Archive · 27 Dec 2025
Surabhi Theatre: 140 Years of Legacy
Surabhi Theatre is a very old and famous theatre group that has been performing for over 140 years.
It was started by Vanarasa Govindarao in 1885 and has been passed down through eight generations of the same family.
They perform plays that are about gods, history, and good values.
All the actors in the group are from the same big family, and they all help each other with the sets and costumes.
They are known for their amazing stage tricks, like making rivers and animals look real.
Even though many other theatre groups have stopped performing, Surabhi Theatre is still going strong.
They perform about 150 shows every year in the Telugu-speaking states.
The group believes in keeping their traditional art alive and continues to attract audiences who love their sincere and skillful performances.
Surabhi Theatre, founded in 1885, is one of the oldest and most enduring traditional theatre groups in Telugu culture.
The theatre is run by the eighth generation of the same family, with all performers being part of an extended family.
Surabhi performances focus on spiritual, historical, and social themes, avoiding obscenity and controversial content.
The troupe is known for its imaginative stagecraft, including handcrafted sets and mechanical illusions to create lifelike scenes.
Currently, only one Surabhi troupe, Sri Vinayaka Natya Mandali, remains active, performing around 150 shows annually across Telugu-speaking states.
- Who
- Surabhi theatre family, led by the eighth generation under Sri Vinayaka Natya Mandali
- What
- A 140-year-old traditional Telugu theatre group performing devotional and mythological dramas
- When
- Founded in 1885, continues to perform today
- Where
- Originally from Kadapa district, now based in Vanasthalipuram, Hyderabad
- Why
- To preserve and promote Telugu cultural heritage through traditional theatre
- Founded
- 1885
- Founder
- Vanarasa Govindarao
- First Play
- Keechakavadha
- Current Troupe
- Sri Vinayaka Natya Mandali
- Current Location
- Vanasthalipuram, Hyderabad
- Annual Shows
- 150
- Artistes
- 40
- Themes
- Spiritual, Historical, Social