WHEN: 12th December at 7.30 pm

WHERE: Shreeram Lagoo Rang-Avakash (SLR), Udyog Bhavan Bldg, Hirabaug Chowk, Pune

Terms and Conditions is a Dance Theatre Performance that reflects on the agreements we make, often without question.

This piece, conceptualised & directed by Yuteka Trripati, takes you into the world of an app that’s meant to optimise your skills! It dives into the wild world of upgrades, fine print, and the chaos that we invite when we say “yes” too quickly. It’s energetic, witty, and relatable, but at the same time, it’s thought-provoking and will make you evaluate your own impulsive agreements.

Movement, Design & Direction by Yuteka Trripati

Performed by Erika Shaw, Risha Mridha, Eshan Siraskar & Debjit Das Chowdhury

Dramaturgy – Dev Chakraborty

Stagelight Design – Amitava Sarkar

TICKET PRICE: Rs.300/- per ticket.
TICKETS AVAILABLE ON :
1. Phone Booking- Make the ticket payment on this upi- yuteeka@oksbi and share a screenshot with us.
2. Online booking- https://ticketkhidakee.com/explore/all/MCC/terms-and-conditions-a-dance-theatre-performance/6913224f4cf358fdf8de8456

3. Bookmyshow:  https://in.bookmyshow.com/events/re-dance-a-mixed-bill/ET00424153

For more details, please contact: +91 9881721420

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The award will be conferred upon Gunshekar at a special ceremony to be held on Sunday, November 16th at 7:00 pm at Shreeram Lagoo Rang-Avkash, Hirabaugh Chowk, Tilak Road. The award will be presented by Dr. Abhilash Pillai, who will also deliver the keynote address on the topic “Reimagining the Ring: The Indian Circus Between Tradition, Theatre, and the Future.” This information was shared by Maharashtra Cultural Centre Secretary Rajesh Deshmukh.

Now in its 18th year, the Tanveer Natyadharmi Award is presented annually to young theatre artistes who have made outstanding contributions to the field. The award was instituted in 2004 by Dr. Shreeram Lagoo and Deepa Lagoo in memory of their son Tanveer.

About Dushyanth Gunshekar

With a background in forensic auditing, Dushyanth Gunshekar founded his own theatre company at the age of 23, driven by a passion for the art form that began in school under the guidance of theatre professionals from Koothu-P-Pattarai and Magic Lantern. Inspired by his teachers and mentors, he established Crea-Shakthi in 2012 to take theatre to more young people and create sustainable livelihoods for theatre artistes.

Over the past 13 years, Crea-Shakthi has evolved into a dynamic repertory company that performs original plays in both Tamil and English, often addressing social issues through the lens of the younger generation. The group has collaborated with noted theatre personalities, including Mahesh Dattani, Zarin Shihab, and Abishek Kumar.

Crea-Shakthi has promoted more than 800 artistes, supported their creative work, and staged over 90 plays and 1,700 performances across India and abroad, with a strong presence in Tamil Nadu.

To engage younger audiences and sustain its artistes, the group has developed and implemented a Theatre-in-Education curriculum across both private and public schools in Tamil Nadu. This program helps students develop essential life skills such as communication, collaboration, and critical thinking.

All Crea-Shakthi trainers are full-time theatre professionals who receive salaries with Provident Fund (PF) and medical benefits made possible by an innovative financial model created by the company’s founders. From working with one school in 2012, Crea-Shakthi now partners with over 140 schools and reaches more than 100,000 students in 2025.

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PUNE: A German theatre competition was organized by Goethe-Institut Max Mueller Bhavan, Pune, and MES Senior College Pune on Saturday at MES Auditorium. Around 150 students from nine schools and three colleges from Pune, Kolhapur, and Ashta participated in this competition. The topics were sustainability and diversity. 

In the school category Dhruv English Medium School, Sus emerged victorious followed by City Pride School, Nigdi in the second place, and S P M Public English Medium School in the third place. Claremont International School, Ashta was given the consolation prize.

