NMACC Emerges as India's Cultural Engine After Three Years

The Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre has become a hub for global and Indian artistic productions in just three years.

Apr. 4, 2026 at 12:41pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC) in Mumbai has quickly established itself as a leading cultural institution in India, hosting over 3,500 shows, 10,500 artists, and 2.5 million visitors in its first three years. The center has brought major international productions to India while also exporting Indian performances abroad, creating a two-way cultural exchange. With a mix of large-scale spectacles and more intimate programming, NMACC is evolving from a destination to a true cultural ecosystem.

Why it matters

For decades, Indian artists have lacked access to world-class cultural infrastructure, often having to tour globally to find suitable stages and audiences. NMACC represents a shift, collapsing that distance and providing a platform for both international and Indian productions to thrive. This has implications for India's soft power and ability to showcase its artistic talent on the global stage.

The details

When NMACC opened in 2023, it aimed to create a space that could hold India's artistic past and global future. The center features a 2,000-seat Grand Theatre for large-scale productions, as well as smaller experimental spaces like The Cube and The Studio Theatre. In its first year, NMACC focused on high-profile, spectacle-driven shows. But by year three, the programming has evolved to include longer runs of international musicals, a steady stream of Indian classical, regional, and indie performances, and cultural exhibitions. The center has also started exporting Indian productions, taking them to venues like New York's Lincoln Center.

  • NMACC opened in March 2023 inside Mumbai's Bandra-Kurla Complex.
  • In 2024, the center hosted 114 active shows.
  • By March 2025, NMACC had featured 7,000 artists and drawn 2 million visitors.
  • As of April 2026, NMACC has hosted over 3,500 shows, featured 10,500 artists, and drawn close to 2.5 million visitors.

The players

Nita Ambani

The founder of the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre, whose vision has been to make the arts accessible to everyone in India.

Feroz Abbas Khan

A director and playwright who described NMACC as "a response to an urgent need for an urban cultural centre that promotes excellence, and is inclusive and democratic in its disposition."

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Today, Neeta Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre completes three glorious years, and in our culture, the number three is very auspicious... When we started the Neeta Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre, we made a promise to bring the best of India to the world and to get the best of the world to India, and we are trying our best to live up to that promise and shine the spotlight on our Indian artists and artisans on the global stage.”

— Nita Ambani, NMACC Founder

“The NMACC is a response to an urgent need for an urban cultural centre that promotes excellence, and is inclusive and democratic in its disposition.”

— Feroz Abbas Khan, Director and Playwright

What’s next

NMACC plans to continue expanding its programming and reach, with more international productions, longer-running shows, and further efforts to export Indian artistic talent globally.

The takeaway

NMACC has quickly established itself as a leading cultural institution in India, bridging the gap between the country's artistic past and global future. By hosting a diverse range of productions and exhibitions, the center is helping to make the arts more accessible and showcasing India's creative talent on the world stage.