Modern retelling of Shakuntala–Dushyant in Mumbai

News18 included a stage adaptation of the Shakuntala-Dushyant story in its Mumbai events guide published on May 15, 2026, placing the production alongside jam sessions, bar crawls and family outings in a roundup of things to do in the city. The listing identified the play as “Shakuntala Awaits.” BookMyShow described it as a modern retelling of an ancient love story drawn from the Mahabharata. (news18.com) The production was listed for The Studio Theatre at the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre, or NMACC, in Mumbai. (in.bookmyshow.com) ### Which production was listed in Mumbai’s events roundup? News18’s May 15 roundup said Mumbai audiences could choose from a range of events over the next few days, including music, food and theatre, and named “Shakuntala Awaits” among them. (in.bookmyshow.com) The article presented the play as one option in a broader city calendar rather than as a standalone feature. BookMyShow identified “Shakuntala Awaits” as an English-language theatre production in Mumbai. The ticketing page said the play reworks the Shakuntala-Dushyant story into a contemporary setting. (news18.com) ### How does this version change the Mahabharata story? BookMyShow said the play begins with a chance meeting in a Mumbai bookstore, where Shakuntala and Dushyant encounter each other in a present-day setting. The page described the story as unfolding in a “contemporary, globalized world,” shifting the epic romance into modern urban and diasporic life. Boston is part of the plot in this version, according to the same listing. (news18.com) BookMyShow said Dushyant returns to his academic life there, while Shakuntala remains in Mumbai and later sets out to reunite with him. ### Who made the Mumbai production? Isheeta Ganguly was credited by BookMyShow as the writer and director of “Shakuntala Awaits.” The page said Ganguly’s work combines contemporary feminism, mythology, history and pop culture, and linked this play to that body of work. (in.bookmyshow.com) Arjun Gupta and Sohina Sidhu were named on the ticketing page as the performers bringing the story to the stage. BookMyShow also said the production had previously had an Off-Broadway run at HERE Theatre in New York. (in.bookmyshow.com) ### Where in Mumbai was it being staged? BookMyShow listed the venue as The Studio Theatre at NMACC. NMACC describes The Studio Theatre as an intimate performance space with advanced acoustics, flexible design and modern stage technology. (in.bookmyshow.com) Mumbai was the city named across both the News18 roundup and the BookMyShow listing. News18 framed the event as part of its mid-May recommendations for city audiences looking for activities over the weekend and during the week. (in.bookmyshow.com) ### Why did the listing stand out in that roundup? News18’s May 15 article grouped the production with a Bandra jam session, a Lower Parel bar crawl and other lifestyle events, showing how the play was being surfaced to readers as one item in a mixed urban leisure guide. (in.bookmyshow.com) The article said the roundup was meant to cover “something for everyone” in Mumbai over the next few days. BookMyShow’s description used language of long-distance relationships, shifting identities and diasporic experience, giving the adaptation a distinctly contemporary frame while keeping the names Shakuntala and Dushyant from the older story. (news18.com) ### What could audiences verify next? As of May 16, BookMyShow still carried the production page for “Shakuntala Awaits” with venue information for The Studio Theatre, NMACC. NMACC’s own venue page for The Studio Theatre remained live on May 16, offering location details for the Mumbai performance space. (in.bookmyshow.com) (news18.com)