Mandi House Theatre Guide: Delhi's Theatre District (2026)
Updated 2026-10-04 · 7 min read · by the delhi2go team
Mandi House is Delhi’s theatre district. Within a 10-minute walk of Mandi House metro station (Blue and Violet Lines) you’ll find the National School of Drama, Kamani Auditorium, Shri Ram Centre, the Little Theatre Group, Triveni Kala Sangam, Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra and the three national academies at Rabindra Bhavan. Most plays are booked on BookMyShow, evening shows start around 7 pm, and many productions cost a few hundred rupees. See what’s playing on our theatre events page.
The Mandi House venues at a glance
| Venue | Address | Seats | Known for | How to book |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kamani Auditorium | 1 Copernicus Marg | About 625 | Big productions, star-cast plays, dance | BookMyShow or District |
| National School of Drama | Bahawalpur House, Bhagwandas Road | Several auditoria (Abhimanch, Sammukh, Bahumukh) | Repertory, student productions, Bharat Rang Mahotsav | BookMyShow (linked from NSD’s site) |
| Shri Ram Centre for Performing Arts | 7 Safdar Hashmi Marg | 375 | Repertory and theatre festivals | BookMyShow |
| LTG Auditorium | Copernicus Marg, opposite Doordarshan Bhawan | 327, plus a 50-seat studio | Independent groups, Natyakumbh festival | BookMyShow |
| Triveni Kala Sangam | 205 Tansen Marg | 159 indoors, 200 open-air | Galleries, free recitals and readings | No tickets |
| Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra | 1 Copernicus Marg | Open-air lawn | Ramlila dance-drama each autumn | BookMyShow |
| Rabindra Bhavan | Ferozeshah Road | — | National academies, exhibitions | Mostly free |
Why it’s called Mandi House
The roundabout takes its name from the Delhi residence of the Raja of Mandi, a hill state in present-day Himachal Pradesh. The house was demolished in the 1970s, and Doordarshan Bhawan now stands on or beside the site. In the decades after Independence, the national academies, NSD and private arts trusts all settled in the surrounding lanes, and the area became Delhi’s home for theatre, dance and visual art. See more on our Mandi House area page.
The venues
National School of Drama (NSD)
Founded in 1959 by the Sangeet Natak Akademi and autonomous since 1975, NSD is India’s premier drama school. It works out of Bahawalpur House on Bhagwandas Road and has several performance spaces, including the Abhimanch, Sammukh and Bahumukh auditoria and a studio theatre. Watch for:
- The NSD Repertory Company, founded in 1964, which stages full productions through the year.
- Student diploma productions, often bold and experimental.
- Sanskaar Rang Toli, NSD’s Theatre-in-Education company, founded in 1989 for audiences aged 8–16. It runs the children’s festival Jashn-e-Bachpan. Our kids’ weekend guide has more family options.
- Bharat Rang Mahotsav (BRM), NSD’s international theatre festival, held from late January into February. The 2026 edition, the 25th, ran from 27 January to 20 February across 40 locations, with tickets on BookMyShow.
Kamani Auditorium
Kamani opened in 1971 and is run by the Bharatiya Kala Kendra Trust. With about 625 seats, it’s Mandi House’s biggest proscenium stage, and the one big touring productions, star-led plays and major dance recitals choose. Evening shows usually start at 6:30 or 7 pm, with matinees around 2–2:30 pm on some days. Booking is on BookMyShow or District, depending on the producer. It’s also a regular home for festivals such as META, the Mahindra Excellence in Theatre Awards. See our Kamani venue page.
Shri Ram Centre for Performing Arts (SRC)
SRC was founded in 1958, and its Brutalist building on Safdar Hashmi Marg (1966–69) is an architectural landmark in its own right. The main auditorium seats 375. The centre has its own repertory company, founded in 1980. Shows usually start at 7 pm and are booked on BookMyShow. SRC runs two annual festivals: the Panna Bharat Ram Theatre Festival in December and the Sheila Bharat Ram Theatre Festival in May.
LTG Auditorium (Little Theatre Group)
LTG was conceived in Lahore in 1946 and has worked in Delhi since 1948. Its repertory company, set up in 1972, describes itself as India’s oldest running repertory. The I.L. Dass Auditorium seats 327, and Blank Canvas is an intimate 50-seat space. LTG is where much of Delhi’s independent theatre plays. Recent seasons have featured groups such as Pierrot’s Troupe, Kanupriya Theatre Company, Veda Factory and Dramatech. Shows run at 7–7:30 pm, with 4:30 pm matinees, and its Natyakumbh festival takes over the calendar in late October.
Triveni Kala Sangam
Founded in 1950 by Sundari K. Shridharani, Triveni moved into its Joseph Allen Stein building on Tansen Marg in 1963. It doesn’t have a membership scheme or sell tickets for its shows. It has several galleries (including the Shridharani Gallery and Art Heritage), a sculpture garden, a 159-seat auditorium and a 200-seat open-air theatre. The Triveni Terrace Cafe is a classic pre-show stop, opening at 10 am, at about ₹650 for two. Browse art events for current exhibitions.
Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra (SBKK)
SBKK was founded in 1952 by Sumitra Charat Ram. It is best known for its Ramlila dance-drama, staged every year since 1957 and on its open-air lawn since 1980, in the weeks around Navratri and Dussehra. In 2024 the run lasted from 3 to 26 October at 6:30 pm, and tickets were sold on BookMyShow. Our Ramlila and Dussehra guide covers this year’s options. SBKK also trains students in dance and music and has an on-site café.
