Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre’s ‘The Studio Theatre ’ and ‘The Cube’ Reach the 100 Shows Milestone

Envisioned to incubate, nurture, and spotlight upcoming artists and unique art forms from every corner of the country in addition to showcasing the best of India across art forms, The Studio Theatre and The Cube at the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre have reached the milestone of 100 riveting shows.

The Cultural Centre, a lifelong dream of Nita Ambani, hopes to bind the community through the common thread of the arts and is a tribute to India’s glorious legacy, traditions, and heritage.

 Celebrating this special milestone with a soulful performance by santoor maestro Rahul Sharma, these state-of-the-art spaces have engaged 40,000 art and culture enthusiasts  by collaborating with 500+ talented artists from Mumbai and from all over India to present productions across 10 genres and 8 languages .

Through this immersive journey, the audiences have been entertained with riveting performances not only by stalwarts such as Javed Akhtar, Shabana Azmi, Anupam Kher Naseeruddin Shah, Ratna Pathak Shah, Sonali Kulkarni, Manoj Joshi to name a few but also new age artists like Voctronica, Kamakshi & Mali, Parekh & Singh and The Dharavi Dream Project. Bringing together artists from all over the country, the Cultural Centre’s programming has been a celebration of India’s regional art forms. From Gujarati folk and traditional music to contemporary dance forms, from the iconic Rabindra Sangeet to Dastangoi – an ancient form of storytelling in Urdu - a wide and eclectic range of art forms have featured in the programming.

 The enthralling & unforgettable performances at these technologically advanced yet intimate spaces have truly brought alive Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre’s commitment towards providing a stage for art forms and artists - not just from the cities and small towns, but also the remotest parts of the country.

 Complementing the programming, the spaces feature thoughtfully built back-of-the-house facilities along with best-in-class hospitality, which have elicited positive response from artists and the creative fraternity.

 The artists’ testimony, borne out of their own experience of performing at the Centre, is a celebration of not only the spaces, but also of a deeper connection between the art, artist and the audience.

Shabana Azmi, ‘Kaifi Aur Main,’ The Studio Theatre

“I am delighted to be performing ‘Kaifi Aur Main’ at the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre. It (The Studio Theatre) is an intimate theatre, and I am certain that when such a beautiful play is presented at such a beautiful space, it will be an enthralling experience not just for the audience, but for us artists as well.”

Sonali Kulkarni, 'White Lily & Night Rider', The Studio Theatre   

 "This was our first ever show at The Studio Theatre. The audience was fantastic. This is a play that actually flowers with the audience response. It has been a fantastic experience for us and we will look forward to coming back here again and again, with our plays, with our poetry and programmes to meet the Centre's audience."

Naseeruddin Shah, ‘Ismat Apa Ke Naam,’ The Studio Theatre

“It was quite wonderful. During the lockdown we were worried about how the big theatres will survive, but I am delighted to see the Ambani family build this Centre with three theatres. For us, The Studio Theatre is very convenient, and its size is ideal for plays like ours. It was great to see the audience enjoying the performance as well.”

Anupam Kher, ‘Kucch Bhi Ho Sakta Hai’, The Studio Theatre

“It was fabulous. I have performed all over the world, seen the best of theatres, but this is a national treasure. The Cultural Centre is a place where artists can show their talent, and it gives them a platform to reach out to a wider audience.”

The Dharavi Dream Project, The Cube

“To get a platform here at the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre, which is the biggest Cultural Centre, really means a lot. For us and our talent from Dharavi, it is like a dream come true. None of us had thought we would get an opportunity like this. Over here everything from sound and infrastructure is built so well because this quality of resources really matters a lot for an artist.”

Yuki Ellias, ‘Elephant in the Room,’ The Cube

“The Cube is a beautiful intimate space. I have personally enjoyed meeting the technical crew, the support staff, because they are all coming in with a very high level of professionalism. Everyone here from the space has made it their own. This is something we don't see that often, and I really appreciate it."

 Prachi Saathi, ‘Dance a Tale’, The Studio Theatre

“Since the day the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre opened in Mumbai, I think it has taken the world by storm. As a Mumbaikar I feel extremely proud and elated that a beautiful centre such as this is there in our city. Thank you so much (to  Nita Ambani) for this beautiful vision for the city.”

Tajdar Junaid, ‘Tajdar Junaid,’ The Cube

“We had a brilliant time. Great stage, great infrastructure, great sound, and lights. Cannot wait to perform here again. It was very comfortable, and I could gel with and hear everyone in the audience, and that created a lot of new things on stage.” 

Javed Akhtar, ‘Main Koi Aisa Geet Gaoon’, The Studio Theatre

I have seen many places in Europe and the US, but I can't think of any auditorium and theatre of the kind that (Nita) Ambani has made here. As far as this (The Studio Theatre) is concerned, it is a small theatre and the atmosphere, the sound, the light were so very perfect. It was really a pleasure. The show went very well because the sound was extremely clear. No reverb, no echo - it was like listening to a CD. I think this is a Centre that is going to a play a very important role in the cultural life of India.