‘Balance’ key to surviving change, says choreographer Jainil Mehta ahead of Hyderabad show

Hyderabad: “Balance,” says choreographer-director Jainil Mehta, when asked what makes a relationship survive constant change and pressure. His queer theatre production SAM;AAJ will be staged in Hyderabad on May 16.

The 60-minute performance blends traditional and contemporary dance vocabularies, interspersed with music, Hindi and English poetry. While ‘samaaj’ in Hindi means ‘society’, the title breaks the word into ‘Sam’ and ‘Aaj’ — translating to balance and today, or the present.

Mehta’s production explores relationships under societal pressure, using movement and verse to examine how individuals navigate identity and change. The piece draws on both classical Indian forms and modern dance to reflect tensions between tradition and the present moment.