Last week in Mumbai, India, the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Center (NMACC) was inaugurated with a three-day celebration of art, performances, and more. The weekend was a star-studded affair attended by Bollywood icons and international names in entertainment, fashion, and art—including those like Zendaya, Ranveer Singh, Sandeep Khosla, Bibhu Mohapatra, Deepika Padukone, Gigi Hadid, Shah Rukh Khan, Mickalene Thomas, and Prabal Gurung. In addition to celebratory dinners and dance parties, guests were treated to previews of the center’s debut programming, representing its multifaceted venues and ventures, including exhibition and events spaces hosting happenings in art, fashion, and theater.
NMACC, photo by Rowben Lantion, BFA.com, © BFA.
“My heart is full…[my husband] Mukesh and I had dreamt about having a cultural center in India comparable to the best in the world,” said NMACC Founder, Nita Mukesh Ambani. “I’m looking forward to welcoming everyone to the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre in Mumbai.”
Kicking off the festivities on Friday, guests gathered outside at the Fountain of Joy, before The Grand Theatre was brought to life for the first time by Feroz Abbas Khan’s The Great Indian Musical: Civilization to Nation. Made possible by a cast of Indian talent and a Tony- and Emmy award-winning crew, the show featured music by Ajay-Atul, choreography by Vaibhavi Merchant, more than 1,100 costumes by Manish Malhotra, and a 55-piece orchestra from Budapest. The musical set the tone for the world-class 2,000-seat theater, which is the first in the country fit for hosting Broadway touring productions.
Installation view, “India in Fashion,” courtesy of NMACC.
The Grand Theatre, courtesy of NMACC.
On Saturday, the celebration continued with unveiling Hamish Bowles’s concept for the exhibition“India in Fashion: The Impact of Indian Dress and Textile on the Fashionable Imagination.” Inspiring with more than 140 costumes in a layout by Patrick Kinmonth and Rooshad Shroff, it showcased the country’s impact on global fashion through a selection ranging from specially-commissioned garments by Indian designers to India-inspired designs by renowned fashion houses like Chanel, Dior, and YSL. Following a gala dinner, the night came to a close with a dance party and surprise performances by Priyanka Chopra and Shah Rukh Khan.
Sunday, guests were introduced to NMACC’s four-story exhibition venue, Art House, boasting 16,000 square feet of presentation space. The show “Sangam/Confluence” inaugurates the space, co-curatored by Jeffrey Deitch and Ranjit Hoskote. It was conceived as a narrative on ideas of union (a concept that goes hand-in-hand with Indian culture), featuring five Indian and five international artists whose practices determine or are influenced by the Indian cultural narrative—including names like Francesco Clemente, Bharti Kher, Raqib Shaw, Lynda Benglis, and Ratheesh T.
Public Art at NMACC – “Clouds” (2019) by Yayoi Kusama, courtesy of NMACC.
Musicians at the opening of NMACC, photo by Rowben Lantion, BFA.com, © BFA.
Located in India’s financial and entertainment capital, the state-of-the-art facilities of NMACC are at home within the Jio World Centre, along with other noteworthy spaces like the country’s largest convention center. Outfitted with capabilities for multi-disciplinary cultural programming from art shows to creative experiences and panel discussions to theatrical productions, NMACC welcomes guests to multiple spaces including The Grand Theatre, a more intimate venue, The Studio Theatre, The Cube event space, Art House, and The Theatre Cafe.
Aryan Khan and Suhana Khan at the opening of NMACC, photo by Giovanni Mocchetti, BFA.com, © BFA.
Zendaya at the opening of NMACC, photo by Rowben Lantion, BFA.com, © BFA.