In the category of colleges German Department of Savitribai Phule Pune University emerged as the winner. 

Prizes were handed out to the students at the hands of  Ms. Alicia Padros, Deputy Director and Head of the Language Department of Goethe-Institut Max Mueller Bhavan, Pune, Dr. Poonam Rawat, Vice Principal, MES Senior College, and Dr. Surekha Vaidya, Head of the Department BBA-IB, MES Senior College. The jury included Mr. Shivprasad Joshi and Ms. Sanyogita Pendse from Goethe-Institut Max Mueller Bhavan, Pune.

Ms. Alicia Padros guided the students saying, “Pursue art always as it is the most enriching aspect”.

The young teams delivered excellent performances handling the topics with creativity and diverse ways of presentation and concepts while also doing a wonderful job with the foreign language. The students displayed confidence on the stage.

The competition was the result of wonderful cooperation between Goethe-Institut Max Mueller Bhavan, Pune, and MES Senior College under the guidance of Dr. Ravindra Vaidya, Principal, MES Senior College, and Ms. Vaishali Dabke, Project Manager Educational Services at Goethe-Institut Max Mueller Bhavan, Pune.

Ms. Vaishali Dabke delivered the  vote of thanks

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‘Old World’ is written by Russian playwright Aleksei Arbuzov and directed by Arghya Lahiri. Actors Naseeruddin Shah and wife Ratna Pathak-Shah play a taciturn doctor and an eccentric patient respectively who meet at a sanatorium. The light-hearted humor subtly unfolds the sensitivity of the loneliness that comes with age. The play is translated into English by Ariadne Nicholaeff and will be staged over 8 shows -Tuesday to Friday, one show at 7.30 pm and 2 shows at 4 pm and 7.30 pm on Saturday and Sunday.

The crew includes Kaizad Gherda- Sound Design and Music, Dhanendra Kawade- Set Design, Manasi Srivastava & Sahil Vaid- Stage Managers, Pushan Kriplani- ‘Secret Smile’ Lyrics, Shazneen Arethna -Demo Vocals, Avantika Bahl-Choreography, Marvin D’souza-Costumes, Arghya Lahiri-Lighting Design and produced by Jairaj Patil.

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PUNE: PVR INOX, the largest and the most premium cinema exhibitor in India has today announced the opening of its 7-screen multiplex in Pune’s first luxury lifestyle destination at KOPA Mall, Koregaon Park. The cinema showcases the country’s leading luxury cinema formats, Director’s Cut and the immersive ICE Theatres®, both marking their debut in the West Region.

The most notable aspect of this cinema is that it brings with it 5 Director’s Cut auditoriums within PVR INOX’s ‘The Luxury Collection’ portfolio, known countrywide for offering sophisticated and immersive movie-viewing experiences. The cinema also houses the ICE Theatres® and a Premiere auditorium where modern splendor and redefining comfort meet cutting-edge cinema technologies such as 4K Laser projection, Dolby Atmos sound, and Next Generation 3D. Adjacent to it, the Gatsby restaurant bar adds to an exceptional experience through its unparalleled premium dining entwined with a lavish cinematic experience. Surrounding the theater are world-class culinary options including The Popcorn Bar with its wide array of flavored popcorn, La Cuisine serving contemporary continental cuisines, and Simply Sushi for its authentic sushi.

The new cinema, accommodating 751 guests, serving a high-end catchment area in Pune will augment PVR INOX foothold in the state of Maharashtra with 277 screens in 55 cinemas.  The company consolidates its presence in West India to a total of 367 screens in 79 cinemas.

