Thinnai 2.0 returns with powerful voices, fresh formats and stories shaped by the city’s lived realities

Rarely in our concrete jungle do public and private meet. Towering compound walls and inward-facing plots have replaced the old structures that fostered communal life, including the thinnai, a space where stories once flowed freely from doorstep to doorstep.

From humour to hard truths, a new season of doorstep theatre explores safety, consent, identity and resilience

For Arun, who is presenting Oor Thalaivar, the format itself is what makes the experience human. “The Tamil thinnai has long been a familiar corner of community life. Thinnai 2.0 carries that essence forward. It transforms the thinnai into a warm and human-scaled space for performance and shared experience.”

Rajnish arrives with Subham, a play that uses humour to ease the audience into a conversation many still struggle to name. “Urban life often moves fast, but the idea of a thinnai has always been about slowing down and paying attention. With our play, we wanted to bring to the thinnai subjects that are usually never spoken about in that space. We’re taking conversations that are often treated as taboo or too sensitive for a typical thinnai, creating an abstract thinnai where these difficult opinions can finally be voiced openly.”

He adds that the performance hopes to spark layered dialogue. “We want people to question the ideas they’ve grown up with, especially the normalization of verbal, domestic and sexual abuse, and the expectations placed on women in the name of womanhood. Politically, we hope it adds to the conversation around the legality of marital rape in India. Artistically, we want people to see that sensitive topics can be explored with care, nuance and collaboration.”

Raghu’s Guards Up is deeply personal, born from witnessing the everyday fear that shapes women’s movements in public spaces. “A woman plans her journey like a survival mission,” he says. “Every late-night cab ride becomes a test of instinct, is this route safe, is the driver glancing too often, should I text my location to someone?” The play explores this emotional landscape, one where “even though not all men are dangerous, it is always a man who becomes the reason a woman’s guard shoots up.” He adds, “Thinnai is not just a showcase. It is a community telling stories to the city together. Thinnai thrives because everyone here opens their doors literally and metaphorically.”

Jade hopes her play, Meiyyum Poiyyum, inspires people to reclaim their voice and stand up for their truth. She shares that even her own creative process surprised her. “My first draft was more suited for a short film. The character who propels the story forward was born only when I began shaping it for the stage.”

For Raagul, whose play Ennaalum Ennaraan: Vithaiyil Irundhu Viyervai Varai draws from physical theatre, street performance and lived research, Thinnai is a space of belonging. “Thinnai is where people from different theatre communities meet, just like in an actual thinnai in a village. It’s grown into a meeting ground for diverse ideas and stories, a space where many artistic worlds sit side by side.” Directing for the first time remains a cherished memory for him. “Every rehearsal, the laughter, the chaos, the learning, became a part of my journey.”

He believes this format is particularly vital now. “It gives first-time directors a real chance to explore and experiment. At a time when storytelling is evolving so quickly, Thinnai allows many voices, not just one, to be heard.” With his play, he hopes the audience walks away with a deeper understanding of the silent resilience that keeps the country running. “Behind every grain of food lies immense labour, sacrifice and spirit. If people think even a little more deeply about the farmers who grow their food, the play has done its job.”

₹249 onwards. On 7 December, at 3 pm and 6.30 pm, at Alliance Française de Madras.
Email: shivani@newindianexpress.com
X: @ShivaniIllakiya

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