Quasar Thakore-Padamsee Serendipity Arts Festival

Quasar Thakore Padamsee is a visionary curator, theatre practitioner, and a driving force behind this year’s Serendipity Arts Festival’s theatre program. With a deep commitment to pushing boundaries, he has curated some of the most innovative and diverse performances in the Indian theatre scene. He brings together multidisciplinary performances that merge traditional storytelling with contemporary sensibilities.

As a curator, how do you approach the process of selecting plays for a festival like Serendipity Arts Festival? What qualities do you look for in a performance?
There are some obvious principles that guide us when curating theatre for the festival. First and foremost, the shows must be compelling and resonate with us; we need to feel they are worth sharing with a larger audience. Over the past three years that I’ve been part of this process, each year has brought a slightly different focus.

In the first year, our approach was influenced by the aftermath of the pandemic. It was about community—not just artists and audiences coming together, but specifically focusing on performers who hadn’t had the opportunity to perform in two years. We wanted to support those for whom performance is vital and celebrate the essence of live art. This informed our curatorial choices that year.

Last year, the focus shifted to audience experiences and experimenting with spaces. We played with formal presentations in informal spaces and vice versa. For instance, we had pieces like an Assamese choral performance, Arkola Theatre’s Afghanistan is Not Funny, which used slides as part of the storytelling. Meanwhile, works like Lives of Clay were performed in a garden, and Jump took place on a terrace. This experimentation with spaces created unique, memorable experiences.

This year, our process began without a fixed theme. Instead, we opened the floor to the theatre community, inviting them to share their work. We were overwhelmed by the response—390 play submissions and 180 commission proposals! Shankar and I sifted through these proposals, trusting that a theme would naturally emerge from what Indian theatre-makers are currently creating. Ultimately, our program became representative of these recurring themes and narratives.

For example, there’s been a strong exploration of mythology, which led to including Glitch in the Myth by a young theatre-maker—a refreshing and innovative take on classical forms. Similarly, we’re showcasing Mudiyettu, a ritualistic form that’s rarely seen at festivals like ours. LGBTQ+ narratives also stood out in many submissions, which is why pieces like BeLoved: Theatre, Music, Queerness and Ishq found their way into the lineup. These themes felt organic, not imposed, and reflected the diversity and innovation in Indian theatre today.

Other unique projects this year include House Blue, a cross-disciplinary performance blending photography and theatre, and Shahi Tukda, a sensory experience where the audience is blindfolded. Both are striking examples of how theatre is evolving beyond traditional forms. These works remind us that theatre is no longer limited to sets and scripts—it’s about pushing boundaries and creating immersive experiences.

These plays incorporate various art forms, such as dance, spoken word, and live music. How do you believe breaking away from conventional forms and structures impacts both the performers and the audience?
The obsession with form tends to be a practitioner’s concern more than an audience’s. Audiences primarily care about whether they enjoyed the performance—whether it moved, entertained, or engaged them. Interestingly, traditional Indian performances have always been multidisciplinary, blending music, dance, and storytelling. It’s only recently that we’ve begun compartmentalizing these forms.

Now, there’s a shift back to embracing interdisciplinary approaches, influenced by the diverse artistry of creators today. Take Glitch in the Myth, for example—it incorporates classical Bharatanatyam, a narrative in English, and live classical music with tabla. Or Mudiyettu, a ritualistic theatre form with live fire and loud, visceral storytelling. These performances break conventional boundaries and create powerful communal experiences, like the electric energy of an urban audience engaging with a ritualistic piece at the Quad.

The role of women in plays Glitch in the Myth and Do You Know This Song?, is explored in unconventional ways. How do you think these performances contribute to the broader conversation about gender and identity in theatre?
We didn’t intentionally set out to create a program focused on gender. Instead, we sought out compelling work by women theatre-makers—artists like Mallika Taneja, Anushka Zaveri, and others. Their narratives naturally brought gender and identity to the forefront, challenging long-standing male-centric storytelling norms.

For centuries, storytelling templates have been male-oriented, even when women told the stories. By showcasing these fresh perspectives, we’re moving the needle. Pieces like Glitch in the Myth overturn traditional narratives, while Do You Know This Song offers an exquisitely crafted, sensory experience that is deeply personal and reflective.

You’ve been a driving force behind Thespo, a festival for young talent. How has the youth theatre scene evolved in India over the years, and what role do you see festivals like Thespo playing in this evolution?
The future of theatre in India is incredibly bright. Compared to 20 years ago, today’s theatre scene offers more venues, training, and opportunities for young artists. Festivals like Serendipity didn’t exist back then, and youth initiatives like Thespo have been pivotal in creating spaces for emerging voices.

Watching young artists experiment with bold, innovative narratives is exhilarating. For example, recent Thespo festivals showcased directors under 25 tackling topics like gender dynamics in Assamese folklore (Chandranakha, Bhausur Panikha) and social rituals in Bangalore (Garam Roti). These narratives feel fresh and relevant, capturing the zeitgeist of today.

With the growing influence of digital media and online platforms, how do you think live theatre can adapt to reach younger, tech-savvy audiences while preserving its traditional forms?
Ironically, the more time we spend online, the more we crave real human connection. Theatre, as one of the last one-to-many communal experiences, holds immense value in this digital age. While technology can amplify theatre’s reach, its essence lies in live interaction—between performers and audiences, and among audience members themselves.

Theatre’s role today is to bring people together, fostering trust and community, especially post-pandemic. Festivals like Serendipity are crucial in this healing process, reminding us of the irreplaceable power of shared, in-person experiences.