Kailash Kher, Shaan Join Hanuman-Centric Ramayana Musical ‘Mahabali’

Kailash Kher, Shaan, Raghu Dixit and Amit Gupta have lent their voices to MAHABALI, a Broadway-style mythological musical that retells the Ramayana through the perspective of Lord Hanuman. The production will feature Aankiet Mohan as Hanuman and Arya Babbar as Ravan.

Produced by Randhir Ranjan Roy and Abhishek Narayan, MAHABALI combines theatre, music, visual effects, movement and traditional Indian performance forms. The production explores Hanuman’s journey, with themes of devotion, loyalty, humility and selfless service at its core.

The cast includes Saanand Verma as Vistarvachie and Pankaj Berry as Kaal Drishti, alongside Mukul Nag and Aadesh Bharadwaj. The production aims to present Hanuman beyond his image as a powerful warrior, focusing on his emotional and spiritual dimensions and his devotion to Lord Rama.

Arya Babbar, who plays Ravan, said the Hanuman-centric narrative brings a different dramatic dynamic to the character and allows the epic conflict to be explored through a fresh theatrical lens.

Music forms a key component of the production, with original playback vocals by Kailash Kher, Shaan, Raghu Dixit and Amit Gupta. Shaan said the music has been designed to evoke devotion while retaining the theatrical momentum of a Broadway-style production.

Kailash Kher said the soundtrack combines ancient mantras and powerful rhythms to create a spiritual sonic experience aligned with Hanuman’s character.

MAHABALI will premiere in Mumbai on October 18 at the Jamshed Bhabha Theatre, NCPA, with two shows at 4:02 pm and 7:29 pm. It will return to Mumbai on October 24 at the Nehru Centre, Worli, before travelling to Bengaluru on November 14.