'M se Maa' Brings a Mother and Daughter's Story to the NCPA Stage

The National Centre for the Performing Arts presents M se Maa, a Hindi musical play about memory, motherhood and the moments that quietly shape who we become, staged at the Godrej Dance Theatre on 6 September 2026 in two shows, at 5pm and 7.30pm, as an NCPA presentation in collaboration with Story Circus.

The play follows Manvi, a dancer whose present moves at a pace between stages, airports and new destinations, set against the memory of her younger self growing up in Kanpur in the company of her mother, her guide, and her constant presence. As those memories begin to surface through lullabies, monsoons, laughter, arguments, friendships and the experience of leaving home, the two versions of Manvi gradually draw closer, and what emerges, in the production's own framing, is a tender reflection on growing up and on the shifting bond between a mother and daughter and on the moments that keep shaping us long after they have passed.

The storytelling draws on several forms at once, bringing together theatre, Kathak, contemporary movement, music, spoken narrative and visual design to give these memories a layered life on stage. The production describes itself as nostalgic without tipping into sentimentality, an invitation to the audience to pause, reconnect with the people and moments they carry with them, and find meaning in the everyday.

M se Maa runs for 90 minutes with a recommended age of 7 and above, and late entry is not permitted. Tickets, plus GST, are priced at Rs. 630 and Rs. 585 for members and Rs. 700 and Rs. 650 for non-members.

The NCPA, inaugurated in Mumbai in 1969, was the first multi-venue, multi-genre cultural center in South Asia and today hosts more than 700 events a year across music, dance, theater, film, literature and photography.