The Kiran Nadar Museum of Art (KNMA) is delighted to present the critically acclaimed Ladies Sangeet : A Musical Dramedy written and directed by Purva Naresh, on 30th August 2025 at Apparel House, Gurugram. Marking its return to the Delhi-NCR after a successful run in New Delhi in 2016, this production features music by Vidushi Shubha Mudgal, Harpreet, Anadi Nagar and Nishant Aggarwal.

A poignant yet humorous exploration of tradition, gender roles, and changing family dynamics in contemporary Indian society, Ladies Sangeet unfolds against the vibrant backdrop of a North Indian wedding, the titular ladies’ sangeet, a musical gathering traditionally meant for women. What begins as a joyful reunion of generations slowly reveals itself to be a space of unburdening, healing, and unexpected rebellion. Through sharp humour, evocative music, and compelling performances, the play invites the audience to reflect on gender roles, familial expectations, and the unseen threads that bind women across time.

Aditi Jaitly, Senior Curator Performing Art, Kiran Nadar Museum of Art commented, “Until recently, much of Delhi’s performing arts activity has been concentrated in the established venues of central Delhi. But art must always seek new ground. With Ladies Sangeet, directed by Purva Naresh, KNMA begins a new chapter, one that brings the best of India’s performing arts to Gurgaon. As our new museum takes shape on NH8, we hope to nourish the growing appetite for cultural performances in new directions. With new performance spaces emerging across the National Capital Region, we are excited to be part of an evolving landscape and are committed to reflect diverse artistic voices and offer meaningful and joyful encounters with the arts. We are delighted to invite audiences to experience this sensitive and richly layered production by one of India’s most dynamic directors.”

Purva Naresh, Writer and Director, commented, “The music of Ladies Sangeet is not just song-breaks in the narrative. Sometimes these songs replace dialogues to carry forward the narrative. Sometimes they punctuate and underline the discourse on the male gaze that is steeped into everything we do, enjoy and absorb. Each music piece comes in as a humorous reminder of our celebration of misogyny and patriarchy in small and big ways, but the beauty is once we see it for what it is…..we can still enjoy it while being more aware. That credit goes to people like Shubha (Mudgal) ji who curated the album with deep knowledge and love for music. And the performers bring the joy to it that the album deserves.”

Produced by Aarambh Mumbai, a theatre collective founded by Purva Naresh and Asmit Pathare in 2009, Ladies Sangeet is part of a rich repertoire of original works known for their musicality, sharp social critique, and accessible storytelling. Aarambh’s productions have featured at major festivals across India and abroad, earning acclaim for their unique ability to blend entertainment with social commentary. 

The official trailer for the production can be viewed here.

NOTES TO THE EDITOR

Presented by Aarambh Mumbai

Written and Directed by Purva Naresh

Music Composed by Vidushi Shubha Mudgal, Harpreet, Anadi Nagar and Nishant Aggarwal

Cast

Amanjeet Proach

Dipendra Verma

Joy Sengupta

Niranjan Iyengar / Asmit Pathare

Nisha Dhar

Nivedita Bhargava

Rajashree Sawant

Sarika Singh

Shabnam Vadhera

Shimli Basu

Siddhant Karnick

Yash Khan

Live Musicians

Anadi Nagar on Vocals

Purav Jagad on Harmonium

Rohit Das on Guitar

Ruturaj Bhosle on Percussions

Technical Director Asmit Pathare

Sound Engineer

Varun Gupta

Lights

Adi Shastri

Backstage

Dipendra Verma

Rakhi Kashyap

Yash Khan

About KNMA

Established through the initiative of avid art collector Kiran Nadar, the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art (KNMA) opened to the public in January 2010 as India’s first private museum dedicated to Modern and contemporary art from the subcontinent. KNMA is a non-commercial, not-for-profit institution supported by the Shiv Nadar Foundation. It seeks to

foster a dynamic relationship between art and culture through its exhibitions, publications, educational initiatives, and public programs. Committed to institutional collaborations and artist support networks, KNMA actively engages with diverse audiences through its wide-ranging programming. The museum’s ever-expanding collection of over 15,000 artworks from South Asia features some of the most significant modernist and contemporary works. Now broadening its scope to include classical, folk, and tribal art, the collection spans historical trajectories from the 3rd century BCE to 20th-century Indian art, alongside the experimental practices of young contemporaries. In the coming three to four years, KNMA is set to evolve into a landmark cultural destination with a new location, an expansive 100,000-square-meter (over 1 million square feet) architectural marvel, near the Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi. It will feature multiple exhibition spaces, auditoriums, an archive centre, a library, restaurants, and a members room. Strengthening its role as a cultural epicenter, this expansion will further KNMA’s mission to be a vibrant hub for visual and performing arts, fostering artistic innovation and cultural dialogue.

www.knma.in

About Purva Naresh

A critically acclaimed director and playwright, Purva Naresh has directed seven productions and written more than fifteen plays, including Bandish 20- 20000 HZ, Aaj Rang Hai, Ladies Sangeet and most recently Chaandi Raatein. These have travelled to major Indian festivals and have won her both State and National honours including the Laadli Media Award for Best Play on Gender Sensitivity, the Safdar Hashmi Puruskar and the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puruskar for Theatre. A graduate from FTII Pune, Purva has also written dialogues for films such as Hasee toh Phasee and Dum Maaro Dum. With a background in classical dance and percussion, Purva is recognised for her distinctive style of creating musical productions that are entertaining commentaries on social and historical issues. In 2009 she founded Aarambh, a theatre company based in Mumbai. She continues her work as an independent theatre-maker and has collaborated with The Royal Court and Curve Theatre, London, The Lark Theatre, New York and The Bake House, Australia.

About Aarambh Mumbai

Founded in 2009 and led by Purva Naresh who is now partnered by the award winning light designer and theatre and film maker Asmit Pathare, Aarambh is a Mumbai-based theatre group that tells original stories of contemporary India. Over the last sixteen years, they have built a repertoire of productions popular for weaving text with music and dance in a unique way. With an understanding of the outside gaze on Indian theatre, they make work that is universally accessible, while keeping the quintessential Indian element intact. Their work has been performed at every major Indian theatre festival.