THE WRONG GODS IS COMING TO MELBOURNE

Australian playwright S. Shakthidharan’s new play 'The Wrong Gods' is set to make its Melbourne debut on June 6, 2025, at the Fairfax Studio, Arts Centre Melbourne, running until July 12. 

Following the critical success of his epic 'Counting and Cracking', Sydney playwright Shakthidharan returns with a more intimate yet equally powerful work that explores the complex costs of progress and globalisation through a gripping mother-daughter story set in a remote Indian valley.'The Wrong Gods' centres on Nirmala, a woman who, along with her ancestors, has protected her valley from outside forces for 50,000 years. 

Her daughter, Isha, dreams of escaping the agrarian life to pursue education and opportunities in the city. 

When a stranger arrives with an offer tied to a large-scale dam project promising progress but demanding a heavy price, the family and their community face a profound reckoning with tradition, ambition, and the environment.

The play is co-directed by Shakthidharan and Hannah Goodwin and features an all-female South Asian cast, including Radhika Mudaliyar as Isha, Nadie Kammallaweera as Nirmala, Vaishnavi Suryaprakash, and Manali Datar.

'The Wrong Gods' at the Fairfax Studio, Arts Centre Melbourne, from June 6 to July 12, 2025.