If you are a theatre aficionado and reside in India, then the Prithvi Theatre in Juhu, Mumbai, is like the Mecca of theatre artists and no one can stay away from that majestic place, which is rife with storytelling and theatre legends.
Owned by one of the most influential families of this country, Prithvi Theatre is a hub for all the seasoned and fresh artists who want to dedicate their life to performing arts. Prithviraj Kapoor ventured out with Prithvi Theatre, his own theatre company, in 1942, which soon became a traveling theatre company in 1944 and went on to stage over 2600 plays in the years to come. Prithvi theatre has a legacy like no other and right from their debut with the famous literary play Shakuntalam, by Kalidas, the theatre has made history till date.
Kapoor family has breathed life in the theatre arts, which ensures that their stage provides space for all the creative artists who want to showcase their talent to entertain and educate the world and promote India’s rich theatre culture. It was common for the company to tour all over India, performing at various venues that included some of the most iconic cinemas and theatres, and this went on for almost 16 years, with Prithviraj Kapoor playing the lead.
Post-retirement, Prithviraj Kapoor continued to be instrumental to theatre and supported former members of the company in their individual efforts, eventually aiming to create bigger platforms and for Hindi plays. Even Prithviraj’s youngest son, Shashi Kapoor inherited his father’s love and admiration for the theatre arts and began honing his skills under the company.
Today, Prithvi theatre is home to many celebrated stage artists and one of the very few venues that still hosts musical performances without any amplification.