Kavan
An Ambedkarite Opera about dreams, dilemmas and caste in contemporary India. Presented by Yalgaar Sanskrutik Manch and Nalanda Arts Studio.
In a rapidly changing India, young Bejul and those around him navigate their dreams, desires, dilemmas while also negotiating caste and class. An operatic satire, written and performed fully in poetry and songs about young Ambedkarite experiences, Kavan attempts to encapsulate the rapidly changing India we see around ourselves - a country with mounting ambition, full of contradictions. Where do we go when the boundaries between right and wrong, sacred and profane, personal and universal are blurred?
Presented in collaboration with
Yalgaar Sanskrutik Manch
Supported by
NYUAD (New York University Abu Dhabi) Arts and Humanities and co-commissioned by The Arts Center at NYUAD.
Gallery
Performance Formats
Kavan is designed to travel across diverse performance environments, from large auditoriums to intimate educational spaces. Each format is adapted to suit the venue while preserving the musical, theatrical, and political integrity of the work. Technical requirements vary according to scale and are shared upon enquiry.
Large Theatres
A fully realized theatrical presentation designed for major performing arts venues and auditoriums. This format incorporates the complete visual, musical, and technical design of the production, creating an immersive experience of poetry, song, satire, and storytelling. Kavan combines Shahiri, folk, rock, rap, and contemporary performance traditions to explore caste, democracy, and social justice.
Intimate Theatres and Classrooms
A flexible version tailored for studio theatres, black box spaces, universities, and classroom settings. The reduced scale encourages direct engagement with audiences and creates opportunities for discussion, reflection, and dialogue around the themes of the performance.
Outdoors and Public Spaces
An expansive version of Kavan suited to festivals, public gatherings, cultural events, and open-air venues. The performance retains its energy of collective storytelling, protest poetry, and live music while engaging audiences in shared civic space.
Image: Kavan being performed outdoors in the Aarey Forest in Mumbai as part of the Tarpa Theatre Festival
Workshops and Engagements
Alongside Kavan, Nalanda Arts Studio and the creative team offer workshops, seminars, and facilitated conversations that deepen engagement with the artistic and political ideas explored in the production. These programmes are especially suited to universities, cultural institutions, festivals, and community organisations.
Workshop on Devising with Music
A practical workshop examining how music can function as a dramaturgical tool in collaborative theatre-making. Participants explore processes of collective creation, composition, improvisation, rhythm, and storytelling through performance.
Ambedkarite Thoughts, Arts and Cultural Practice
Lectures, talks, and seminars introducing key ideas within Ambedkarite thought and their influence on contemporary artistic practice, cultural movements, and questions of democracy, equality, and social justice.
Workshop on Protest Poetry and Music
An interactive workshop exploring traditions of resistance poetry, Ambedkarite cultural movements, Shahiri performance practices, and the role of music in social transformation. Participants engage with writing, performance, and collective expression.
Image: Post-show talkback with audiences at NYU Arts Center Abu Dhabi
Curated Conversations
Moderated discussions and public dialogues on caste, social justice, cultural resistance, and the Ambedkarite movement. These conversations create space for meaningful exchange between artists, scholars, students, activists, and audiences.
Creative Team
Performed by: Siddharth Pratibhawant, Pravin Mukta, Priypal Dashantee, Dhammarakshit Randhive, Amruta Todarmal, Apurva Kadam
Songs and Playtext: Siddharth Pratibhawant, Sudhesh Jadhav, Pravin Mukta, Priypal Dashantee, Irawati Karnik, Dhammarakshit Randhive, Amruta Pushkar, Apurva Kadam, Abhishek Majumdar
Story: Sudesh Jadhav
Directed by: Abhishek Majumdar
Music Composer, and Music and Sound Supervision:: MD Pallavi
Music Arrangement: Dhammarakshit Randhive, Siddharth Pratibhawant
Dramaturgy: Irawati Karnik and Jocelyn Clarke
Music Production, Background Score & Sound Design: BamBoy
Producer and Production Manager: Veena Appiah
International producing: Veena Appiah and Karishma Bhagani
Choreography: Diya Naidu
Associate Director: Neel Sengupta
Assistant Directors: Rituparna Sanyal and Nikhita Singh
Light Designer: Niranjan Gokhale
Set Designer: Busshan Patil
Video Designer: Gaurav Singh Nijjer
Costume Designer: Amruta Todarmal
Assistant Costume Designer: Bhakti Dange
Set Execution: Vivek Jadhav
Cow Puppet Maker: Kapil Dev
Poster Design: MD Pallavi
Production Associates: Pratik Patil, Kailas Jadhav, Vijay Kamble
Research: The Ensemble and Tanvi Shah
Archive and Publicity Design: Shubham Roy Choudhury
Making of Kavan film: Shubham Roy Choudhury and Rahul Bachate
Documentary Film Workshop: Surabhi Sharma
Music Collaborations: Abdul Asif, Dushyant Deorukhkar
Special thanks to to New York University, Global Asia Program, Brahma Prakash, Komita Dhanda, Toral Jatin Gajrawala, Bill Bragin, Awam Amkpa, Mark Swislocki, Avneesh Mishra, Rangshila Theater Group, Mumbai, Nirmik Cultural Center.
Soya Hai Insaan - MD Pallavi
Sadiyo Se Kankaal Sa - MD Pallavi
Jiske Haath Mein Power Hai - Yalgaar & MD Pallavi
Nahin Nahin - Yalgaar
Saguna Saguna O Meri Saguna - Yalgaar
Bhool Ho Gayi - MD Pallavi
Insaan Insaan Ka Nahi Re - MD Pallavi
Na Koi Maksad Bacha Hai - MD Pallavi
Mahine Ka Ant Na Hota - MD Pallavi
Aaya Hai Aaya Hai - MD Pallavi
Hamara Mann - Yalgaar
Hukum Ko Main - MD Pallavi
Sapne Ke - MD Pallavi
Neez Neez - Traditional Lori
Na Main Kuch Hoon Aur Na Tum Kuch Hoon - MD Pallavi
Guruji Mujhe Kshama Karo - Yalgaar
Aaj Nahin To Kabhi Nahin - MD Pallavi
Jaise Tumhare Kal Parso Beete - Yalgaar & MD Pallavi
Song & Composition
"What democracy means today – watch theatre director Abhishek Majumdar’s Kavan, a political cabaret"
- Dipanita Nath, Indian Express
Press
"When Shahiri met theatre: Explore this performance that unfolds as a sung story"
- Junisha Dama, Mid-Day India
"Kavan draws from lok shahiri, a form of protest poetry that the music and street theatre group, Yalgaar, practices through its jalsa"
Bengaluru, India
nalandaartsblr@gmail.com