Beyond the Horizon : A Successful Play by Varsha & Sunil Rane

Mumbai: All Play Productions, an organization dedicated to introducing children from rural and tribal areas to the culture and theatre of Maharashtra for their personality development, has launched a new initiative titled All Play… A Carnival of Joy. This initiative is the brainchild of the organization’s founder and producer, Varsha Rane, whose vision is to instil a love for traditional Maharashtrian art and theatre in children through drama, a vision that has been successfully realized.

Through this initiative, more than 600 children from schools and colleges in both rural and urban areas have received drama training. As a result, these children are now expressing themselves with greater confidence and are beginning to discover various aspects of their personalities.

All Play Productions has so far produced more than 30 performances, including one-act plays, musical dramas, slapstick comedies, pantomimes, and children’s plays. The organization’s School of Drama and Theatre, designed for children aged 7 to 15, follows a half-yearly curriculum. At the end of the course, a final drama performance is presented by the children. Encouraged by the overwhelming response to these performances, the organization decided to take them to a professional level.

The first professionally produced children’s play under this initiative is titled Beyond the Horizon. The play explores an inspiring story about the daughter of a forest officer who overcomes harassment and superstition in her village and leads the local children toward a brighter future.

Initial rehearsals were held at Atharva Hall, Prabodhan Thackeray Theatre (Borivali), and other venues, with the final performance taking place at the prestigious Shri Shivaji Mandir Theatre in Dadar on 5th May 2025.

It was Varsha Rane’s dream to present Beyond the Horizon on a renowned stage like Shri Shivaji Mandir, giving these children the opportunity to perform in a professional theatre setting—an experience that not only honed their dramatic skills but also deepened their connection to Maharashtrian folk culture and traditions. This dream has now been successfully fulfilled. All performances of the play were sold out, and the children received widespread appreciation for their talent and hard work.

The lead child actors in the play include Ananya Povale, Parth Chodankar, Medhansh Gujarati, Hardik Mirkar, Harshit Vengurlekar, and Durva Dalvi.

Throughout this journey, All Play Productions has benefited greatly from the invaluable advice, encouragement, and continuous support of former MLA Sunil Rane.

Thanks to the efforts of Varsha Rane and All Play Productions, children from both rural and urban Maharashtra are being introduced to the world of theatre, helping them reconnect with their cultural roots. This initiative, which channels children’s creativity and offers them a strong platform for growth, is receiving praise across the state.