Dates: 21st & 22nd May, 2023

Timings: 3:30 pm - 5:00 pm & 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm

Book your tickets now!

‘The Mahabharata Project’ is an acclaimed theatre production currently being staged by Bengaluru based theatre group - The Actors Collective. Directed by Rajesh P.I, the production is an investigation into the psychology and

behaviour of key characters. The play has currently been staged 9 times in September, November ’22 & in Jan ’23.

About 600 audience members have watched it so far and have applauded the production for its uniqueness and freshness in terms of concept and presentation. Inspired by the fundamentals of Stanford Professor Shirzad Chamine’s ‘Positive Intelligence’ which examines the impact and power of inner voices with the capacity to disrupt or enhance one’s own life journey; the production is an imagined depiction of the thought processes that key characters may have experienced while making or after making important decisions. While the play is

faithful to the popular narrative of the Mahabharata, the creative expression takes place in the interpretation and depiction of the plethora of inner voices and thought processes.

This is a fresh examination of the great epic and the theatre process has been led from an intuitive space. The primary aim is to bring to the fore the increasing relevance and relatability of the Mahabharata in today’s world. This is an attempt to witness the Mahabharata happening in our lives as we examine our own decisions, voices, priorities and choices. The production uses storytelling,body theatre, Kalaripayattu, dance, song, music, movement, poetry and multiple languages in expression. The team have collaborated with Ambareesh of VKM Kalari, Thiruvananthapuram to incorporate elements of Kalaripayattu in the production. Ambareesh is a five-time national champion in Kalaripayattu and a master practitioner. Rehearsal venue support has been provided by iiiART, (Indian International Institute of Art Therapy and Research, Sanjaynagar). The group plans to invest the next two years to promote and nurture this production. Each performance will be slightly different with changes and additions that will evolve over a period of time.

The Actors Collective is an 8-year-old theatre group with a legacy of 30 years in the theatre. Founded by Rajesh P.I who started his theatre journey in 1993, the group’s primary focus has been Playback Theatre, Theatre in Education and Corporate Theatre. In its avatar as The Actors Collective, the group has previously performed The Book of Poetry (2016), Rendezvous (2018), & Navarasa (2019) and about 100 ‘live’ as well as online Playback Theatre performances.The cast features Baiju Gopal, Sunil Vijendra, Anshul Jhambani, Deepika Murthy, Siddhant Dhimaan, Kiran Johar, Vibha Kamath, Nisha Bhimaiah, Rachana Nagranee, Remo, Mahesh Calavai, Iyaan Pete Thomas & Pragya Dudheria. Kalari performed by Ambereesh K.K & Ishaan Tom Peter.