Yalgaar Sanskrutik Manch
Yalgaar Sanskrutik Manch was formed in 2015, inspired by Babasaheb Ambedkar’s vision of cultural reform preceding political change. Rooted in progressive movements across Maharashtra, the group uses Ambedkari Shahiri Jalsa to address caste based social oppression in marginalized communities. Yalgaar unites artists and activists on a common platform to strengthen cultural activism, and promotes a culture of non-violence, democracy, and humanism. Their plays blend storytelling, poetry, song, satire, improvisation, Babasaheb’s speeches, and collective lived experiences of the members. Active across Maharashtra and beyond, they aim to empower marginalized voices, promote inclusivity, and inspire change through art and collaboration. Kavan is their first foray into proscenium theater.
Nalanda Arts Studio
Nalanda Arts Studio is a Bangalore-based arts organization working on research, scholarship, training, and practice of performing and fine arts with a focus on collaborations between Asian, African, and Middle Eastern artists and communities.
Sudesh Jadhav (Story)
Sudesh Jadhav holds a Masters degree in Theatre Arts, from the University of Mumbai. He has been working as an actor in theater, film, and daily soaps for over a decade. He also writes stories, plays, and has dabbled with content writing. He has assisted in the writing of various street plays, short films, and even feature films. Kavan is his first story to be adapted into a play.
Abhishek Majumdar (Director)
Abhishek Majumdar is a playwright, essayist, scenographer, and director working in India and internationally. His work has been produced and commissioned in leading theaters of the world including Royal Court Theatre London, Prithvi Theatre Mumbai, Ranga Shankara Bangalore, Deutsch Shauspielhaus Hamburg, Ruhrfest Recklinghausen, Théâtre du Soleil Paris, National Theatre London, San Francisco Opera, PEN World Voices, Internacionale Dramaturgie Festival Buenos Aires, San Francisco Opera, and PlayCo New York amongst others. He is a recipient of multiple awards including the META Award for Best Play and Best Script, International Theatremakers Award New York, The Shankar Nag Rangakarmi Award Bangalore, the Toto Funds the Arts Award, Segal Center Award for Civic Engagement in the Arts, B.V.Karanth Fellowship of Ninasam, Best Director in London Movie Awards, Best Director in 8 and Half Film Festival (Rome) Awards, Best Scenographer Sofia International Film Festival amongst others.
He works in theater, film, and opera in different languages and cultures. His book of essays, Theater Across Borders is published by Bloomsbury International as part of the Theatermakers series and he has been published, performed, and translated in Hindi, English, French, German, Czech, Kannada, Bengali, Marathi, Kashmiri, and Spanish. He is the Artistic Director of Nalanda Arts Studio Bangalore and creative producer at New Voices Arts Project based in Bangalore. His plays are published by Bloomsbury International.
Pallavi MD (Music Composer, Music Supervisor, Music Arranger, and Sound Design)
Pallavi MD is a singer, composer, actor, editor, sound designer and filmmaker. She has a degree in Hindustani classical music from Benares University. She has been performing Kannada poetry (bhavageethe) across Karnataka and abroad for the last twenty five years. She has won the META Best Actress award for her solo theatrical piece C Sharp C Blunt. She has won the State award for her song in the film Duniya, and the State Kempegowda award for her contribution in the field of music. She has acted in Girish Kasaravalli's Gulabi Talkies and Prakash Belawadi's Stumble, both National award winning films. ‘Playgrounds,’ a short film she co-wrote and directed, won the best film award in the Hong Kong Film Festival and at IFFLA, Los Angeles. She has been awarded the prestigious Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar (National Award) for her contribution to the field of Bhav Sangeet (singing poetry). In 2024, she composed music for the Broadway play The Vanishing Elephant. In 2024, she designed the music for ‘Banjara Virasat’, an experiential museum that documents the life and culture of the Banjara community. Her collaborative LP with German musician Andi Otto, ‘Song For Broken Ships’ was nominated for the prestigious German Record Critics’ Award in 2024. Her collaborative single ‘Simchezo’ won the Best Composition Award from international collaborative platform Beyond Music in 2024.
Tushar Adhav (Music Production, Background Score, and Sound Design)
Tushar Adhav a.k.a BamBoy is a multifaceted artist based in Mumbai, renowned for his talents as a Music producer, DJ, rapper, writer. He has carved a niche for himself in the vibrant Indian hip-hop scene, blending diverse musical influences to create unique sounds that resonate with the listeners. As a key member of the Swadesi Movement, a multilingual hip-hop collective, BamBoy is all about promoting cultural diversity and social consciousness through his music. BamBoy's music carries a deep anti-caste message, using his platform to challenge social hierarchies and advocate for equality. His work pushes back against systemic oppression, making a powerful statement about inclusivity, representation, and breaking down societal barriers.
