Ranjita Chakravarty plays the psychic in Naatak’s 64th production reimagines Akutagawa’s “In a Grove” in a contemporary Mumbai setting, staged in Hinglish with English supertitles. A psychological “whodunit,” the play unfolds through layered testimonies of a single violent incident, each account reshaping truth through memory, ego, and perception. Incorporating stylized fight choreography, live music, and cinematic flashbacks inspired by Akira Kurosawa’s landmark Japanese film adaptation, the production probes the instability of narrative authority.
Ranjita Chakravarty portrays Protima Dasi, a widow living in the temple town of Vrindavan. Dressed in austere white, she embodies both spiritual devotion and the social marginalization faced by widows in the holy city. Vrindavan, a Hindi musical produced by Naatak in the Bay Area, explores faith, dignity, and community among women who have been displaced by tradition yet forge resilience through collective ritual and song. The production integrates devotional music, theatrical spectacle, and social commentary to interrogate the tension between sacred space and lived reality.
The Nadaswaram is a wind instrument used in classical music from Southern India and Sri Lanka. The instrument is double-reeded and can be made from different types of wood or metal. It is known for its loudness and use in Hindu weddings.
Neeraj Dhar is the founder of Radio Zindagi, the first 24/7 South Asian radio network in the United States. Launched in the San Francisco Bay Area in 2011, Radio Zindagi expanded to major markets including New York/New Jersey and Washington, D.C., creating a national platform for South Asian music, news, talk, and community programming.
Under Dhar’s leadership, Radio Zindagi helped redefine South Asian radio in America by combining Bollywood music with civic dialogue, cultural storytelling, and multilingual programming. His vision centered on giving immigrant communities a media space that reflected their everyday lives, concerns, and celebrations, while also engaging second-generation listeners.
Dhar’s work represents a significant shift in South Asian ethnic media from niche broadcasting to scalable, professionalized community journalism. Through Radio Zindagi, he contributed to strengthening cultural connection, political awareness, and media representation for South Asians across the United States.
Never Mind blended romantic comedy with theatrical experimentation. The play centers on a corporate executive and a visual art director who meet for business but develop a mutual attraction they struggle to express. Externalizing their inner hesitation, two alter egos appear on stage, attempting to guide, provoke, and complicate the unfolding relationship. As the narrative progresses, the alter egos develop a dynamic of their own, ultimately forming a connection even as the “real” couple falters in miscommunication. The structure playfully dramatizes internal conflict, ego, and emotional risk in contemporary professional life. Notably, the production incorporated live music performed onstage, with a visible band positioned behind the actors featuring guitar, keyboard, percussion, and vocalists. This integration of live musical accompaniment expanded CalAA’s staging vocabulary and reflected its continued experimentation with form while maintaining accessible, character-driven storytelling.
Incubated and world-premiered in the Bay Area by EnActe Arts, this play traces the rise of Noor Jahan as the 20th wife of Emperor Jahangir and her subsequent rise to power as the only Mughal Empress of India. Brother Asaf Khan tells his older sister, the Empress Noor Jahan, that she is to be exiled after the death of Emperor Jahangir.
The Noorani Dance Company (NDC), founded by Farah Yasmeen Shaikh, is breaking barriers in the world of Kathak. With a deep commitment to enlightening minds and hearts through the arts, NDC engages in traditional and innovative repertoire and performances - exploring topics and themes of historical and social global relevance, and thrives in collaborative partnerships across other genres of performing arts.
NPR (National Public Radio) is a U.S. public media organization producing national and international news, cultural programming, and investigative reporting. NPR is a central institution within the American public media landscape and a frequent collaborator with local member stations.
Episode of Off the Cuff, a talk show on Bolly 92.3 FM hosted by Namrita Yuhanna. In this segment, she interviews renowned Indian celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor about his culinary journey, his international influence, and the evolution of Indian cuisine. The conversation blends food, culture, and identity, offering a glimpse into how South Asian media connects global voices with local Bay Area audiences.
