A Broadway-style mythological musical, Mahabali, which retells the Ramayana through the eyes of Lord Hanuman, made its Mumbai debut this month with performances at the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) and the Nehru Centre.Directed by Kulvinder Singh Bakshi, the production combines mythology, music and theatrical spectacle to revisit the timeless values of devotion, humility and courage.From the dramatic entrances of Mahadev and Mahabali to the scripture-inspired costumes and elaborate stage sets, the musical offered audiences an immersive retelling of the epic. One of the highlights was a collective chanting of the Hanuman Chalisa, which brought the audience together in a moment of shared devotion.The production also explored lesser-known aspects of Hanuman’s lore, including the origins of his association with sindoor and the traditional account of Hanuman composing his own version of the Ramayana. Blending education with entertainment, the musical sought to make ancient traditions and folklore accessible to audiences across generations.The scale of the Randhir Ranjan Roy and Abhishek Narayan’s production was evident in its elaborate stagecraft, which included a horse sequence and a towering, ten-headed Ravana. The ensemble cast features Aankiet Moahan (Ankitt Mohan) as Hanuman, Aarya Babbar as Ravana, Saanand Verma as Vistarvachie, Pankaj Berry as Kaal Drishti and Vaidikaa Senjaliya as Sita, alongside Mukul Nag and Aadesh Bharadwaj.Adding to the emotional sweep of the narrative is an original playback score featuring voices such as Kailash Kher, Shaan, Raghu Dixit and Amit Gupta. Through its combination of music, visual spectacle and mythological storytelling, Mahabali brings a theatrical dimension to a familiar epic, placing Hanuman’s devotion to Lord Ram at the heart of the narrative.
