Online Play Reading Initiative by The Pomegranate Collective in Hyderabad

Five artists – Pallavi Verma Minnaganti, Madhuri Dempsey, Shikha Gupta, Rahul Premchander and Tarusha Saxena – have come together to revive the Pomegranate Collective in Hyderabad. The Collective comprises a group of theater professionals and enthusiasts. The first in this renewed series is Ananos, an online script-reading initiative, whose name is derived from the Greek word anagnoste, meaning ‘reader’.

“There is no one leader here; all five of us have an equal stake in the group,” says Pallavi, who brought the group back together. The collective previously performed at Dramanon’s SKiTS 2025.

diverse group

Pallavi is a theater director and actor and a performing arts instructor at Eager Readers and CHIREC International School. Madhuri is a writer, while Shikha, Rahul and Tarusha come from backgrounds in expressive arts therapy, creative design and events, and are also active in theatre. Apart from the core group, the group also had Shruti and theater actor Jonas David as members.

Pomegranate Collective was formed in February 2025, named after Pallavi while discovering Madhubani art. She was attracted to the fruit as a motif, especially its many seeds. She explains, “They represent our idea of ​​bringing together diverse individuals to create a singular voice on stage.” “I also love the fruit for its color and form. In all cultures, the pomegranate symbolizes fertility and abundance, which aligns with our purpose – to develop fertile minds and nurture creativity through many new ideas.” Explaining the inspiration behind starting the script reading initiative, Pallavi says, “Staging theater productions was taking too long, and many were beginning to feel repetitive.”

of content and speed

A scene from Dramanon’s monologue presented at SKiTS 2025 – 12 Minute Short-Drama Competition. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Members take turns leading brainstorming sessions held in each other’s homes or at studio locations. Pallavi describes these encounters as fluid exchanges around content and activity. “Each of us brings a different expertise, which helps us move toward our goals. We reflect on what we’ve accomplished — how far we’ve grown in storytelling — and build from there into the next season.”

The years-old group’s first finished piece was built around Prospero’s Shakespeare’s Monologue and Dramanon presented at SKiTS 2025 – a 12-minute short-drama competition using live cameras and stage screens. The group envisioned four characters – an actor, an aspirant, a star and a director – each delivering the same monologue, shaped by their specific circumstances.

After a brief lull in recent months due to personal commitments, the Collective is now gearing up for a new range of activities, including online reading initiatives. “Online meetings help theater friends from other cities connect,” says Pallavi.

Updates on their upcoming events and activities can be found on their social media pages @the_pomegranate_collective .