Kalki Koechlin's 5-Woman Motherhood Play Wins Standing Ovation in Delhi
Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 9
Kalki Koechlin's 5-Woman Motherhood Play Wins Standing Ovation in Delhi
3 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 9
Summary
Delhi audiences gave a standing ovation to Belly of the Beast, a 2-hour-10-minute play adapted from Kalki Koechlin’s 2021 book on motherhood’s harsher realities.
Five women’s stories drive the production through pregnancy, labour and childcare, while confronting miscarriage, abortion and postpartum depression with humour to make heavy material bearable.
Koechlin said the play pushes against India’s idealised view of motherhood by voicing exhaustion, identity loss and the unequal domestic burden that many mothers are discouraged from admitting.
Government data cited in the report shows childcare and housework keep 69% of women out of India’s urban labour force, versus 1% of men, underscoring the play’s wider social critique.
The production also turns personal grief into public conversation, with actor Shruti Vyas drawing on her own miscarriage experience to challenge the stigma around women saying they are not okay.
Is the 'supermum' ideal pushing mothers towards a crisis that is not depression but a misunderstood life stage?
Why might Indian joint families, often seen as a support system, actually increase the risk of postpartum depression?
"Unmasking Motherhood: The Impact and Legacy of 'Belly of the Beast' in Indian Theatre"
Overview
Belly of the Beast, a bold new play by Aadyam Theatre, debuted in New Delhi as a significant cultural event. Directed by Sheena Khalid and co-written by Kalki Koechlin, it adapts Koechlin’s book The Elephant in the Womb. The play’s premiere at Kamani Auditorium was met with a strong and distinctive reception, thanks to its irreverent and honest approach to motherhood. By challenging idealized views and exploring the real, often difficult experiences of mothers, the production sparked important conversations and stood out for its creative storytelling and impactful message.