Women Shaping Hyderabad’s Cultural Renaissance

Women are at the heart of Hyderabad’s cultural renaissance, pioneering new expressions in theatre, dance, music, art, comedy, and photography. These trailblazers are pushing boundaries, challenging norms, and bringing fresh perspectives to the city’s cultural landscape. Each of them, in their own unique way, is carving a space where passion meets purpose—proving that artistry, in all its forms, thrives when fueled by authenticity and fearless experimentation.

A lioness’ mic

From a RJ to a rapper, Sherni has experimented with her voice in all formats. She has tried her hand at radio jockeying, as a dubbing artiste, and as a melody singer, but found her niche in rapping. “Once I started playing around with different formats, I also started writing a little,” she says. Fellow rappers saw her style, and started training her. Although a native Hindi speaker, she learnt Telugu for her music. “I wanted my work to be more relatable and closer to the people here,” she says.

Sherni draws a contrast between the themes she touches upon, and how it makes her different from her male counterparts. “While everyone else is inspired by themes like love and relationships, I like talking about social issues,” she explains. Writing about such topics in the regional language reaches more people. An artiste who loves experimenting with her voice, she is looking forward to making a mark in the field.

Queen of the dance floor

Hyderabad as a city has always been vibrant in the dance scene, with multiple styles being performed and classes being held. Despite this, there has always been a stark demarcation between the classical dance scene and other styles. One landmark event which instigated the blurring of these lines is Cypher Hours, a dance event organised by Harsha Maheshwari and Faria Abdulla. Harsha started curating this after she attended multiple camps where she saw smaller cyphers being held.

An advocate of women pushing their boundaries, the initial few editions of Cypher Hours had only women in the judge panels and encouraged more female performers. As a practitioner of Hip-hop, she says, “The form is very new for women in a society where they are expected to dress a certain way and dance in front of a particular kind of audience.” With a foundation in classical dance, Harsha says that she stepped into Hip-hop to expand her horizons and learn about other cultures. While Bharatanatyam taught her storytelling, Hip-hop gave her the experience of a community. She then kept experimenting with different forms in a way to learn more about that culture, and get different experiences.

A storyteller at heart

Noor Baig is a believer of the power that stories hold. As a writer and actor associated with the Qadir Ali Baig Theatre Foundation, she brings human-centred narratives to the stage, weaving themes of family, feminism, and resilience into her work. She has written several plays, performing in most of them, and her writing reflects her deep belief in storytelling as a powerful tool for change. Writing has been second nature to her since childhood. “I’ve been writing ever since I could write,” she says, recalling the magical, Enid Blyton-inspired tales she penned at the age of six.

Over the years, her work evolved from short stories to historical and contemporary plays, each infused with her personal convictions. Motherhood, however, has shifted everything. “It’s not just a change — it’s an overhaul,” she says. The world looks different to her now, where she perceives everything from her son’s eyes. She aims to tell stories which will make the world a better place for her son and his friends, and this she says is the most profound transformation of all.

Priorities have reshuffled, and time has become scarce. Where she once waited for inspiration, she now writes in the rare quiet moments when her son is asleep. “You don’t have the luxury to wait for a muse. You just have to do it.” Although motherhood has changed her world, she says it is the sweetest change of all.

She owns the stage

The theatre landscape in the city is evolving, and Chandani Agarwal is one of the forces driving that change. She brings a fresh focus to English theatre, a niche with only a handful of active teams in the city. As a director, she emphasises intent over rigid structure. Instead of dictating every movement, she encourages actors to explore the meaning behind each line and adapt their performance accordingly. She also rethinks production formats, moving away from large ensemble casts in favour of smaller, more flexible teams.

Chandani is also a pioneer in experimental theatre. She introduced Hyderabad audiences to Red Rabbit, White Rabbit, one of the city’s first major experimental productions in recent years. Her latest projects include 15 on 30, where 15 short plays are performed in a random order chosen by viewers in 30 minutes. “I get bored very easily, hence I want to keep experimenting and bring something new,” she says. Chandani points out that Hyderabad’s theatre scene is dominated by women behind-the-scenes. “Key theatre spaces—Yogibear, Rangbhoomi, and Manam — are all led by women.” While men may be more visible, she believes women are the backbone of the industry.

Ms Marvelous

The city’s comedy scene is blossoming with a powerful surge of female talent, creating a more inclusive environment where women are celebrated for their unique voices and perspectives. Pooja Jadhav, a female stand-up comedian shares her experiences, highlighting the growing support and encouragement for women in the city’s comedy circuit. “It’s an incredibly open space, women are actively included in line-up shows and corporate events,” she says.

The proactive effort to showcase female comedians is evident, with many seasoned comedians also extending a helping hand to newer women entering the scene. What makes female comedians so vital to the scene, though, is their fresh, dynamic perspective. “When women are in the line-up, we bring something different, female comics tackle topics like dowry, family dynamics, and childhood experiences in a way that’s both humorous and deeply relatable,” she explains.

An artist's touch

Art serves as a medium for storytelling, sparking dialogue, challenging societal norms, and provoking thought. A Hyderabad-based artist, Rajashree Nayak’s work delves into the contemporary woman’s experience, navigating professional aspirations and personal lives. She emphasises that women today are balancing multiple roles, unlike previous generations. “Now, we have our own dreams to come true, and we have our own destination, we have our own things to do,” she explains. Her work captures the dilemma of balancing traditional expectations with modern desires, a theme evident in her series Three Musketeers, which depicts the inner conflict between traditional parameters and modern thinking.

Another series showcases women embracing both their traditional attire and modern activities. One piece features a woman in a sari doing Michael Jackson moves, highlighting the blending of cultures and the freedom of choice in the modern era. Through her art, she captures the essence of the modern Indian woman, her struggles, her choices, and her unique ability to balance tradition and modernity.

Her vibe says it all

Three years ago, Suppi and The Vibe came together, and since then, they have been making waves in the city’s independent music scene. The band’s name was suggested by a bandmate and although Suparna Vontair was initially hesitant, she eventually embraced it. “I didn’t want just my name there, but since I interact with the crowd the most, it made sense,” she shares. What sets Suppi and The Vibe apart is their genre-blending approach. “We don’t just play covers—we transform them. A pop song might turn into reggae, or a Bollywood track could have a Hip-hop twist. We create a musical platter that’s truly one-of-a-kind,” Suparna explains.

However, being a woman in Hyderabad’s indie scene comes with its challenges. “There’s always a demand for female vocalists, but often for the wrong reasons,” says Suparna. “I was once asked to wear a sari just to perform at a Telugu club.” Her journey into rapping was shaped by her bandmates and a deeper understanding of Hiphop’s revolutionary roots. “I never really liked Hip-hop before, but learning about its origins completely changed my perspective.” Through it all, Suppi and The Vibe continue to own the stage, proving that music has no rules — only rhythm and soul.

Through her lens

“ I believe in capturing memories — something you can go back to when you are feeling low,” says Srilakshmi (Ruth), one of the few women dance photographers in town. This genre of photography came to her as happenstance during Covid when her husband (also a photographer) was terribly sick, and she covered for him at a dance festival. “After people saw my work, I kept getting more and more offers,” she says.

A photographer who also does infant and maternity shoots, she says that there is a certain freedom you get with dance photography as you don’t have to adhere to moods or specific poses. “Without any preparation, I just go with my camera and shoot,” she explains. Among other things, one of the challenges she faces is balancing her corporate job, her familial duties and photography. She says that, we as women have to constantly habituate ourselves to our surroundings. Whether it is bigger changes like marriage or a change in roles at work, the only way to balancing everything is to get accustomed to change.