The opening night of the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC) was as grand as expected.
The highlight of the centre is undoubtedly the Grand Theatre which is touted as the most technologically advanced theatre in India, thanks to a combination of a world-class integrated Dolby Atmos Surround Sound System and Virtual Acoustic System, ingenious seating arrangement and a special programmable lighting system. The lighting system is further enhanced with over 8400 Swarovski crystals that create a multidimensional experience. That’s not all, the Grand Theatre also seats 2000 people across three levels.
Nita Ambani on the NMACC
“An ode to our nation, the Cultural Centre aims to preserve and promote Indian arts. I hope our spaces nurture and inspire talent, bringing together communities from across India and the globe,” Founder and Chairperson Nita Mukesh Ambani said in a statement regarding the multi-disciplinary cultural space which is sure to become one of India’s most sought-after arenas.
“As someone so deeply touched by the arts, it has been my greatest honour to have worked with artists and craftspeople for a long time through our Reliance Foundation. I have seen first-hand the magical transformation that art makes possible. It gives hope, creates solidarity, nurtures imagination, and embraces divergence,” Nita Ambani said, adding: “The NMACC is envisioned as a platform to spotlight Indian arts and culture at its best, both for the audience and the artists. A truly inclusive centre for performers and visitors, for dreamers and creators, for one and all. With world-class infrastructure and robust programming, our aim is to make the arts accessible to everyone.”
Fashion, music and craft – a celebration of varied Indian artforms
Nita Ambani and her team have curated splendid, one-of-a-kind experiences at the NMACC which include a musical masterpiece by Feroz Abbas Khan titled ‘The Great Indian Musical: Civilization to Nation’, Sufi Qawwali by Ustad Munawaar Masoom, Gujarati Folk performance by Hardik Dave amongst others. The tickets for these are all consciously priced, keeping in mind the founder’s promise of accessibility.
We’re particularly looking forward to the India in Fashion exhibit which explores the layered impact that traditional Indian dress, textiles and craft have had on international fashion sensibility since the 18th century. Curated by Hamish Bowles, global editor-at-large for Vogue and editor-in-chief of The World of Interiors, and designed by Patrick Kinmonth with Rooshad Shroff, the exhibition features iconic Western couture and ready-to-wear designs inspired by India, from the 20th and 21st centuries.
That’s not all – the showcase features works of pioneering Indian designers like Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla, Anamika Khanna, Anita Dongre, Anuradha Vakil, Manish Arora, Manish Malhotra, Rahul Mishra, Ritu Kumar, Sabyasachi Mukherjee, Sanjay Garg, and Tarun Tahiliani alongside those of their global counterparts like Christian Dior, Cristóbal Balenciaga, Elsa Schiaparelli, Coco Chanel, Jean-Philippe Worth, Mainbocher, and Yves Saint Laurent.
The opening night of the NMACC saw some of the brightest stars of the film and fashion industries come together. Celebrities like Rajinikanth, Shah Rukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Nick Jonas, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Gigi Hadid, Salman Khan, Emma Chamberlain, Karisma Kapoor and more graced the event.
From SRK to Gigi Hadid, the opening night of the NMACC was grand
Image credits: Instagram
Mayukh Majumdar
Entertainment Editor
Mayukh Majumdar lives life in Bollywood dialogues and has previously worked with media channels like Filmfare, Rolling Stone India, Man's World India and Mirror Now. He aspires to travel like Freya Stark and retire in New Orleans one day.
