M se Maa Weaves Music, Movement and Memory into a Tender Story of Motherhood at the NCPA

Mumbai's NCPA is set to stage a story that many will find quietly familiar - the pull between who we were as children and who we've become as adults, held together by the presence of a mother. Titled M se Maa, the Hindi musical play arrives at the Godrej Dance Theatre on September 6, with two shows scheduled for 5 pm and 7:30 pm. It's presented by the NCPA in collaboration with Story Circus.

At the heart of the play is Manvi, a dancer whose present is a blur of stages, airports and unfamiliar cities. But running parallel to that restless present is another Manvi - a younger girl in Kanpur, growing up under the watchful, steady presence of her mother.

The play moves between these two timelines, letting memory do the work of storytelling. Lullabies, monsoon afternoons, sibling-like arguments, easy laughter, old friendships and the ache of leaving home all resurface gradually, until the two Manvis - past and present - begin to inch closer together. What unfolds isn't a linear plot so much as an emotional excavation: a look at how the bond between a mother and daughter keeps shifting shape, even as its core stays intact.

To tell this story, the makers lean on a mix of forms - theatre, Kathak, contemporary movement, live music and visual design all share the stage, giving the play's memories texture and weight rather than letting them stay static. The tone stays deliberately understated. There's nostalgia here, but the production seems careful not to tip into melodrama, aiming instead for something that feels lived-in and honest.

For anyone who's ever caught themselves thinking about a parent mid-conversation, or found an old memory surfacing out of nowhere, M se Maa seems built to strike a chord - an invitation to slow down and sit with the people and moments that quietly shaped us.

Details:

• Venue: Godrej Dance Theatre, NCPA
• Date & Time: September 6, 2026 - 5:00 pm & 7:30 pm
• Duration: 90 minutes
• Age Recommendation: 7+ (late entry not permitted)
• Tickets (plus GST): Members - ₹630 / ₹585; Non-Members - ₹700 / ₹650