A video released this week by the cast of the popular Marathi play ‘Albatya Galbatya’, drawing attention to the deteriorating condition of Acharya Pralhad Keshav Atre Rangmandir in Kalyan, has set off a fresh round of scrutiny over the state of civic-run auditoriums in the Kalyan-Dombivli region. Posted on Instagram by actor Shraddha Hande, the video has been widely circulated on social media and has prompted responses from local political functionaries as well as the theatre’s management committee.
In the video, members of the team describe a series of issues they have encountered at Atre Rangmandir, Kalyan over the past three to four years. These include electrical sparking incidents during live performances, frequently non-functional air-conditioning, and poor backstage facilities. According to Hande, performances of the play have had to be halted on stage on four to five occasions in recent years due to electrical failures. The cast has stated that complaints raised with the auditorium’s management on multiple occasions have not led to any meaningful improvement.
Renovation expenditure under the scanner
Much of the focus has now shifted to the renovation work undertaken at Atre Rangmandir during the COVID-19 lockdown, when the auditorium was shut for an extended period. The artistes pointed out that lakhs of rupees were reportedly spent on repair work during that period, yet basic facilities at the venue remain in poor condition. The cast has warned that theatre groups may consider discontinuing performances at the venue if corrective measures are not taken.
The issue has since drawn a political response. Umesh Borgaonkar, a local functionary of the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), has demanded a formal inquiry into the renovation expenditure and alleged that corruption may have been involved in the repair work.
Members of the theatre’s management committee, on their part, have defended the administration. They have stated that no other theatre group has raised similar concerns about the venue and questioned why only the ‘Albatya Galbatya’ team has chosen to do so publicly.
Dombivli’s Savitribai Phule Natyagruha remains closed
The Atre Rangmandir controversy comes at a time when another major KDMC-operated auditorium in the region — Savitribai Phule Natyagruha in Dombivli — also remains closed. The natyagruha has been shut since May 2025, when a portion of its ceiling collapsed. A subsequent structural inspection by the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation found the roof frames to be weak and brittle, following which repair work was initiated. The auditorium was originally expected to reopen by mid-June 2025, but as reported by Loksatta, slab repair work continues to be in progress nearly a year later.
Together, the two auditoriums are among the most frequently booked venues for Marathi natak in the Kalyan-Dombivli region. Their current condition has meant fewer available dates for producers and a reduced number of shows for audiences in an area that has historically been one of the most active theatre-going pockets in Maharashtra.
The Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation is yet to issue an official statement in response to the concerns raised by the ‘Albatya Galbatya’ team. Civic action on both auditoriums will be closely watched in the days ahead.
