Pauline Bayle’s Mahabharata: A New Take on the Indian Epic in Paris

Director of the Théâtre Public de Montreuil (TPM) and former Villa Swagatam resident, Pauline Bayle will present her new creation, Mahabharata, A Story of Violence, from 29 September to 24 October 2026 in Paris. This contemporary adaptation of the great Indian epic brings together an exclusively female cast and explores the enduring questions of violence, power and war at the heart of the Mahabharata.

In March and April 2026, as part of Villa Swagatam, Pauline Bayle undertook a research residency across India, travelling between Varanasi, New Delhi, Chennai, Pondicherry and Bangalore. Throughout her journey, she met with writers, researchers, artists and theatre practitioners, engaging with the many traditions and interpretations of the Mahabharata.

For Pauline Bayle, the residency provided an opportunity to move beyond the text itself and encounter the Mahabharata through the people, practices and perspectives that continue to shape its transmission in India. The time spent travelling and exchanging with artists, researchers and practitioners became an integral part of the artistic research she has been pursuing for the past three years.

Opening in September 2026 at the Théâtre Public de Montreuil, Mahabharata, A Story of Violence brings this research into a contemporary theatrical language. The production reflects the spirit of Villa Swagatam: creating time and space for artists to engage deeply with India through conversations, research and exchange, and allowing these experiences to resonate in new artistic works presented internationally.