Rajat Kapoor’s newest offering in theatre

From scene-stealing performances in films like Dil Chahta Hai, Bheja Fry, Kapoor & Sons, Mulk and Drishyam to directing acclaimed films such as Ankhon Dekhi, Raghu Romeo and Mithya, Rajat Kapoor has built a career around telling nuanced, deeply human stories. Now, the acclaimed actor, filmmaker and playwright is returning to the stage with The Thing With Feathers, an original production by Aadyam Theatre that explores what happens to love and hope when the world is torn apart by war.

Written and directed by Kapoor, with Rabia Kapoor and Chandrachoor Rai as co-writers, the play is set against the backdrop of the first half of the 20th century—a period marked by global wars, political upheaval and social change. But instead of focusing on battles or revolutions, The Thing With Feathers turns its gaze towards ordinary people whose lives continue despite extraordinary circumstances. It asks a timeless question: when history changes the world around us, what keeps the human spirit alive?

Spanning the years between 1900 and 1950, the production follows lives that intersect across continents, revealing how love, grief, resilience and the hope of new beginnings endure even in the shadow of conflict.

Bringing this world to life is an accomplished ensemble cast featuring Vinay Pathak, Mantra, Neil Bhoopalam, Bhavya Rampal, Waris Ahmed Zaidi, Chandrachoor Rai, Amit Purohit, Radhika Mehrotra, Vidushi Chaddha, Bhagyashree Tarke and Aaraha Mukherjee.

Speaking about the play, Rajat Kapoor, writer and director of The Thing With Feathers, said, “We started with the idea of a play based on the first half of the 20th century. We tried to find our way through the maze of possibilities in the rehearsal space with the actors and at the idea desk with the writers. A thought emerged that perhaps the story of these fifty momentous years would have an immediacy if we saw it through the lens of common folks. The play could have been many things, could have taken a thousand different forms, but eventually it became the thing that it wanted to become.”

The play will premiere in Mumbai at Bal Gandharva Rang Mandir on August 8 and 9, 2026, before travelling to Jamshed Bhabha Theatre, NCPA, on September 12 and 13, 2026. It will conclude its tour with performances at Kamani Auditorium, Delhi, on September 26 and 27, 2026.