Commenting on the expansion plan, Ajay Bijli, Managing Director, PVR INOX Limited, said “We are excited to bring the first ICE Theatres® and first Director’s Cut experience to the Western Region with Pune. The city’s vibrant and dynamic culture, rich heritage, cosmopolitan charm, and rich understanding of cinematic artistry, make it the perfect backdrop for our newest venture at KOPA, the City’s esteemed lifestyle hub. Through the launch of our new out-of-home destination, we aspire to enrich Pune’s cultural panorama while offering audiences a unique blend of cinematic opulence and immersive entertainment.”

“At KOPA, we have created an unparalleled shopping and dining experience, curated with a unique collection of brands that provide an elevated lifestyle for Pune. We are grateful to our partners at PVR INOX, who have chosen KOPA as their home for the inaugural PVR Director’s Cut in the state. This marks another milestone in a deep relationship between our organizations as we collectively seek to provide incomparable experiences for our visitors,” said Ashwin Puri, Managing Director and CEO, of Lake Shore, on the collaboration.

Directors’ Cut is the pinnacle of luxury at PVR INOX and sets the bar for sophisticated and high-end hospitality and entertainment. From its ultra-plush auditoriums, world-class projection and surround sound, completely reclaimable armchairs with pillows and blankets, a personal attendant call system, an intriguing in-seat food and beverage menu, and luxurious lounges, every detail is carefully engineered to deliver the ultimate comfort for the patrons.

“In a city that truly understands the richness of cinema, it is only natural that Pune inspires us to build large super premium auditoria through our exclusive Director’s Cut and ICE Theatres® adding to the immersive nature and escapism of the super-premium experience. With Gatsby’s, we aspire to introduce a sophisticated gourmet dining and resto-bar concept for discerning patrons, offering a perfect complement to their cinematic experience” said Renaud Palliere, Chief of The Luxury Collection and Innovation, PVR INOX Limited.

The state-of-the-art ICE IMMERSIVE® technology from France is a sensorial experience that features LED panels on each side of the auditorium. These fill the moviegoer’s peripheral vision with supplementary ambient colors and shapes while complementing the action on the main screen. While the ultimate visual experience is enhanced through 4K Projection, the optimal audio playback comes alive with the 3D Dolby Atmos®, and the ergonomic comfort is aided by custom-made 60cm-wide seats aligned in curved rows offering ideal orientation towards the screen.

With a visually stunning and refined interior characterized by modern elegance, the cinema is adorned with a sophisticated palette of white, black, and grey stone. Carefully crafted to elevate the movie-going experience, it welcomes visitors for an exceptional cinematic journey.

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Speaking about the Mahotsav, Shubhangi Damle, Treasurer of Maharashtra Cultural Centre, said, “As is done each year, this year as well ‘Balrang Mahotsav’ is being planned to provide quality entertainment to children to expand their creative abilities and help their personality development.”

“With the beginning of the long summer vacations, parents and children are keen on exploring good-quality camps and workshops. Maharashtra Cultural Centre has been organizing ‘Balrang Mahotsav’ for the past 25 years and over the years we have received an overwhelming response because our Mahotsav offers camps that are not only fun but also help in the holistic development of children. The workshops, camps, and plays are for the age group of 10 years to 14 years.” she added further.

This year’s Mahotsav will include a music camp from the 15th to the 21st of May by Swanandi Sadolikar which will have simple music and rhythm-based games, poetry, and bandishes. A scientific toy-making camp will be held from May 15 to 18 by Shivaji Mane. Partha Mawal will conduct a special martial arts training self-defense camp from May 15 to 21. A camp on working with mud and soil by Anushree Dhavale will be held on May 15, 16, 17, and 23. Mukta and Niketan’s Bollywood dance camp will be held from May 15 to 21 and Kokil Sir’s math fun camp will be held from May 18 to 21. Timings of all camps will be 4 pm to 6 pm.

Post these camps every day between 6.30 pm to 6.45 pm there will be platform performances like a violin performance, puppet shows, music jamming, bubble shows, stories, songs, and so on followed by plays for children.

