About Us

We speak the language of Arts and Love

Our religion is humanity

Mumbai, is well known as the commercial and entertainment capital of India and a truly cosmopolitan city, where people from different states and all works of life come to make a living and to settle down. The people of this great metropolis keep in touch with their own culture and enjoy it through the city’s cultural life.

People’s Arts Centre came into being in 1979 with humble beginnings, yet spectacular cultural presentation on modest platform. Over the years, the stage grew bigger, the events spectacular and the participants often larger than life. Gopkumar Krishna Pillai, Founder and Secretary of People’s Arts Centre came to Mumbai in the last years of 1960s. Unlike others, he did not come to seek employment for himself, but to organize the down trodden. With his dedication to everything he does, including the organizing of cultural activities, within a short span of time he was able to rally support from leading personalities from various walks of life to grace the events organized by People’s Arts Centre. The Malayalam Kathaprasangam by V Sambashivan and ganamela programs by Cochin Kalbhavan, Muvattupuzha Angel Voice, Cochin Chorous and various drama troupes from Kerala, Cochin’s Kalabhavan’s Mimics Parade by Siddik, Lal, Jayaram, Zainudin and Prasad etc. and the MappilaPattu programs by all the artists from all over Kerala.

The success of any event is evident from the people who grace it and the audience who participate in large numbers. The fact that very high profile people readily agree to be part of People’s Arts Centre’s functions speaks volume about the dedication, integrity and organizational capability of the Centre. When Malayalam Cinema was caught in a turmoil, a national seminar and a weeklong Film festival was held by People’s Arts Centre on Malayalam Cinema Today in 1986, with a focus on the real issues faced by the industry.

People’s Arts Centre has helped bring the best of Malayalam cinema to the viewers in Mumbai. Besides old-time favorites of Malayalam theatre, the Centre presented the best of dramas in Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada to appreciative audience.

Recognizing deserving artistes has been the hallmark of People’s Arts Centre, be it in the field of sports, writing, acting or singing. Even the otherwise lesser known people backstage, have been broughtto the forefront with felicitations done for artistes, technicians and others associated with the making of highly acclaimed films.

This is perhaps among the few platforms in the world which has been graced by the presence of leading lights from PadmabhushanPremNazir who has acted in a record number of movies to other Malayalam superstars like Mammooty and Mohanlal. Producers like Goodnight Mohan, sports person like PT Usha and IM Vijayan, film makers like Bharatan, I.V. Sasi, Padmarajan, K.C. George, Lenin Rajendran, Shaji Karun, Jayaraj, Priyadarshan, John Mathew Mathan, Lohitadas, Lal, Siddik and a host of others have been felicitated by the Centre.

It’s not just people from Kerala who have been part of the People’s Arts Centre. The Centre has felicitated the entire team of patriotic film Sazaa-e-Kaalapaani, Dr. BabasahebAmbedkar and the superhit Bodyguard directed by Siddique. Earlier RamanandSagar, Pallavi Joshi, Sunil Dutt and the makers of the highly popular television serial, Nukkad have also been felicitated.

The Centre has honoured music maestros like Ilayaraja, Yesudas, Dr.Balmurli Krishna, T.M. Soundarajan and Laxmikant-Pyarelal on its platform.
When Doordarshan wanted a short film on Onam, they approached People’s Arts Centre which readily prepared OnamPonnonam which received wide reviews and repeat telecasts.
In 1989, the Centre, in association with the Mumbai Municipal Corporation, organized alive show of a man living with 500 venomous snakes in a glass cage for a week. This was highly educative experience for visitors, particularly school children.
The Centre also organized Musical concerts by KalyanjiAnandji, Anu Malik, BappiLahiri, Mahendra Kapoor, Mahesh Kumar, PramilaDattar’sSunheriYadein, Babla etc.
Eminent writers like ThakazhiShivashankara Pillai, M.T. Vasudevan Nair, Dr. SukumarAzhikode, Dr. K.N. Panicker, M.P. AbusamadSamadani M.P and others.

