‘Jhumkewali’ brings giddy joy of first love to Bengaluru stage

The imagination is a wondrous place where ideas take root and bloom. That was true for Ami Bhansali, whose daily commute on Mumbai’s crowded local trains sparked Jhumkewali. Wondering how the practice of selling trinkets to commuters began, she imagined “a lady deeply in love started it so her girlfriend could buy jhumkis whenever she pleased”. What began as a short story at a writer’s workshop became a play she collaborated on with Nidhi Krishna.

Set in 1974, Jhumkewali is a sweet story of first love between Rekha and Bindu, two college-goers who bond over their penchant for earrings. The play follows them as they revel in the headiness of a budding romance despite the happenings around them. Ami is clear the work is “a love story, and not a tale of coming out”.

The recent passing of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Act, 2026 has left many in the community feeling vulnerable, Ami said. With several non-binary and trans people on the team, she added it’s important “to keep making queer and trans-centric art, and do our bit to spread queer joy”. thehindu.comCostumes and lighting play a big role in transporting audiences to the 70s. Riya Rokade’s costumes blend traditional Indian silhouettes with filmy allure and Western experimentation, while Utkarshh Babbar and Sankalp Kapur’s lighting brings the vibrant cityscape and the internal worlds of Rekha and Bindu to life.

Ami also lauded efforts by artists like Arjoon Kabir Kakkar with Jismaan Ton Paar and Anureet Watta with Don’t Interrupt While We Dance for spreading awareness through queer-centric work.