In 2014, Bollywood’s dream girl Hema Malini became Member of Parliament from Mathura. When visiting a widow-home in Vrindavan, she suggested that Vrindavan widows should remain in Bengal instead of coming to over-crowded Vrindavan. The uproar that followed involved many actors – NGOs, the BJP, Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, and Hema Malini. This incident provides the inspiration for Vrindavan, City of Widows, in which 12 feisty widows live in raucous celebration until a Bollywood actress arrives to disrupt their lives. Vrindavan is a grand musical, juxtaposing the colorful love of Radha and Krishna with the stark existence of Vrindavan widows, and told through humor and wit, the songs of Meera Bai and the gyrations of Bollywood songs. The play features spectacular sets, costumes and lights, along with live music by Nachiketa Yakkundi and his team, choreography by Guru Bandana Sen, and dance by Dipanwita Sengupta and her students at California Nupur Dance Academy. This is Naatak’s 50th play. As befits a milestone production, it will be staged on a grand scale, with much media coverage, and as many as 9 shows for a large audience. A news item on the incident that became the genesis of this play: http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/widows-from-bengal-bihar-stay-there-why-crowd-vrindavan-hema-malini-667204 Language: Hindi (with English supertitles) Run-time: 100 minutes, no intermission Children under 7 will not be admitted

Step into the shadows of a meticulously planned murder in this edge-of-the-seat thriller where a man masterminds a chilling plot to murder his unfaithful wife for her inheritance. When his 'perfect' plan spirals into chaos, a web of lies and deceit is spun. This classic by Frederick Knott was also adapted in 1954 into a critically acclaimed film by Alfred Hitchcock. Cubberley Theater, 4120 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto, CA 94306 run-time: 95 minutes Children under 7 will not be admitted.

(in Hindi, with supertitles in English) Our 112th production is our most ambitious production yet! GHASIRAM KOTWAL is Vijay Tendulkar's magnum opus - a grand musical about power, politics and perversion in the times of the Peshwas. Arriving in Pune from northern India, Ghasiram rises to great prominence through deceit, trickery and violence. But as an immigrant, can he disrupt the status quo? Set against the backdrop of the Maratha Empire of the 18th century, the play features spectacular sets and costumes, iconic musical tracks, and the beautiful and vibrant folk dances of Maharashtra. Language: Hindi Run-time: 110 minutes

(in English, and some Tamil with supertitles in English) In 1998, a woman named Monica Besra was cured of a stomach tumor through a miracle wrought by Mother Teresa, setting in motion a chain of events that led to her new status in the Catholic Church - Saint Teresa. BLESSED is a fascinating tale based on that miracle, the cynical men and women who engineered it, the pulls and pushes that animate the Catholic Church, and the politics surrounding the creation of a new saint. Language: English Run-time: 100 minutes Starbright Theater, 1770 W Campbell Ave, Campbell, CA 95008 Children under 12 will not be admitted.

December 1971, a frigid morning in Delhi: a woman named Vilayat Mahal walks into the waiting room at the railway station and claims to be the legitimate descendant of Wajid Ali Shah, the last nawab of Oudh. The family has everything - a begum, a prince, a princess, Great Danes, opulent carpets, potted palms, a retinue of servants in livery - except the recognition they seek. Inspired by a true story in the New York Times, विलायत महल is a fictional tragi-comedy that re-imagines the life of Begum Vilayat Mahal, her run-in with Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and her strange 'reign' as Begum of Oudh. Written specially for us, this Naatak Original script has never been performed before. Language: Hindi Run-time: 110 minutes This play has adult content. Those under 16 will not be admitted.