Nita Ambani shares her vision for India’s most modern Cultural Centre in Mumbai; Calls it ‘a tribute to India’s glorious legacy, traditions, and heritage’

As India’s most modern, iconic and world class Cultural Centre for performing as well as visual arts gets ready for a grand debut, Nita Ambani, Founder Chairperson of Reliance Foundation, shared her vision for the first-of-its-kind landmark in the heart of Mumbai named after her.

The Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC) is housed within the Jio World Centre in Mumbai’s Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) and will emerge the most sought-after venue to showcase best of India’s art and culture to the world and bring the world to India.

Nita Ambani called it a truly inclusive centre for performers and visitors, as well as for dreamers and creators, which aims to make the arts accessible to everyone with world-class infrastructure.

“I hope our spaces nurture and inspire talent, bringing people together from across India and the world,” said Nita Ambani, while calling NMACC ‘our commitment to preserve and promote Indian arts.’

NMACC is Nita Ambani’s dream project to create an international destination in India for local art, artists, performers, and creators, better than what is available in regions like the US or Europe.

Isha Ambani announced the opening of NMACC in October 2022 to honour her mother’s love for culture.

The four-storeyed NMACC will contain 16000 sq feet of purpose-built exhibition space and three theatres. The largest of these, a 2,000-seat Grand Theatre, will include an extraordinary and unique lotus-themed chandelier with 8,400 Swarovski crystals.

A trio of dedicated spaces for the performing arts include The Grand Theatre, The Studio Theatre and The Cube, all built with cutting-edge technology to cater to a wide range of experiences, from intimate screenings and stimulating conversations to multilingual programming and international productions. The centre will also launch the Art House, a four storeyed space to spotlight leading Indian and international artists.

On 31st March 2023, the doors to NMACC will open with a spectacular three-day launch.

Friday, 31st March 2023:

Civilization to Nation: The Journey of Our Nation: In the 2,000-seater Grand Theatre, acclaimed Indian playwright and director Feroz Abbas Khan will bring together a sensory narrative of Indian culture told through the tenets of the classical Natya Shastra, the ancient Sanskrit treatise on the performing arts. It captures the spirit of India, expressed as a nation, through its rich repository of arts. With 300 artistes and a 75-piece live orchestra, this production brings together exceptional Indian talent across art forms such as dance, music, and puppetry.

Saturday, 1st April 2023:

India in Fashion: The Impact of Indian Dress and Textiles on the Fashionable Imagination: Curated by prolific author and costume expert Hamish Bowles, this exhibit traces the widespread impact and influence of India’s sartorial traditions in textiles, jewellery and surface ornamentation on global fashion spanning the 18th-21st century. Accompanying this exhibition is a coffee table book published by Rizzoli, documenting a comprehensive history of India and its impact on fashion worldwide for the very first time.

Sunday, 2nd April 2023:

Sangam Confluence: Curated by India’s leading cultural theorist Ranjit Hoskote and Jeffrey Deitch, American curator, former director of the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), Los Angeles and founder of his eponymous gallery, Sangam Confluence is a group art show that celebrates diverse cultural impulses and traditions at the 16,000 sq. ft Art House. The exhibit, spread over four levels, explores the multiplicity of India through the works of 10 esteemed and emerging Indian contemporary artists and western artists influenced by India.

On this occasion, Isha Ambani also expressed her views about Nita Ambani and her dream project. She said:

“My mother Nita Ambani is a philanthropist, educationist, businesswoman…. But at her core, her strongest identity is that of a dancer. For more than 50 years she has danced every day. I have seen her dedicate time towards her craft. Her passion for the arts is unparalleled. And she’s always wanted to create a space dedicated to the heritage and culture of India.

Over the past few years, my mother and I along with our teams have worked relentlessly… towards making her dream come true. And it is my greatest honour, to stand beside her and request her to share her vision with the world! Over to you, Mom!”

On this address of Isha Ambani, Nita Ambani said with emotion:

“Thank you, Isha.

Namaskar.

I stand before you, as an artist, and an Indian classical dancer. At the age of six, I made a choice to learn Bharatnatyam, a classical Indian dance form. It was a choice that empowered me, gave me confidence, and helped shape the person I am today. I found my gift of expression and devotion in dance. For me, dance is a form of meditation. Something inside me connected so deeply to the world of arts! I have worked with weavers and craftspeople for a long time, through our Reliance Foundation. With immense joy and pride, I am happy to present to you the realization of a life-long dream – The Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre.

The NMACC is an ode to our nation. I hope it can be a platform for Indian arts and culture, both for the audience and the artists. I hope that it will become a place that nurtures and inspires talent for years to come. I hope this space welcomes you, and enthrals you. I look forward to welcoming all of you to the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre.

Dhanyavaad.”