These plays will include Zee Award winner ‘Cherry Eke Cherry’ on May 15 presented by Srinidhi Zad and Tanmay Bhide, ‘Abhalmaya & Shalechi Gani’ presented by Satpute and Kale Sir on 16th May, ‘Pakka Limbu Timbu’ presented by Arundhati Agashe on 17th May, ‘Alay Amchya Lakshat’ presented by Aditya Yadav on 18th May. ‘Raja Nang Dhadanga Hai’ produced by Kumud Mishra and directed by Vikrant Thakar on 19th May, ‘Minglish Medium’ presented by Richa Apte on 20th May, ‘Superhero’ presented by Niketan Nandurbare on 21st May, ‘Ek Doka Char Paya’ presented by Soham Athawale on 22nd May and ‘Miss Competition’ presented by Soham Athawale on 23rd May. All plays will be showcased at Shriram Lagoo Rang Avakash at 7 pm.

It may be noted that for all 6 different workshops the intake is 25 children per workshop and there is no participation fee for the children.

However, the plays for the children that will start at 7:00 pm will be the ticketed ones.

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The evening began with the captivating drama ‘Mrija,’ written and directed by the talented Tapobrati Das Samaddar. The drama explores the complex relationships of King Yayati’s daughter, questioning social customs that existed 5,000 years before Kurukshetra. The Udyog Parva, which is set in 3067 BCE, speaks about Madhavi, who was given the ability to regain her virginity after each childbirth. The drama connects with modern women through its exploration of responsibilities and free will. It reveals cultural links between the past and now, making Madhavi’s narrative strikingly relatable for today’s audience while skillfully addressing ageless issues. Tapobrati, founder and director of Wordloom Creative Ventures, breathes life into words, crafting compelling characters on screen and stage. She’s produced a lot of content for TV, radio, digital, and documentaries over 20 years.

Following this, the audience was treated to ‘Pyaaz Ke Phool,’ a gripping production written by Priyam Jani and directed by Sakshi Sunil Chauhan. Understanding someone requires delving into their history. This narrative unfolds a love triangle, leaving one pondering who truly lives life to the fullest and whose love is whole. In the tale, two women vie for Govind’s affections, unbeknownst to him. Here, Govind is like an onion flower, cherished solely by these two conflicted hearts.

The evening concluded with ‘Uske Sath’ (A Truth of a Girl), a powerful play scripted and directed by seasoned theatre artist Alok Shukla. Based on a true incident in Mumbai in 1997, the play sensitively portrays the life journey of a girl growing up in an orphanage and the events leading to her giving birth on a divider in front of the Andheri Sports Complex. Alok Shukla’s remarkable career in theatre, journalism, and poetry adds depth and authenticity to this thought-provoking performance.

Bharatmuni Rang Utsav witnessed a resounding success. The festival continues to celebrate the rich blend of Indian theatre, promising more enchanting performances in the days to come.

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• Assertion of veteran theatre artist and Sangeet Natak Akademi Awardee; Rajeev Naik
• This year’s ‘Tanveer Sanman’ presented to Lucky Gupta

PUNE: “In today’s times, we need a democratic theatre wherein all types of plays are permitted to be staged in any space, unrestricted by location and where there is freedom to express our thoughts as well as present the content in diverse forms,” asserted veteran theatre artist and Sangeet Natak Akademi Awardee; Rajeev Naik.

This year, the prestigious ‘Tanveer Sanman’ which is jointly established by Dr. Shriram Lagoo’s Rupvedh Pratishthan and Maharashtra Cultural Centre, was conferred upon Lucky Gupta at the hands of Rajeev Naik; in an event that took place at the Jyotsna Bhole Sabhagruha, Tilak Road yesterday. The ‘Tanveer Sanman’ was presented in the form of Rs 75,000/- in cash and a memento.

Dignitaries like Dr Mohan Agashe, S P Kulkarni; President and Chairman of Maharashtra Cultural Centre, Deepa Lagoo, Dr Anand Lagoo, Shubhangi Damle, Rajesh Deshmukh and others were also present on the occasion.

