Fresh from the success of Counting and Cracking and The Jungle and the Sea, playwright S. Shakthidharan brings his latest work, The Wrong Gods, to Australian stages.
This powerful new play, co-produced by Belvoir and Melbourne Theatre Company, explores the tension between tradition and progress through the intimate lens of a mother-daughter relationship.
Set in a remote Indian valley, The Wrong Gods follows Nirmala, a farmer rooted in ancestral ways, and her daughter Isha, who dreams of education and opportunity in the city.
Their already strained bond is tested further when a large-scale dam project threatens their land and way of life. The play poses urgent questions about development, displacement, and the true cost of “progress.”
Featuring an all-female South Asian cast—including Counting and Cracking stars Radhika Mudaliyar and Nadie Kammallaweera, alongside Bharatanatyam dancer Vaishnavi Suryaprakash and actor Manali Datar—the production promises a stirring blend of drama, cultural richness, and emotional depth.
After its Sydney season (3 May – 1 June), The Wrong Gods heads to Melbourne (6 June – 12 July) where it will play at The Arts Centre’s Fairfax Studio, continuing Shakthidharan’s tradition of crafting works that resonate deeply with contemporary audiences.
For tickets and details visit the Melbourne Theatre Company.
