The Grand Sita Charitam, a spiritual retelling of the timeless epic through Sita's Eyes Premiers in Mumbai Recieves 5-minute Standing Ovation

"It was phenomenal,"~ Vikrant Massey on the production; Hina Khan shares, "I had goosebumps!"

July 6, 2025, Mumbai: The audiences at the Grand Theater at Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Center found themselves transported to the mystical, vivid and enchanting world of Ramayana told through the eyes of Sita, in an immersive 4D live art experience featuring 513 artists, over 30 traditional and contemporary art forms. Conceived and directed by ace choreographer and dancer Srividya Varchaswi, the production stood out not just for its scale and grandeur, but for the emotionally enriching and poetic retelling of the much-loved and timeless epic, that has remained relevant to the humankind for over 7500 years now.

"It was phenomenal," shared leading Bollywood actor, Vikrant Massey, "I am glad I came here. Srividyaji has done a great job as an actor, director as someone who has conceptualised this show."

Popular actress, Hina Khan echoed a similar sentiment,  "We just loved it. My mind was blown! I got goosebumps throughout the performances. Srividya looked like Sita personified. The way kids lip-synced perfectly was worth witnessing."

The event drew many other eminent personalities from the city too including 
Chief Justice of Maharashtra High Court, Alok Aradhe; television and film star Adah Khan, devotional singer Anuradha Paudwal, veteran actors Pankaj Berry and Dalip Tahil.

The Mumbai performance became more poignant with the participation of over 50 children from the Art of Living Free School in Dharavi. Their graceful, confident presence on stage became a powerful symbol of how art and education can elevate, empower, and unify communities. For many in the audience, it was deeply moving to see children from underserved backgrounds breathe life into a story as eternal as this one.

Nationally acclaimed devotional singer, Smt. Anuradha Paudwal shared, "It was an amazing experience for us. Lot of effort has gone into putting together this. I was glad to see so many children be part of the production. It is one important way to spread our culture, to get them interested in religion. The entire experience was very beautiful, very well put together."

The script, drawn from over 20 versions of the Ramayana and imbued in the wisdom of Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, invites audiences to rediscover the epic not through the externality of the events that transpired but through the lens of meaning and wisdom behind them. 

The immersive experience seamlessly blended classical dance, folk forms, puppetry, original music, and digital innovation to portray the many facets of Sita’s life right from love, grace and sacrifice to wisdom and surrender. Directed with sensitivity and artistic honesty by Srividya Varchaswi, the production follows in the tradition of her earlier mega works like The Rhythm Within at Lincoln Center, New York, and The Cosmic Rhythm at the World Culture Festival in New Delhi, which brought together over 4,600 artists from 45 countries.

Speaking after the performance, Srividya said, “Mumbai’s response has been overwhelming. It reaffirms that stories like Sita’s, told with emotional honesty and artistic integrity, will always find a home in people’s hearts. For me, this journey began as a quest to understand the way Sita went through life, the different moments of life, the way she took action, the way she let go, all of this is something that is truly inspirational for me personally. Bringing that into a form that is accessible and relatable to today’s audience has been deeply fulfilling.”

Apart from enthralling the audiences, as a fund raiser the show has supported the education of over 1 lakh rural and tribal children across the 1,327 Art of Living Free Schools. 

The production is expected to tour other Indian cities and international venues in the coming months, continuing its journey of awakening devotion and wisdom through fantastical storytelling.