From August 14 to 17, 2025
A major theatrical production based on the Ramayana is set to make its international debut in the United Arab Emirates next week, as the Indian stage epic Humare Ram opens at Dubai Opera from August 14 to 17, 2025.
The show, produced by Felicity Theatre, has seen over 300 sold-out performances across India and drawn more than half a million viewers since its premiere. Its staging in Dubai marks the first time the production will be performed outside India, reflecting growing regional demand for large-scale cultural performances rooted in South Asian heritage.
A press conference was held on August 6 in Dubai, where members of the cast and creative team spoke about the show’s themes, staging, and international aspirations. The production seeks to reinterpret the Ramayana not as religious mythology but as a philosophical narrative, with universal ideas around ethics, duty, and the human condition.
Rahull R Bhuchar, the show’s writer and lead actor portraying Ram, described the play as a contemporary exploration of ancient ideals. He said the decision to bring the show to Dubai was driven in part by the emirate’s large Indian diaspora, which exceeds 3.5 million residents according to data from the Indian Ministry of External Affairs.
“The Middle East is home to a significant South Asian population,” Bhuchar said. “Staging Humare Ram here is both a cultural bridge and a response to ongoing interest in regional theatre.”
Indian actor Ashutosh Rana, who plays Ravan, noted the complexity of his character. “It is not about playing a villain. It is about portraying the tension between ego, knowledge, and morality,” he said.
The production incorporates high-budget staging techniques, including LED projection mapping, aerial choreography, and original musical scores composed by prominent Indian artists such as Sonu Nigam and Shankar Mahadevan.
The team said the Dubai shows will retain the full scale and scope of the Indian performances, with multiple screenings scheduled daily due to anticipated demand.
According to organisers, shows on August 14 and 15 are close to sold out, while ticket sales for August 16 and 17 are also nearing capacity. Dubai Opera confirmed it is hosting the production as part of its seasonal programming, which includes regional and international theatrical performances.
Humare Ram’s Dubai staging also reflects a broader cultural shift in the Gulf region. The UAE, in particular, has increasingly positioned itself as a regional hub for performing arts, leveraging institutions such as Dubai Opera, Abu Dhabi’s Cultural Foundation, and Sharjah’s arts initiatives to attract global productions.
The show’s reception in India was strong, with endorsements from figures across the arts and sports sectors. While celebrity praise is common for high-profile productions, critics have also highlighted the show’s visual design and narrative choices, including its focus on lesser-known episodes from the Ramayana.
India’s theatrical industry has seen a steady growth in international touring in recent years, especially among productions that blend traditional storytelling with modern stagecraft. The market for South Asian cultural productions in the Gulf has expanded in parallel, with demand driven not only by diaspora communities but by broader regional interest in cross-cultural narratives.
Humare Ram is expected to attract audiences beyond the Indian community, including educators, theatre enthusiasts, and interfaith observers. Organisers said the show’s narrative framework was designed to resonate across cultures and generations, while remaining grounded in its source material.
Felicity Theatre, the company behind the production, has previously staged contemporary interpretations of Indian epics and literature. Still, Humare Ram is its largest undertaking to date in terms of production scale and international reach.
The producers did not confirm whether Humare Ram will tour other GCC countries following its Dubai premiere. However, given the scale of interest and the success of similar productions in the region, further performances remain a possibility.
Hero image: Ashutosh Rana and Rahull R Bhuchar addressing a press conference in Dubai on August 6, 2025. Credit: Felicity Theatre