Lucky Gupta has toured across India, performing various solo plays in more than 800 different places under the concept of ‘Theatre on Wheels.’ He presented the 1306th show of the play ‘Maa Mujhe Tagore Bana De’ while concluding yesterday’s event.

Expressing his views about democratic theatre, Naik said, “In this type of theatre, it is important to understand other’s thoughts without any kind of hatred. This theatre will make the audience aware that they have the responsibility to introspect as much as they have the right to criticize. The different forms along with the content are of importance here. With the experimentation of democratic theatre, all other types of theatres will reach the audience.”

“A democratic theatre shouldn’t only be for the majority, but the few people with different thoughts and opinions should also be respected here. One should have the right to express one’s opinion as well as defend one’s point on this kind of platform, but only while considering democracy too. If an ideology is not acceptable, at least the readiness to listen to those ideas should be there,” Naik added.

Lucky Gupta expressed that this award has motivated him to go ahead and take bigger steps in life. Dr Mohan Agashe introduced the program and Rajesh Deshmukh presented the Vote of Thanks. Gauri Lagoo welcomed, Dr Anand Lagoo and explained the concept of the program, while Shubhangi Damle moderated the event.

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Damle is entitled to receive the prestigious ‘Vishnudas Bhave award as the youngest theater artist to ever receive this honor. Regarding the same backdrop, he interacted with the members of the Press on various topics related to Marathi theater at CC& Company, Prabhat Road, Pune.

While speaking on the occasion, Damle said, “I’ve been doing theater for 40 years now, and working in Marathi theater gives me an immense amount of joy. I never get tired of it because I’ve converted my hobby into my work. I’ve done 12,793 shows to date. But I believe that there’s a long way to reach more enthusiasts, as only 2 to 2.5 crore out of the 12-13 crore population in Maharashtra are theater geeks for real.”

Responding to the questions of whether the number of topics and the quality of theater has increased post the Covid times, Damle said, “I think, everyone got a chance to introspect themselves during the pandemic. It helped to throw light upon what an artist or a director can do differently. Pre-Covid, 50 to 60 plays were presented yearly, out of which only 3 or 4 worked well. In today’s times if 8 to 9 plays of 60 to 70 turn out to be good, is a relatively good response. When it comes to Marathi theater, everyone is working sincerely. Good plays are getting good responses from the audiences too. Overall, I think Marathi theater is doing well.”

“Marathi theater has seen a lot of ups and downs at different levels but has firmly faced it all. In the initial post-Covid period we started with doing shows only on the weekends. Now, we do shows on Mondays and Wednesdays as well, which counts as an important thing for us. Many things are normalized at their true senses now,” opined Prashant Damle, an acclaimed film and theater personality.

He also asserted that, 20 to 25 years ago, connoisseurs came to the theaters because of the popularity of an institution. Now that the trend has changed, they come to the shows for the artists. This is why maintaining the audience size has now become the artist’s responsibility.

“Today, Marathi Films and Theaters are facing challenges to get staged. If four like-minded people come together and create one play, three plays can be reduced. We need to understand that this art needs to be created while maintaining its standards and not letting it compromise in its quality,” shared Prashant Damle.

“Even if there are 92 centers in Maharashtra, only 48 or 49 places have theaters, out of which only one theater is regarded with A grade. It is the Government’s responsibility to provide basic facilities while the audience’s responsibility to use the theaters in the appropriate way. At the same time, it is the duty of the artists to present good quality art there. Overall, it is all of us who must carry forward this tradition together,” said Damle.

