Masha and The Bear LIVE director Vishaal Asrani speaks on adaptation of world's most beloved kids TV show

It’s not easy entertaining the little ones. They can easily get bored or lose interest in whatever they are doing and move on to something else. When Nick Jr. show Masha and The Bear debuted in India with its live theatrical adaptation in December 2023, it became a rage for kids and parents alike.

Now in its last leg of the all-India tour for this season, we got in touch with Vishaal Asrani, director of the show who spoke about writing-directing such live theatrical showsthat help transport children to a world of magic, entertain them and educate them through the ride.

Here are the excerpts from our chat:

WION: Writing for kids needs a special skill – you have to break it down and make it really simple while also staying true to entertainment. What did you have in mind while directing Masha and The Bear?

Vishaal: Kids are the toughest audience to please. If you can’t keep them glued to the action for even a few moments, you’ve lost their interest. I have directed a number of stage adaptations of internationally acclaimed movies such as, DreamWorks’ Madagascar, Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book, The Little Mermaid, Snow White and the 7 Dwarfs to name a few. So, while directing Masha, I had to make sure it was correctly paced. I wanted the show to be high on energy and yet simple enough for the little ones to understand.

Each scene has dance, music, costume changes, visual effects and of course magic on stage.

WION: ⁠It’s a widely watched TV show by kids worldwide, were there any challenges in adapting it for Indian audiences?

Vishaal: While adapting anything for the stage, when it is already so popular on TV, one has to maintain the characteristics of the characters that made them such a phenomenon in the first place. I wanted the actors on stage to be as close in look, movement and voice to the originals in the show. It was challenging to make actors move around in 8 foot high costumes and be in charge of gimmicks and special effects too.

Other than that, there wasn’t much of a challenge adapting it for the “Indian audience” per se, as now the audiences are the same worldwide.

WION: What do you love the most about the response to the show by kids?

Vishaal: The squeals of joy when they see their favourite characters appear on stage. The show is highly interactive and is full of audience participation. The cutest is seeing the parents dance and sing along with the kids too, mimicking the choreography that we have set on stage. It’s like watching the adults in the audience go back to their childhood days.

WION: Who is your favourite among the characters?

Vishaal: It’s like asking a parent to choose a favourite among their children! I have no favourite, but I do have favourite traits of each character I love. The loyalty of Masha to her friends, the fatherly protective nature of the Bear, the cuteness of Panda, the wild side of Rosie the Piggy, the strong bonds of friendship that Snowy and Masha share, the craziness of Professor Nonbelievious and so much more. I think what’s most important is that the all characters have something nice about them and teach children many important life lessons, such as the significance of friends, loyalty, acceptance, diversity and respect for all living beings.

WION: When is the next set of performances and where?

Vishaal: The next set of performances are in Mumbai on March 16 and 17 at Balgandharva Rang Mandir auditorium in Bandra, Mumbai. We have 3 shows each day. 11:30 am| 2:30 pm| and 6:00 pm.

WION: Would you like to take it outside of India?

Vishaal: Sure! It’s a world class show and we would love to take it all over the globe if it can be worked out. I’m sure audiences world over will love it.