The Wrong Gods review | Melbourne Theatre Company

Set in a quiet village tucked deep in the Indian countryside, S. Shakthidharan's The Wrong Gods tells the story of four women grappling with change. As the push for development creeps closer, traditions begin to buckle under the weight of progress. What follows is a slow unravelling of relationships, beliefs and loyalties. It’s an intimate, character-driven piece that leans into lyrical dialogue and rich visual moments to explore what happens when the world you’ve always known starts slipping away.

Radhika Mudaliyar brings restless energy to Isha, a slightly naive and yet determined teenager desperate to escape her rural surroundings to see the real world and follow her dreams of being a scientist. Her portrayal of a young woman torn between honouring the past and embracing the future is compelling and layered, and her chemistry with Nadie Kammallaweera as her mother is genuinely heartfelt and believable, adding a tender layer to their complicated relationship.

The Bombay Talkies exhibition

Peter Dietze opening The Bombay Talkies

There is much to experience during the inaugural Asia TOPA Festival, a festival which celebrates the artistic and creative talent of our neighbouring Asian countries and Australia's connection with these countries. One such event is The Bombay Talkies exhibition that is currently on at ACMI, which offers a glimpse into a movie studio that changed the film industry in India.

Founded in 1934 by Himanshu Rai - a pioneer of Indian cinema - and Devika Rani - an actress who has been widely acknowledged as the first lady of Indian cinema, The Bombay Talkies produced 40 films in 20 years and lifted Indian films to that of international standards. 

This free exhibition consists of over 3,000 cultural artefacts once owned by Rai and highlights the impact that the studio had on the country during this time. The multitude of newspaper clippings, letters, invitations, stills and photographs all show the fascination (and even obsession) that audiences had for its films and actors, including Ashok Kumar, who became the star of the studio and an icon of Indian cinema.