Must-watch performance: A 20-ft dinosaur that can bite as well as dance

Puppeteer Anurupa Roy of Katkatha on directing a 20 ft dinosaur that can bite as well as dance

T Rex with Katkatha puppeteers. Anurupa Roy is at the centre.

Under the vast green shade of bamboo trees in Badarpur, where baby birds are learning to fly, on ground that has been sectioned into patches to grow pumpkins, chillies, a variety of saag, maize and pomegranate, now walks a mighty dinosaur.

Admittedly, he is made of thermocol, recycled cardboard and common pin, but the T Rex can still pack a punch. “Or bite,” says city-based puppeteer Anurupa Roy about her organisation, Katkatha Puppet Arts Trust’s latest creation.

Designed by former NSDian Shravan Hegudu and puppeteer Md Shameen, the T Rex will makes its first public appearance at the Aha Children and Youth Festival at Ranga Shankara in Bangalore on July 12.

In the next few months, it will make its way around Delhi. Excerpts from an interview with Roy, who has directed the show:

Experts in White

Wherever we perform, we are going to dig a little earth and from this, we are going to find some bones. Three of us, dressed in white lab coats of paleontologists, start talking to the audience. While we do all of this, the dinosaur comes and stands behind us.

The completely obsessed paleontologists start studying it, and one starts fiddling with the dinosaur’s teeth and the animal grabs his hand and they realise the T Rex is actually alive.

We essentially want the children on our side, so this dinosaur loves music and dances to hip hop. While children will have fun, we are also playing with the heads of adults, who will be interested in the technicalities. We know about dinosaur skeletons, but the colour of its skin is only conjecture.

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How did they communicate? Did they have a system of language? The paleontologists jabber in bits of Hindi and English but largely in gibberish because science talk seems like gibberish to many of us, including the dinosaur. Our T Rex defies scientists, and pushes people to imagine what a dinosaur could do.

A show called Tamasha

The dinosaur is a part of a show called Tamasha and one of the things about a tamasha is that it was essentially done on the streets in India. The main idea of the show with the dinosaur is that we can play it in a marketplace, on a foyer or a lawn — essentially places where people don’t expect there will be theatre.

At Ranga Shankara, we will perform when the audience is lining up for a show. We want a show that keeps growing, and our plan is to make three more sections; T Rex is the first step. After a few weeks, we will add a show which will have only coloured fabric that we will use to tell a love story.

Dino on the Streets

We are getting a feeling that that fewer people are turning up to theaters so we want to take theatre to the people. We had a pterodactyl in 2006, we also had a 13 ft tall Kansa puppet. We always play it on streets and it really works well when this big Kansa walks up. That’s how this show with the T Rex came about; we decided not to keep it restricted to proscenium but really bring it out on streets.

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Now we don’t know how to take the dinosaur out to real streets as police are particular about permission, some places are zero-tolerance zones, and you can use certain parks after permissions, but it takes a long time. We will play in the big park in Shadipur, and the one at Badarpur once rainwater recedes, we are also targeting mohallas in Tughlakabad as well as a few markets.

Dipanita Nath

Dipanita Nath is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. She is a versatile journalist with a deep interest in the intersection of culture, sustainability, and urban life. Professional Background Experience: Before joining The Indian Express, she worked with other major news organizations including Hindustan Times, The Times of India, and Mint. Core Specializations: She is widely recognized for her coverage of the climate crisis, theatre and performing arts, heritage conservation, and the startup ecosystem (often through her "Pune Inc" series). Storytelling Focus: Her work often unearths "hidden stories" of Pune—focusing on historical institutes, local traditions, and the personal journeys of social innovators. Recent Notable Articles (December 2025) Her recent reporting highlights Pune’s cultural pulse and the environmental challenges facing the city during the winter season: 1. Climate & Environment "Pune shivers on coldest morning of the season; minimum temperature plunges to 6.9°C" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on the record-breaking cold wave in Pune and the IMD's forecast for the week. "How a heritage tree-mapping event at Ganeshkhind Garden highlights rising interest in Pune’s green legacy" (Dec 20, 2025): Covering a citizen-led initiative where Gen Z and millennials gathered to document and protect ancient trees at a Biodiversity Heritage Site. "Right to breathe: Landmark NGT order directs PMC to frame norms for pollution from construction sites" (Dec 8, 2025): Reporting on a significant legal victory for residents fighting dust and air pollution in urban neighborhoods like Baner. 2. "Hidden Stories" & Heritage "Inside Pune library that’s nourished minds of entrepreneurs for 17 years" (Dec 21, 2025): A feature on the Venture Center Library, detailing how a collection of 3,500 specialized books helps tech startups navigate the product life cycle. "Before he died, Ram Sutar gave Pune a lasting gift" (Dec 18, 2025): A tribute to the legendary sculptor Ram Sutar (creator of the Statue of Unity), focusing on his local works like the Chhatrapati Shivaji statue at Pune airport. "The Pune institute where MA Jinnah was once chief guest" (Dec 6, 2025): An archival exploration of the College of Agriculture, established in 1907, and its historical role in India's freedom struggle. 3. Arts, Theatre & "Pune Inc" "Satyajit Ray, Ritwik Ghatak were not rivals but close friends, says veteran filmmaker" (Dec 17, 2025): A deep-dive interview ahead of the Pune International Film Festival (PIFF) exploring the camaraderie between legends of Indian cinema. "Meet the Pune entrepreneur helping women build and scale businesses" (Dec 16, 2025): Part of her "Pune Inc" series, profiling Nikita Vora’s efforts to empower female-led startups. "How women drone pilots in rural Maharashtra are cultivating a green habit" (Dec 12, 2025): Exploring how technology is being used by women in agriculture to reduce chemical use and labor. Signature Style Dipanita Nath is known for intellectual curiosity and a narrative-driven approach. Whether she is writing about a 110-year-old eatery or the intricacies of the climate crisis, she focuses on the human element and the historical context. Her columns are often a blend of reportage and cultural commentary, making them a staple for readers interested in the "soul" of Pune. X (Twitter): @dipanitanath ... Read More

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