One of the proudest moments for the Centre was popularizing the Kerala Piravi (Kerala Foundation Day) in Mumbai. Writers,Academicians, Sports Persons, Athletes, Freedom Fighters, Theatre Personalities, Film Artistes and Makers, Social Workers and Public Servants were felicitated at the Andheri Sports Complex Stadium. The event very graphically and artistically brought forth the entire recorded history of Kerala for 2000 years in its mammoth production, Mamangam 2000. The multi- dimensional stage show presented over a thousand artistes from Kerala and Mumbai to recreate the colourful history of Kerala and its multi-faceted achievements. Fifty thousand spectators witnessed the event. It is significant that the first program at the renovated and the reconstructed Shanmukhananda Hall in the distinguished presence of the governor of Maharashtra Dr. PC Alexander was conducted by People’s Arts Centre. A felicitation to the entire team of national award winning team Kaliyattam and live concert by KS Chitra was held on this occasion.

People’s Arts Centre is the only organization in the country to celebrate Kerala and Tamilnadu Formation Day on November 3, 2013 at Shanmukhananda Hall in Mumbai.
People’s Arts Centre has always enjoyed the support and patronage of the prominent industrialist and philanthropist, Capt. C.P. Krishnan Nair, who has backed all our endeavours. The Centre celebrated his75^th birthday with great eclatat on the Don Bosco High School Grounds.
The Centre organized one of the most colourful birthday celebrations in Mumbai, when it honoured its mentor, supporter and friend P.K. Ravindranath on his 75thbirthday at the Shanmukhananda Hall. The occasion was marked by the release of a book , A SLICE OF LIFE, a compilation of over 70 articles of Ravindranath over 50 years as a journalist. A Sanskrit play, Karnabharam by KavalamNarayanaPanicker was also presented, with Mohanlal playing the title role.

As part of its Silver Jubilee Year celebrations, the Centre felicitated film star Mira Jasmine and Director Lohithadas. We also staged a musical programme by music composer and playback singer Jassi Gift. We celebrated the completion of 25 years as a film maker by Priyadarshan. He was felicitated by a number of film stars and producers from Hindi Film Industry. The Centre is not an organization catering only to the culture and people of Kerala. It was a matter of great pride and honour that People’s Arts Centre celebrated the year-long Golden Jubilee of Sanyukta Maharashtra State Formation Day in different parts of the state including Pune, Vasai, Nagpur and Nashik. Proving that the remarkable state of Maharashtra remains inseparable, the Centre brought a two hundred and twenty four pages commemorative volume in Marathi with 6 poems and 24 informative articles by established writers from all over Maharashtra. We have felicitated 106 personalities from all over the state on this auspicious occasion as a tribute to 105 martyrs, initiators and all other participants of the Sanyukta Maharashtra Movement. The following eminent personsalities are few among the recipients of our felicitation: Dr. JayantNarlikar, Dr. Prakash Mujumdar (Scientists), Dr. D.B. Kulkarni, Shri Khalil Momin and Shri LoknathYashwant (Literature), Dr. M.S. Gosavi, Dr. SandhyaPawar, Dr. Anil Kayande, Mr. Shirish Joshi and Mr.Deepak Kulkarni (Academic), Shri UttamKamble, Shri ShileshKamble, Shri YogeshKhare and Shri Manish Avasthi (Media), Dr. Vikrant Jadhav and Dr. DhanjayGahukar (Ayurved), Shri Krishna Patil, MadhavBarve and AnnajiGothmare (Agriculturist), Dr. Shikarpur and Shri VivekSawant (Information Technology), Dr.VaishaliKhedekar, Dr. AvinashInamdar and Dr. Shama Kulkarni (Medical), Dr. ShriramLagu, Dr. VinodIndurkar, Shri Rajiv Patil, Shri NetajiBhoir and Shri ParagGhonge (Theatre and Film), Kum. MallkaBhandarkar and Kum. KavitaRaut (Sports), Shri DhanjayDevdhar, Shri DattatrayChitale, Shri ChintamaniChitale and Shri Vishnu Mohan (Hospitality), Shri Pendharkar (Vicco), Shri SatishMagar (Magarpatta), Shri Vishwas Thakur (Vishwas Co-op Bank).

