Hamlet in Hindi: Shakespeare’s timeless tragedy through a contemporary lens

Hamlet, William Shakespeare’s enduring tragedy, will be presented in Hindi by the SRCPA Repertory at the Shri Ram Centre Auditorium, Mandi House, from July 3 to 5. Directed by acclaimed French theatre director, filmmaker and pedagogue Habib Naghmouchine, the production reimagines the classic for contemporary Indian audiences while remaining rooted in the emotional and philosophical depth of the original.

The 100-minute adaptation explores themes of power, betrayal, revenge, corruption and human conscience through a modern theatrical approach. Performed by the young ensemble of the SRCPA Repertory, the production seeks to make Shakespeare’s timeless questions immediate and accessible in a Hindi-language staging.

Naghmouchine, who trained at the École Jacques Lecoq in Paris and has worked across theatre and cinema in France, Brazil, Cuba, India and the United States, is known for blending diverse performance traditions with contemporary storytelling. His collaborations have ranged from staging Shakespeare and Chekhov at the National Theatre of São Paulo to developing documentaries exploring environmental concerns. He is currently working with the Shri Ram Centre for Performing Arts in Delhi, continuing his practice of rooting universal texts in specific cultural and linguistic contexts.

“For me, Hamlet is a profoundly contemporary work. It speaks about power—not only the power we inherit, but also the power we choose to seize, often by stepping outside accepted moral and social boundaries. It is also a play about crime, corruption, and the consequences of human ambition,” says Naghmouchine.

“What makes Hamlet so relevant today is its reflection of a world in turmoil. Presenting the play in Hindi allows these questions and conflicts to speak directly to contemporary Indian audiences, making Shakespeare’s timeless concerns immediate and accessible,” he added.