Papa Painter
A father, a son, and the distance that quietly grows between them.
Venue: KCC Amphitheatre
Date: 12th December, 2026
A father, a son, and the distance that quietly grows between them. KCC presents Papa Painter, a theatrical work set in 1990s India, where migration, memory, and change shape an intimate story of family and identity. At its heart is a son’s journey from knowing someone simply as ‘Papa’ to discovering the person behind the word. Join us at AMI Arts Festival 2026 for an evening of theatre that reflects on what is often left unsaid between generations.
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Kolkata Centre for Creativity presents Papa Painter as part of the theatre lineup at AMI Arts Festival 2026, directed by Ajeet Singh Pallawat and written and performed by Vijay Ashok Sharma.
Papa Painter traces a son’s journey from the word ‘Papa’ to discovering the person behind it. The play follows a small family from rural Rajasthan as they board a train in search of a better future. As the child adapts to a changing world more quickly than the parent, a distance begins to emerge between father and son.
Set in 1990s India, the play draws on the familiar world of ration cards and PCO booths, Doordarshan and Shaktimaan, cycle bells and Bajaj scooters. These memories of a particular decade become the setting for a larger exploration of family, migration, aspiration and the ways relationships change over time.
At its heart, Papa Painter is an intimate exploration of a father-son relationship and a son’s changing understanding of the man he has always known simply as ‘Papa’.
About the Director
Ajeet Singh Pallawat is an actor, director and theatre practitioner trained at the National School of Drama. A co-founder of Ujaagar Dramatic Association, he has worked extensively across theatre and screen. His theatre practice includes acting as well as direction, with productions such as Kasumal Sapno, a Rajasthani adaptation of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, among his notable works.
About the Writer & Performer
Vijay Ashok Sharma is an actor, writer, theatre director and performer based in Mumbai, with over a decade of experience across stage, screen and voice work. His original solo works Papa Painter and Besharam Aadmi have been performed across India. His theatre credits also include productions such as Tipu Sultan ke Khwaab, Khamosh! Adaalat Jaari Hai, Kharaashein and Ilhaam.
About the Group
Founded in 2013, Ujaagar Dramatic Association works with performers from Rajasthan and beyond, drawing particularly from the region’s languages, stories and performance traditions. The group experiments with text, music and theatrical form while bringing regional narratives to contemporary stages. Its productions include Kasumal Sapno, Mukaam Dehru Jila Nagaur, A Girl Who Shot Her Doggy and Kahani Junction, among others.