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Maharashtra Cultural Centre takes the lead in developing this theatre on the Black Box concept

PUNE: The people of Maharashtra have immensely contributed to keeping the art and culture alive in the state and the country, noted actor and chairman of the National School of Drama, Padma Shri Paresh Raval. He was in the city as a Chief Guest to mark the commencement of the work of the new theatre being developed in the name of Dr. Shriram Lagoo by the Maharashtra Cultural Center at Hirabaug in Pune. Dr. Mohan Agashe, S. P. Kulkarni, Shubhangi Damle, and Rajesh Deshmukh from the Maharashtra Cultural Center were also present along with Deepa Lagoo. The name of this upcoming theatre is Shriram Lagoo Ranga – Avakash.

“I believe that if I had worked in Marathi films or theatre, my acting abilities would have been further enhanced than they are today. I would have had more opportunities to collaborate with Marathi writers, actors, and literary figures, which would have enriched my artistic journey,” said Paresh Raval, in a candid talk at the Maharashtra Cultural Centre on Monday.

Narrating some more anecdotes about his connection with the Marathi theatre, Raval said, “I remember, when the GST was being introduced, I along with Ajit Bhure and Ashok Hande (theatre personalities) went to meet the then finance minister Arun Jaitley to request him from excluding the drama industry from GST. We met him with Sharad Pawar. He (Jaitley) immediately agreed to keep theatres (drama) out of GST slabs. When I asked Pawar Saheb about such a quick response on the relaxation from Jaitley ji, Pawar Sahab said that the drama and theatre is about art and culture and it is possible to keep art and culture alive in Mumbai till there are Marathis (Maharashtrians) in Mumbai. Vadodara is known as the cultural capital of Gujarat and not surprisingly, the city also has a lot of Marathi people.”

On being the chief guest for this function, Raval said he feels honored and blessed to be associated with Dr. Shriram Lagoo’s name. “As an actor, it is a great honor to be invited to mark the commencement of work for this special theatre which is in Dr. Lagoo’s name.”

In 1972, when one-act plays were in vogue, Mukund Jani offered me a one-act space based on Vijay Tendulkar’s “Gidhade,” originally performed by Dr. Lagoo. I accepted the offer, but my performance was far from satisfactory. We committed that artistic sin. Many years later, Vijay Kenkre expressed interest in creating a film based on Lagoo Sahab’s “Mitra.” I watched “Mitra” and was mesmerized by Dr. Lagoo’s remarkable performance. Vijay wished to make a film with Rekhaji and me in lead roles, but unfortunately, it didn’t come to fruition. Today, I can proudly say that I have finally found an opportunity to be associated with Dr. Lagoo due to this occasion.”

He added that while the country is making progress on all fronts there is a need to have more such cultural spaces.

“I may not be a flawless actor, but I consider myself fortunate. Even before I was elected as a Member of Parliament, I had been striving to establish theatres in various places, including SNDT in Mumbai. I had discussions with Mukesh and Anil Ambani for this purpose, but for various reasons, these initiatives didn’t materialize. Eventually, a theatre in the name of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay was established with the assistance of Anandiben Patel. However, deterioration often sets in once such cultural spaces come under government control. I am glad to know that this theatre will remain under the management of creative individuals who have a passion for art”, Raval said.

Architect Madhav Hundekar from Mitimitra, an architectural firm that has been appointed to design this theatre said that the ‘Black Box Theatre’ is said to be an experiment to not only cut off the customary limitations of a usual theatre but also to let the director present his art in his own ways without any hindrances. There has always been an underlying need for such a kind of theatre, that would not have conventional limitations. ‘Rang-Avakash’ is designed in response to this need and we’ve also designed it in a way that it will be flexible for different formats of seating and public performances.”

Dr Agashe said, “Every performance needs a space. When any performance comes in that space, it becomes a theater. And with this idea, ‘Rang Avakash’ is being created. Here, different types of art forms can be performed. Even if this idea is new, it will mold with time.”

Noted film actor Girish Kulkarni read some text from Lamaan, an autobiography of Dr. Shriram Lagoo, Madhav Hundekar made a concept presentation of this new, upcoming theatre and Rajesh Deshmukh proposed the vote of thanks.

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