Birdsong is fleeting, its beauty existing only in the moment before disappearing into silence. Yet, in Persian and Sufi traditions, the bulbul, or nightingale, carries a deeper significance: a symbol of the soul yearning for the divine, its song an expression of longing, devotion and the pursuit of spiritual liberation. It is this ancient symbolism that lies at the heart of Songs of the Bulbul, … Continue reading Kalaa Utsavam 2026: Aakash Odedra on dance, Sufism and the search for liberation in ‘Songs of the Bulbul’

For performer Govin Ruben, a lifetime of romantic misadventures has become the unlikely material for a Tamil-cinema-inspired cabaret. Developed with director Adriano Cortese, காதல் தோல்விகள் (The Failed Romances) is a funny, music-filled and unexpectedly vulnerable exploration of heartbreak, cultural identity, and the exhausting business of trying to become someone worthy of love. In 2013, Govin Ruben was sitting on the rooftop of the Rex Hotel … Continue reading Kalaa Utsavam 2026: Govin Ruben and Adriano Cortese discuss Nicole Kidman, Tamil cinema, and loving yourself in ‘The Failed Romances’

For Rishi Budhrani and K.P. Sandhu, the journey from Singapore to Bollywood has never been a straight line. Now, in a new theatrical collaboration built on decades of friendship, professional gambles and hard-won lessons, the two performers are telling a story about ambition, belonging and the courage to keep dreaming — even when the odds seem absurd. What does it mean to dream of becoming … Continue reading Kalaa Utsavam 2026: Rishi Budhrani and K.P. Sandhu talk about friendship, the ‘impossible’ dream, and a lifetime in the making of ‘Bedok to Bollywood’

Nearly twenty years on, HUM Theatre returns to a story about marriage, family and the delicate business of making room for one another. Through the comedy of everyday tensions, Rafta Rafta finds new resonance in a Singapore shaped by changing relationships, generational expectations and the pressures of modern life. There is a particular kind of chaos that comes with starting a marriage: the discovery that … Continue reading Kalaa Utsavam 2026: The cast of HuM Theatre’s ‘Rafta Rafta’ talk about intercultural theatre and taking it slow in a fast-paced modern life