Bollywood actor Kalki Koechlin's play 'Belly of the Beast' tackles messy realities of motherhood

Bollywood actor Kalki Koechlin and theatre director Sheena Khalid have premiered 'Belly of the Beast', a play adapted from Koechlin's 2021 book 'The Elephant in the Womb'. The production, which debuted in Delhi to a standing ovation, explores the unglamorous aspects of motherhood including bodily changes, sleepless nights, work demands, abortions, miscarriages, and postpartum depression. Koechlin wrote the book during the Covid lockdown while experiencing postpartum depression. The play features five women at different stages of motherhood and is based on Koechlin's personal experiences as well as those of the actors. Shruti Vyas, one of the cast members, drew from her own miscarriage to portray a woman struggling with infertility. The play challenges India's societal norms that idealize motherhood and rarely allow women to express negative emotions. According to Times of India data, childcare and housework keep 69% of women in Indian cities out of the labor force, compared to 1% of men. The two-hour-ten-minute performance balances heavy themes with humor to provide relief for audiences.