iWorld
Rashtragranth takes the Constitution centre stage in Marathi theatre
MUMBAI: Curtain up on the Constitution. Just ahead of Republic Day, a Marathi theatre production is turning India’s founding text into live, breathing drama, as Rashtragranth prepares for its official public rollout across Maharashtra from February 2026.
Conceived by Artistic Humans in collaboration with Culturally by Shubhlab, Rashtragranth is being positioned as the first large-scale Marathi play to focus entirely on the Constitution of India. First unveiled on January 26 last year, the production has already travelled across nine districts through free pilot performances, gathering public feedback with the support of the Department of Cultural Affairs, Government of Maharashtra.
The play’s initial unveiling took place in the presence of Bhimrao Yashwant Ambedkar, adding symbolic weight to a production rooted in constitutional values. Following strong audience response, the creators are now scaling the project into a full-fledged public run.
Produced and conceptualised by Darshan Mahajan of Artistic Humans, Rashtragranth draws inspiration from prime minister Narendra Modi’s description of the Constitution as “our guiding light”. The production aims to move constitutional ideas beyond textbooks, translating them into a cultural experience that resonates across generations, particularly with younger audiences.
Structured as a 120-minute, two-act play, Rashtragranth traces India’s evolving relationship with its Constitution, weaving together historical milestones and contemporary questions around rights, duties and democracy. Rather than lecturing, the play leans on storytelling, performance and emotion to spark civic reflection.
The initiative has received formal recognition from the office of the chief minister of Maharashtra. Devendra Fadnavis praised the production for using theatre to communicate complex civic ideas, commending its focus on constitutional rights and duties, social justice, gender equality, democracy and citizens’ rights.
The creative team behind Rashtragranth brings together established names from India’s theatre circuit. The script is written by playwrights Prasad Thorve and Abhiram Bhadkamkar, while direction is handled by Kumar Sohoni, an alumnus of the National School of Drama and a recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award. The production features 51 characters, original music by Milind Joshi, costumes designed by Chaitrali Dongre, and an elaborate stage design recreating 15 historic locations by Sandesh Bendre.
Officials from the Department of Cultural Affairs have described the production as timely, particularly as India marks 75 years of the Constitution. In their view, Rashtragranth demonstrates how theatre can function as a powerful medium for deepening democratic understanding across diverse sections of society.
Beyond the stage, the creators see the project as cultural infrastructure with measurable social and economic impact. Each performance supports the livelihoods of more than 50 artists and technicians, a number that could expand significantly as the show scales. The team plans to eventually adapt Rashtragranth into 10 languages, potentially supporting over 500 livelihoods and contributing to India’s growing creative or “Orange” economy, with Maharashtra and Mumbai positioned as hubs of cultural innovation.
The production also emphasises sustainability, with a move towards zero-waste practices, and inclusivity, with plans for workshops, folk-art integrations, assistive technologies for senior citizens and persons with disabilities, and ticket pricing kept lower than typical industry standards.
Artistic Humans founder Darshan Mahajan describes Rashtragranth as more than a theatrical production. According to him, it is an attempt to bridge art, education and citizenship through emotional storytelling, and to demonstrate how social messages can be communicated powerfully through the performing arts.
Culturally by Shubhlab founder Prathmesh Navalkar said the long-term vision is to build a sustainable ecosystem for artists and technicians, while also making theatre more accessible and inclusive for wider audiences.
As it prepares for its statewide public launch, Rashtragranth is being positioned as a model that other states could adopt to promote constitutional literacy. The initiative aligns with national efforts such as the “Har Dil Mein Samvidhan” campaign, which aims to encourage citizens to engage more deeply with the values and responsibilities enshrined in the Constitution.
By placing the Constitution under the spotlight quite literally Rashtragranth signals how theatre can turn civic duty into shared cultural experience, making democracy not just something to read about, but something to feel.
iWorld
Why Peaky Blinders is one of television’s biggest hits that still deserves more attention
Six seasons, multiple awards and the release of Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man bring the Shelby saga back into the spotlight
In the crowded universe of streaming content, only a handful of shows manage to leave a lasting cultural footprint. Peaky Blinders is overwhelmingly considered one of the biggest global hits of the past decade. Yet many viewers still haven’t fully explored the dark, gripping world of the Shelby family.
Originally produced for the UK’s BBC and later finding a massive global audience through Netflix, the series quietly grew from a British period drama into a worldwide streaming phenomenon.
Created by Steven Knight, the show follows the rise of the Shelby crime family in post-First World War Birmingham. What begins as a gritty street-gang story gradually expands into a sweeping narrative about ambition, politics, power and survival.
At the centre of the saga is Thomas Shelby, portrayed with extraordinary depth by Cillian Murphy. The casting of Murphy is widely regarded as perfect for the role. With piercing eyes, restrained dialogue and an almost hypnotic screen presence, he transforms Shelby into one of the most unforgettable characters in modern screen storytelling.
Murphy’s brilliance lies in his restraint. He rarely shouts or performs theatrically. Instead, a quiet stare, a calculated pause or a subtle shift in expression conveys the emotional storms within the character. Beneath the ruthless gang leader is a war veteran carrying trauma, guilt and loneliness. Murphy captures this complexity with remarkable precision, making Thomas Shelby both terrifying and deeply human.
Beyond its central performance, Peaky Blinders stands out for its unfiltered portrayal of reality. The show does not romanticise crime. Instead, it exposes the harsh social conditions of early 20th-century Britain, from poverty and class struggle to political extremism and the psychological scars left by war.
The series also presents powerful female characters who hold their own within the Shelby empire. Polly Gray, played by Helen McCrory, is the strategic backbone of the family and one of the most formidable figures in the story. Women in the series shape decisions, influence power structures and challenge the rigid social norms of the time.
Across six seasons, the narrative grows dramatically in scale. What begins in the smoky streets of Birmingham evolves into a story involving political conspiracies, fascism and international criminal networks.
The series has also earned significant critical acclaim. It won the BAFTA Television Award for Best Drama Series in 2018 and multiple National Television Awards for Best Drama, cementing its reputation as one of Britain’s most celebrated modern shows.
Another defining feature of the series is its iconic music. The show’s opening theme, Red Right Hand by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, became instantly recognisable and widely associated with the Shelby universe. Combined with a powerful soundtrack featuring artists such as Arctic Monkeys and Radiohead, the music helped shape the show’s dark, stylish identity and became hugely popular among fans.
And the Shelby story is not over yet.
In fact, its legacy is unfolding right now. The long-awaited feature-length continuation, Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, was released on March 6, 2026, bringing the Shelby universe from streaming screens to cinemas and giving fans a new chapter in the saga.
For viewers who have not yet stepped into this world, the timing could not be better.
Six gripping seasons are ready to binge on Netflix. A new film has just arrived in theatres. And at the heart of it all stands one of the most magnetic performances in modern drama by Cillian Murphy.
So if Peaky Blinders has been sitting on your watchlist for years, this weekend is your moment.
So, by order of the Peaky fookin’ Blinders, consider this your cue to finally step into the ruthless world of Thomas Shelby. Pour yourself a drink, clear your schedule and press the play button. Because when the Peaky Blinders give an order, you listen.
