* Domestic fault lines
The Rangakarmee theatre group is staging Mohan Rakesh’s iconic play, Aadhe Adhure, directed by Anirudh Sarkar, with a story that dwells on the unease and sharp silences of a family coming apart.
The production centres on Savitri, the household’s sole provider, and Mahendranath, her unemployed husband, as the impact of their strained marriage spills into their children’s lives. The story shows the cracks made by everyday friction: small humiliations, unfinished conversations; and highlights the unspoken resilience that holds families together.
First written in 1969, the play is widely regarded as a landmark in modern Hindi theatre for its unsparing look at the urban middle-class.
When: March 22, 6.30 pm
Where: Rangakarmee Theatre Group
Entry: Prices start at ₹200
* Bengal masters, verified
A unique exhibition brings together 23 works by Bengal masters such as Rabindranath Tagore, Abanindranath Tagore, Nandalal Bose and Jamini Roy, each authenticated using Raman Fingerprint Technology (RaFiTech), a scientific method that analyses pigments at a molecular level. Developed with researchers at IISER (the Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research), Kolkata, the technique uses Raman spectroscopy to read the chemical composition of a painting without touching it.
The show addresses growing concerns over forged artworks, where authenticity has often depended on the often-uncertain trail of provenance. Emphasis is placed as much on authentication as on display, foregrounding process alongside the paintings themselves.
When: Until March 27
Where: Chitrakoot Art Gallery
Entry: Free
* A different kind of tea
Casual Tea is comic Madhur Virli’s newest set, which hinges on observation and personal material as well as audience work. His writing usually moves through everyday situations: relationships, habits, small social discomforts, with the scenes often shifting based on audience response.
He is known for drawing humour out of uncomfortable and personal experiences. Observational bits can turn unexpectedly sharp, sometimes tackling subjects most comics avoid. What holds it all together is the flexibility; the sense that the material is still being shaped, with the audience as part of that process.
When: March 22, 8 pm
Where: Kala Kunj Auditorium
Entry: Prices start at ₹699
* Traditions in transition
Check out Naad: Festival of Dance and Music, in its fifth edition, curated by percussionist Bickram Ghosh. The lineup features classical Indian dance forms as well as twists and interpretations too. This edition features performances by Ghosh, sitarist Kushal Das, flautist Soumyajyoti Ghosh, and dance exponent Priti Patel.
Previous editions have showcased fading traditions and emerging sounds alike; this one highlights the raga and its renditions on celluloid, the evolving sound of the sitar, the dances of India, and classical and folk synergies.
When: March 20 to 22; 6 pm
Where: GD Birla Sabhaghar
Entry: Prices start at ₹149
* Looking back at jibonmukhi music
Tomake Chai: Kabir Suman Ekok marks 33 years of the 1992 album that cemented Kabir Suman’s voice in Bengali music, marking a significant shift towards what came to be known as the jibonmukhi (existential) genre. Originally released as Suman Chattopadhyay, the record marked a shift in contemporary Bengali songwriting, with minimal arrangement. The title track first sounds like it speaks to a woman, but soon conflates her image with that of Kolkata, the artiste’s eternal muse. Through the concert, Suman returns to songs from the album and period. These include tracks such as Tomake Chai, E Tumi Kamon Tumi, Gaanola and Jaatishwar. See how Suman’s work from this period continues to shape how Bengali songs are conceived and performed.
When: March 20, 6 pm
Where: Kala Mandir Auditorium
Entry: Prices start at ₹599
* Friendly humour
Mohammed Shahrukh’s show, Comedy Weekends with Shahrukh & Friends, explores the quirks of relationships, social behaviour and small irritations. Think of this set as having a friend liven up your living room on a weekend evening, with spontaneous improvisation and audience interaction. It’s the “& Friends” that is the clincher, because for the comic, he imagines his audience as his friends.
WHEN: March 21 and 22, 5.30 pm
WHERE: Mad Bee Comedy Club
ENTRY: ₹99 for one; ₹149 for two
