Bangalore is one of India’s best kept theatre secrets. The city has a strong English-language scene, a vibrant Kannada theatre tradition, an active comedy and improv community, and several theatre groups doing some of the country’s most interesting independent work. Here are ten of them worth following if you live in or visit Bangalore.
The best theatre groups in Bangalore right now
1. Ranga Shankara
Founded in memory of the actor Shankar Nag by his widow Arundhati Nag, Ranga Shankara is more of a venue and curatorial institution than a single company, but it anchors Bangalore’s theatre life. The 300-seat space in JP Nagar hosts roughly 300 performances a year across Kannada, Hindi, English, Tamil, and Marathi. It also runs an annual Theatre for Children Festival and the Ranga Shankara Festival. Its programming consistently mixes new local productions with strong touring work.
2. Indian Ensemble
One of the most ambitious independent theatre groups in India, Indian Ensemble was founded by Abhishek Majumdar. Their productions take serious chunks of time to develop, often through workshop residencies, and tackle large themes (Kashmir, Tibet, faith, memory). Productions like Pah-La, Djinns of Eidgah, and Muktidham have toured internationally. If you want to see contemporary Indian theatre that is genuinely intellectually serious, follow this company closely.
3. JustUs Repertory
Founded by Gowri Ramnarayan, JustUs Repertory makes English language theatre that draws on classical Indian texts, mythological reinterpretations, and major modern Indian writers. Their productions are usually small ensemble, music-rich, and beautifully designed. Strong work for audiences who love language and texture in theatre.
4. Aatish
An English-language theatre group anchored by Vivek Madan and Rebecca Spurgeon, Aatish has built a reputation for serious dramatic productions. Plays like Boys with Beards, The Last Quarter, and adaptations of Caryl Churchill and other contemporary playwrights have shaped their identity.
5. Centre for Film and Drama (CFD)
Run by Prakash Belawadi (himself an NSD alumnus, actor, and director), CFD focuses on theatre training and production, including children’s and youth theatre programs. Their staged productions and acting workshops have shaped a generation of Bangalore performers.
6. Rafiki Theatre
A group focused on bilingual (Kannada and English) productions, social themes, and ensemble work. They have done strong adaptations of Indian short stories, contemporary plays, and devised work.
7. Yours Truly Theatre
Specialises in interactive and immersive performances, often murder mysteries, improv-driven shows, and dinner theatre. Lighter in tone than the more serious literary groups, but consistently entertaining and a great gateway for new theatre audiences.
8. Improv Comedy Bangalore
Not theatre in the traditional script-based sense, but the city’s improv comedy scene has been one of its most exciting performance ecosystems for a decade. Improv Comedy Bangalore, alongside The Improv (Mumbai-Bangalore) and other smaller troupes, regularly performs at venues like the Atta Galatta and Lahe Lahe.
9. Rasika Productions and Sandbox Collective
Both of these are smaller production outfits that work on commissioned plays, theatre for development, school theatre programs, and curated festival productions. Sandbox Collective in particular has produced strong contemporary work and toured nationally.
10. Kannada theatre companies
It would be a mistake to write about Bangalore theatre without mentioning the city’s deep Kannada theatre tradition. Companies like Benaka, Suresh Anagalli’s groups, and several troupes anchored at venues like Ravindra Kalakshetra and Kalagrama keep Kannada theatre alive. Ranga Shankara also actively programs Kannada work.
Key Bangalore theatre venues to know
- Ranga Shankara (JP Nagar): the city’s main dedicated theatre venue
- Jagriti Theatre (Whitefield): a beautifully designed independent venue, often hosting interesting touring productions
- Ravindra Kalakshetra (City Centre): a large multi-purpose auditorium, especially good for Kannada theatre and dance
- Chowdiah Memorial Hall (Malleswaram): a larger venue, mostly used for music but occasionally theatre
- Atta Galatta (Koramangala): a bookstore-cafe space that hosts smaller intimate performances, readings, and improv
- Lahe Lahe (Indiranagar): a smaller alternative venue, popular for stand-up, improv, and experimental performance
- Bangalore International Centre (BIC) (Domlur): a relatively new arts and ideas centre with strong programming
How to plug into the Bangalore theatre scene
Three useful habits.
Follow Ranga Shankara’s mailing list. Many of the city’s best productions pass through Ranga Shankara at some point.
Watch Insider and BookMyShow theatre listings. Bangalore has a steady flow of one-off productions that do not always get pre-event press.
Subscribe to the BIC and Jagriti newsletters. Both venues consistently programme thoughtful work.
Why Bangalore theatre is worth your time
Three reasons.
The audience is unusually engaged. Bangalore audiences read, ask intelligent questions, and stay for post-show discussions.
The economics are sustainable. Ticket prices, venue rents, and small group budgets are workable, which means more independent companies actually exist here than in cities where rent is harsher.
The mix is wide. Kannada folk forms, English contemporary work, Hindi touring productions, improv, dinner theatre, and serious literary theatre all share the same week. That kind of range is rare.
The short version
Bangalore’s theatre scene is one of the strongest in India today. Pick five groups from this list, subscribe to their mailing lists, and you will see more good independent work in a year than many audiences see in five.
For more, read about theatre in Karnataka and Yakshagana, and our piece on Ninasam, Karnataka’s theatre village.