“Apple, pineapple, jackfruit, guava…” A group stands in a circle, listing fruits and playing a game of fruit basket, in Banjara Hills, Hyderabad. “The game is about warming up, focusing and breaking the ice,” says Jayashree Raj, founder of the improvisational theater collective Improv Commune, who has been in the city for nine years now. Games and improvisational exercises are part of a workshop-cum-production with a filmy twist, which will be staged at Rangbhoomi Space on August 30.

While one of the city’s popular improv shows is helmed by stand-up comedian Rajashekhar Mamidana, Hyderabad’s growing trend towards improvisation – an unscripted form of live theater – is gaining attention. Armed with a repertoire of techniques, actors respond to audience cues – an idea, word, character, problem or situation – and create scenes on the spot. The audience gets to see its suggestions put into action as actors create stories seemingly out of nothing.

Because improv often leans toward comedy, some people see it as an extension of stand-up. But the art form has far more potential with diverse forms of expression.

challenging moment

Artists of Vikram Ba-Taal Theater Group during a session. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Comedy is a key component of improv and plays a role in the Vikram Ba-Taal theater group, co-founded by Anmona Chaliha and Ananth Vikram. In his workshops, participants jump in, explore topics, engage their bodies, and take risks.

Anmona, a theater artiste for 18 years, says improv also develops life skills. “Actors need confidence and must learn to trust their body, location and stage. The art form is a great way to develop these skills. They just say funny things rather than create a scene, which makes it more like a conversation than a story.”

Anmona Chaliha Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

He believes that every moment on stage is challenging but it gives actors a chance to work on themselves. “If I ask my co-actor, ‘Why are you standing upside down?’, they should say yes as much as possible. But it also puts them on the spot – do they really stand on their heads or say something unique? That’s the fun that comes out during a scene.”

If theater lovers turn to improv for the thrill of performing without a script, others use it as a tool for self-discovery. “Most of the members of my batch want to open up in their lives,” says Jayshree, “Life doesn’t happen as per plan, and improvisation helps build confidence so that you are prepared for everything that comes your way.”

therapy session

Playing Word Association Games for Quick Thinking Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Jayshree, a software professional at Accenture and a weekend radio jockey at All India Radio, thrives on the energy of an improvised stage because it offers much more than performance. Since 2017, she has conducted over 25 group workshops focused on mental health and emotional healing. “Improv is not therapy, but it is therapeutic,” she says. “Introverts join to express themselves, while non-locals come looking for friends. We create a non-judgmental space where members feel safe and triggers aren’t touched upon.”

The art form also offers lessons that extend beyond the stage. For theater artist Atul Rastogi, it has made him more attentive in his work as a freelance writer for advertising agencies. “The characters and situations the audience gives us are either imagined or inspired by real life. You have to observe and be a scavenger – picking up people’s lives, conversations and experiences from what you see and recreating them on stage.”

Improv Commune | Participants jammed and learned how to make clowns in a workshop at . Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

As the desire for improvement in the city is increasing, new platforms are emerging. Cue Ball, an improv club from The Pomegranate Collective, will create a stage for ‘audience-actors’ – spectators who contribute cues. Set to launch during Dussehra, the club will host monthly sessions where audiences can also come on the platform to participate.

“Our team member Priyanka will be the head of the club,” says Pallavi Verma Minnaganti, co-founder of the collective and theater actor-director, who was part of the improv community in 2019.

Pallavi Verma (sitting with her back turned) in a session of Minnaganti. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Pallavi also plans to take sessions to teens in 2027. “I believe improv is a great tool during adolescence. This toolkit helps teens think on their feet, improvise, respond, and navigate real-life situations, debates, presentations, and even interviews. It gives them a deeper sense of belonging.”

published – August 19, 2026 01:42 PM IST