Celebrating Marathi theatre: Pratibimb brings four days of drama and dialogue

The National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) is set to celebrate the vibrancy of regional theatre with the 2025 edition of the Pratibimb Marathi Natya Utsav. Scheduled from 22nd to 25th May in Mumbai, this four-day festival continues its focus on spotlighting Maharashtra’s rich theatrical traditions, while also providing a platform for emerging voices and contemporary narratives.

As one of the city’s few dedicated festivals for vernacular theatre, Pratibimb has carved a niche for itself by offering audiences a space to engage deeply with the evolving landscape of Marathi theatre. Over the years, the festival has become a meeting ground for seasoned practitioners, young talents, and theatre enthusiasts, fostering a space for dialogue, experimentation, and creative exploration.

What to expect?

This year’s line-up reflects the breadth and depth of Marathi theatre today. From bold new productions to revivals of iconic plays, the festival seeks to capture the diverse voices shaping the region’s performing arts. Among the highlights are Alive and Asen Me Nasen Me, both of which explore contemporary themes with fresh perspectives. The much-loved Purush makes a return, offering a nostalgic nod to theatre classics, while Yeh Jo Public Hai brings an experimental, interactive format to the stage, challenging conventional audience-performer dynamics.

Adding to the festival’s cultural tapestry are performances like Tuji Aukat Kaye?, a bilingual musical drawing from India’s rich folk traditions, and Sobaticha Karar, an evening blending poetry and music to create a lyrical journey for the audience.

Beyond the stage, Pratibimb also offers learning opportunities through workshops led by respected theatre artists Sachin Shinde and Geetanjali Kulkarni. These sessions aim to nurture the next generation of theatre practitioners, providing practical insights and creative tools for aspiring actors, writers, and directors.

A notable feature of this year’s edition is the premiere of Alive, the winning play from NCPA’s new writing initiative, Darpan. This initiative was launched to encourage original playwriting in Marathi, and its debut signals a promising future for new voices in the industry.