Rabindra Bhavan: the national academies
On Ferozeshah Road, Rabindra Bhavan houses three national academies. The Sangeet Natak Akademi has a gallery of over 200 musical instruments. The Lalit Kala Akademi runs free art exhibitions, open 11 am to 7 pm. The Sahitya Akademi hosts its Festival of Letters every February. Look for literature programmes under literature events.
How to find a play
- Check listings. Our theatre this weekend page pulls together upcoming shows across Delhi NCR.
- Check venue calendars. Kamani, Shri Ram Centre and LTG publish schedules on their websites, and NSD links its bookings from its own site.
- Follow the groups. Many independent companies announce shows first on Instagram.
- Look at the language. Delhi theatre runs in Hindi, Urdu, English and mixes of all three, and listings usually say which.
Tickets and timings
- Evening shows start between 6:30 and 7:30 pm. Weekend matinees are common at Kamani (around 2–2:30 pm) and LTG (4:30 pm).
- Prices vary by producer. Repertory and student productions are usually the cheapest, often a few hundred rupees, while big star-led productions at Kamani cost the most. Triveni’s shows are free.
- Book early for festivals. BRM and META performances, and weekend shows of popular productions, can sell out.
- Arrive 20–30 minutes early. Latecomers may be held at the door until a suitable break.
Theatre etiquette and first-timer tips
- Phones off, not just silent. A lit screen in a 300-seat hall distracts everyone around you, and the actors can see it too.
- No photos or video during the performance unless the company says otherwise. Many productions invite photos at the curtain call.
- Eat before the show. Most auditoriums don’t allow food inside. Triveni Terrace Cafe and the cafés around the roundabout are your pre-show options.
- Students: NSD and repertory shows are the most affordable way into serious theatre, and a festival like BRM packs hundreds of productions into a few weeks.
- Bring a shawl in winter. Auditorium air-conditioning and the walk back to the metro at 9:30 pm in January are both colder than you’d expect.
The Mandi House calendar
| When | What | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Late Jan–Feb | Bharat Rang Mahotsav | NSD and venues across India |
| February | Sahitya Akademi Festival of Letters | Rabindra Bhavan |
| March | META (Mahindra Excellence in Theatre Awards) | Kamani and Shri Ram Centre in 2026 |
| May | Sheila Bharat Ram Theatre Festival | Shri Ram Centre |
| Sept–Oct | Ramlila dance-drama | Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra |
| Late October | Natyakumbh | LTG Auditorium |
| December | Panna Bharat Ram Theatre Festival | Shri Ram Centre |
Beyond Mandi House
- Studio Safdar, Shadi Khampur: the space run since 2012 by Jana Natya Manch, the street-theatre group founded in 1973. Its co-founder Safdar Hashmi, after whom SRC’s road is named, was killed in 1989 while performing. The building also houses the May Day Bookstore & Cafe.
- India Habitat Centre, Lodhi Road: plays, readings and screenings in several halls. See our IHC venue page.
- Sahitya Kala Parishad, the Delhi government’s culture body, isn’t at Mandi House at all; it’s based in the Qutab Institutional Area. Its festivals, including the Bhartendu Natya Utsav, are worth tracking.
Getting there
Take the Blue or Violet Line to Mandi House. Kamani, SBKK and LTG are on Copernicus Marg, Shri Ram Centre is on Safdar Hashmi Marg, Triveni is on Tansen Marg, and NSD and Rabindra Bhavan are on the Bhagwandas Road and Ferozeshah Road side. All are within a 5–10-minute walk of the station. Parking around the roundabout can be hard to find at show time, so the metro is the easier choice. Most lines run until roughly 11 pm, which is usually enough after a 7 pm show.
A play is one of the best evenings out in winter. When the air is bad, our indoor things to do page has more covered options, and dance events list recitals at the same venues.
Frequently asked questions
Which metro station is nearest to Mandi House theatres?
Mandi House station, an interchange of the Blue and Violet Lines, is a short walk from Kamani Auditorium, Shri Ram Centre, LTG, Triveni Kala Sangam, NSD and Rabindra Bhavan. Barakhamba Road on the Blue Line is the next stop.
How do I book tickets for plays at Mandi House?
Most plays at Kamani, Shri Ram Centre, LTG and NSD are sold on BookMyShow, and some productions use District. Each venue also publishes its schedule online. Triveni Kala Sangam doesn't sell tickets for its shows.
What time do plays start at Mandi House?
Evening shows usually start between 6:30 pm and 7:30 pm. Kamani also runs matinees around 2–2:30 pm, and LTG has 4:30 pm matinees on some days.
When is the Bharat Rang Mahotsav?
The National School of Drama's Bharat Rang Mahotsav is held from late January into February each year. The 25th edition ran from 27 January to 20 February 2026 across 40 locations, with tickets on BookMyShow.
How many seats does Kamani Auditorium have?
Kamani Auditorium on Copernicus Marg has about 625 seats (484 in the stalls and 141 in the balcony), according to its official website. It opened in 1971 and is run by the Bharatiya Kala Kendra Trust.
Is there anything free to see at Mandi House?
Yes. Triveni Kala Sangam doesn't run ticketed shows and has several free galleries, and the Lalit Kala Akademi galleries at Rabindra Bhavan are free to visit.