Dhammrakshit Randive (Performer)
Dhammrakshit Randive, better known as Dhamma, is a cultural activist, singer, musician, and actor, hailing from Satara, Maharashtra. He has a Bachelor's degree in Social Work from Kolhapur University, a diploma in Performing Folk Art from Lok Kala Academy, Mumbai, and a Masters degree in Theatre Arts from Mumbai University. Dhamma is one of the founder members of Yalgaar Sanskrutik Manch & Nirmik Cultural Center, which is inspired by Babasaheb Ambedkar’s vision of cultural reform preceding political change. He is currently working as a theater artist, music composer, and trainer with different institutions and organisations in India.
Amruta Todarmal (Performer)
Amruta Todarmal, born in 1992 in Aurangabad, is an actor, singer, dancer, and costume designer. She began her career with dance shows on DD National Sahyadri Vahini, and then went on to study performing arts. She has a Bachelor’s degree from Aurangabad and a Master’s Degree in Performing Arts from Mumbai University. She has participated in a number of state level drama competitions and won awards for acting and is a trained Bharath Natyam dancer and enjoys designing costumes for plays and films. Some of her acting roles for television are in daily soaps like Boss Majhi Ladachi, Jay Bhavani Jay Shivaji, and Kattibatti in Marathi. Some of her favourite roles in plays include Manjula from Bhai Tumhi Kuthe Ahat, and Mukta from Annanchya Shevtchya Ichha. Amruta has also featured in plays like Gharat Married Baher Bachelor, Yanda Kadachit, Ladachi Maina Tumchi, and Hya Salya Energy Ch Karaycha Kay, Chuk Bhul Dyavi Ghyavi. She is also known for her role as prisoner in the film Beyond The Clouds by Majid Majidi.
Siddharth Pratibhawan (Performer)
Siddharth Pratibhawan is from Dhule district in Maharashtra. He is a singer, actor, and musician and has been with Yalgaar from 2015. He started learning the harmonium when he was in high school and thus began his love for the arts. He graduated in performing arts from Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University and has a masters degree from the Academy of Theatre Arts at Mumbai University. Siddharth lives in Mumbai and believes that through Yalgaar, he can fight the caste system and spread love in an imbalanced society. He works as an actor and musician in the Hindi and Marathi theater and film industry.
Apurva Kadam (Performer)
Apurva Kadam is an actor, playwright, and poet with a degree in Theater from Lalit Kala Kendra, Pune University. She is an experienced actor in the Marathi theater who has acted in many plays including Anton Chekhov's The Seagull, directed by Dr. Pravin Bhole, Martin Crimp's play: Attempts On Her Life, and Tichi 17 Prakarane, directed by Alok Rajwade. She enjoys creating her own work and has written and directed a solo piece called Priyanka, featuring a housewife who unveils provoking and complex experiences in various social and psychological aspects of modern society. She has also collaborated with the Goethe Institute and is currently a part of the Nirmik Cultural Centre and performs in the Ambedkarite jalsa, "Rang Aman ke", a set of revolutionary saint's poetry, and is acting in Kavan. In addition to her acting work, she enjoys collaborating with writers and creating new pieces of work.
Priyapal Dashrath Gaikwad (Performer)
Priyapal Dashrath Gaikwad is from Borgav (Bu) district Hingoli, Maharashtra. He has a Bachelor of Arts from Lalit Kala Kendra and a Masters degree from the Academy of Theatre Arts. He has been working as an actor, writer, singer, and dubbing artist for films for the last 8 years. He has been working in Hindi and Marathi films, serials, web series, and theater, and has developed an active interest in theater of the oppressed over the last 3 years.
Pravin Mukta (Performer)
Pravin Mukta is an artist-activist. He holds a Bachelor’s in Performing Arts from the Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University, Aurangabad, and has a Masters in Theater from the University of Mumbai. He has been doing Marathi and Hindi theater for the past 10 years, and has been associated with Yalgaar since 2015. He has worked as an actor in Marathi and Hindi plays, films, and serials, and is part of Yalgaar Sanskrutik Manch and Nalanda Arts Studio’s Kavan, directed by Abhishek Majumdar.
