Adapted from Kalki Koechlin’s book, The Elephant in the Womb, Belly of the Beast overturns conventional notions of gentle motherhood from the outset. Take the title, for instance. Drawn from the biblical story of Jonah being swallowed by a giant fish in the Book of Jonah, the phrase evokes entrapment and peril – not the kind of imagery one associates with motherly bliss. Instead, the script ventures into a psychological territory that is messy, contradictory and deeply human, refusing to place mothers on a pedestal. Staged by Aadyam Theatre at the Kamani Auditorium, the production charts the journeys of five women at different stages of motherhood. As they navigate pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum, raising a kid and even miscarriage, these life-altering experiences find mythical resonance in fantastical creatures that embody the emotional and physical upheaval that the women endure. Luna channels the werewolf’s primal instincts, Kalia’s fury and frustration take the form of a dragon, Violet is as conflicted as the vampire, Aranya yearns for the spider demon’s unwavering efficiency and Twinkle represents the unicorn’s healing spirit. Sheena Khalid’s direction grounds the play in lived experiences that are both intensely personal and profoundly universal. Blending the everyday with the surreal, the storyline effortlessly shatters the Madonna–Medusa dichotomy. Moving away from the ‘perfect mother’ narrative, the actors portray real women navigating the transformative journey of parenthood with wit, humour and striking authenticity. Any discussion of the play would be incomplete without mentioning its top-notch stagecraft. Every element, from the lighting and sound to the set design, works in perfect harmony to create an immersive theatrical. experience, lending the production a dreamlike quality while retaining its raw emotional truth. Anurupa Roy’s larger-than-life shadow puppetry gives shape to the characters’ inner conflicts while preserving the sincerity of the original work’s graphic storybook feel. Complementing it beautifully, Guy Hershberg’s evocative live score captures the play’s hauntingly whimsical rhythm, deepening its dramatic impact. Together, these elements are far more than mere embellishments; they become integral storytelling devices that seamlessly weave magical realism into the narrative.
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