Kavan: Abhishek Majumdar-directed Ambedkarite opera premiering at Prithvi Theatre this weekend

In a 2021 interview with TheatreRoom, acclaimed theatre-maker and author Abhishek Majumdar had expressed his desire to take the helm of an opera. Fast forward to 2025, he is ready to open an Ambedkarite opera at the iconic Prithvi Theatre on February 8. A curious collaboration between Mumbai’s Yalgaar Sanskrutik Manch and Bengaluru-based Nalanda Arts Studio, Kavan is a Hindi ‘operatic satire about young Ambedkarite experiences’. The 150-minute performance attempts to encapsulate rapidly changing India — an ambitious country full of contradictions and marginalizations’.

Based on real-life experiences, Kavan is penned and performed in poetry and songs, following the tradition of Ambedkari Shahiri Jalsa. The story is written by Sudesh Jadhav and directed by Abhishek, with Irawati Karnik and Jocelyn Clarke in charge of dramaturgy. The music is composed by MD Pallavi, along with the ensemble that includes Siddharth Pratibhawant, Pravin Mukta, Priypal Dashantee, Dhammarakshit Randhive, Amruta Todarmal and Apurva Kadam. The project is supported by New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) Arts and Humanities and co-commissioned by The Arts Center at NYUAD.

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