Kalki Koechlin and Sheena Khalid’s Belly of the Beast Redefines Motherhood Through Myth, Magic and Raw Emotion

Motherhood has often been portrayed through familiar narratives of sacrifice, joy, and unconditional love. But Belly of the Beast, the latest production from Aadyam Theatre, challenges those conventional depictions by exploring motherhood as a transformative and sometimes overwhelming journey. Adapted from the graphic novel The Elephant in the Womb, the production is written by Kalki Koechlin and Sheena Khalid, with Khalid also directing. The play follows five women navigating different phases of motherhood, from pregnancy and childbirth to postpartum recovery, raising children, and eventually learning to let go.

Rather than presenting these experiences through realism alone, the production embraces fantasy and mythology to reveal the emotional depths of motherhood.

Mythical Creatures Reflect Real Emotions

At the heart of Belly of the Beast are five extraordinary creatures: a dragon, a unicorn, a spider demon, a vampire, and a werewolf.

These beings emerge as symbolic representations of the emotions experienced by the women in the story. Fear, strength, vulnerability, rage, exhaustion, and resilience are transformed into vivid theatrical characters that bring internal struggles to life.

The result is a narrative that moves effortlessly between reality and imagination, allowing audiences to experience motherhood through a fresh and deeply creative lens.

Kalki Koechlin and Sheena Khalid – Belly of the Beast – Aadyam Theatre

A Visual Spectacle on Stage

One of the most striking aspects of the production is its visual storytelling.

Working alongside acclaimed puppeteer Anurupa Roy, the creative team incorporates shadow puppetry, movement, and live music to build a dreamlike theatrical world. The mythical creatures appear through intricate shadow work, existing alongside the performers in a way that blurs the line between fantasy and lived experience.

Adding further emotional depth is an original live score by composer Guy Hershberg, helping shape the production’s unique atmosphere.

The cast includes Kalki Koechlin, Kettan Singh, Amba-Suhasini K. Jhala, Rachel D’Souza, Shanaya Rafaat, and Shruti Vyas.

An Honest Exploration of Motherhood

Speaking about the project, Koechlin described motherhood as one of life’s most profound transformations.

She emphasized that the play is not intended to romanticize the experience but instead confronts its physical, emotional, and psychological realities. Through humor, darkness, and honesty, the production highlights the immense challenges mothers face while celebrating their resilience.

Director Sheena Khalid explained that extensive research and conversations with mothers shaped the production. Although she is not a mother herself, she said the process revealed the extraordinary complexity involved in bringing new life into the world.

A Theatre Experience That Breaks Convention

What makes Belly of the Beast stand out is its refusal to simplify motherhood into a single story. Instead, it embraces contradictions, allowing joy and exhaustion, tenderness and frustration, love and uncertainty to coexist.

Compassionate, imaginative and visually inventive, the production offers a powerful examination of identity, transformation and the realities of motherhood.

For audiences seeking thought-provoking contemporary theatre, Belly of the Beast promises a memorable experience that challenges expectations while delivering a deeply human story.