People’s Arts Centre has introduced the ChhatrapatiShivajiMaharaj Achievement Award from 2012, presented to Malayalees settled in Mumbai and surroundings from different walks of life for their outstanding contribution. The Centre has celebrated the 52^nd Maharashtra State Formation Day on 1st May 2012, at Mysore Association Hall, Mumbai and 56th Kerala State Formation Day on November 6, 2012 at Shanmukhananda Hall. The 2ndChhatrapatiShivajiMaharaj Achievement Award Ceremony 2013 was held at Hotel Kohinoor Continental, Mumbai. The 3rdChhatrapatiShivajiMaharaj Achievement Award Ceremony 2014 was presented to South Indians Settled in Mumbai from different walks of life was also held at Hotel Kohinoor Continental, Mumbai. Some of the other programmes organized by the Centre are 84^th& 85^th Birth Anniversary of Kishore Kumar, felicitation of film maker Mahesh Kothare on the running of his 3D Marathi film Zapatlela 2 for a record 50 days in Mumbai,Golden Journey of AnupJalota to mark his 50 years as a singer and a memorable function dedicated to record holding film maker Dada Kondke.

Over the years, People’s Arts Centre has organized several great shows. In fact, the Asha Bhosale show on the auspicious occasion of her 81st Birthday Celebration on September 14, 2014 was the 999^th function organized by the Centre and the Kerala Piravi Show of November 1, 2014 was the 1000^th show. Honourable Governor of Maharashtra Shri Ch. Vidyasagar Rao inaugurated this spectacular event.
Dance for National Unity on national integration, popular actresses ManjuWarrier&Gracy Singh performed on 28^th December 2014 at Shanmukhananda Hall.
Veteran Music Composer & Singer, Ravindra Jain’s 71st Birthday was celebrated on 28^th February 2015 at Shanmukhananda Hall. Veteran playback singers KJ. Yesudas, Suresh Wadkar, SadanaSargam, Udit Narayan &AnupJalota performed on the occasion.
4^th&5^thChhatrapatiShivajiMaharaj Achievement Award Ceremony was held at Hotel Orchid & Hotel Kohinoor. Marathi litterateur, Dr. BhalchandraNemade, winner of DhyanPeeth award was the Chief Guest in 2015 & in 2017, Honourable Judge of Bombay High Court was the Chief Guest and Justice BN Shrikrishna was felicitated.

86^th Birthday Celebration of Late Kishore Kumar along with grand felicitation to Shri Babul Supriyo, the first Union Minister from the Bollywood singers.
Public Awareness Programme on Cancer & Medical camp was conducted on Sunday 13^thSeptember, 2015 at Pioneer School Hall, Bhaudhaji Road, Matunga, Mumbai -19 in association with Ministry of Aayush, Govt. of India. There was a great response from the general public.
The Kerala Piravi was celebrated at Shanmukhananda& eminent Malayalees were felicitated. Former Minister of Housing, Shri SachinAhir was the Chief Guest on this occasion.

On 9^th December 2015, 50 years of musical journey of Amit Kumar was celebrated in the presence of a galaxy of Bollywood celebrites: Union Minister – Babul Supriyo,Pyarelal, Jitendra, Rishi Kapoor, BappiLahiri, KavitaKrishnamurty, KavitaPaduwal, Sapna Mukherjee, Udit Narayan, SachinPilgoankar, Suresh Wadkar, SudeshBhosale&Johny Lever and many more.

In the Dance for National Unity conducted on 19^th January 2016at Mysore Association, 7 types of Indian dances were performed by the upcoming artistes.

In the year 2016 & 2017 the Harvest Festival of Kerala, Vishu was celebrated at Karnataka Sang Hall & Mysore Association, Mumbai and actors Dr. Capt. Raju&Vinayakan were felicitated.