in India to collaborate with actor Nora Fatehi on the single, Snake. With a focus on sustainable concert economy, the festival aims to offer an immersive experience for music fans.
Birds on board
A gaming session at Navi Mumbai last weekend. Pic Courtesy/Flamigos
With cafés mushrooming in Navi Mumbai, enthusiast communities are following suit. A little pink birdie told us about Flamigos, a new board game community that has tipped its hat to the region’s pink migratory visitors. “We’re just a bunch of techies and business professionals with a passion for board games. We’d usually drive to Mumbai to join the clubs there. Our first session in Belapur last weekend was a full-circle moment. A few participants revealed they had travelled all the way from Bandra and South Mumbai to join us,” shared co-founder Rohan Chowdhury. To join the club, write to @flamigos.boardgames.
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