Sound in Service of the Performance: Prithvi Theatre, Mumbai
Ansata and d&b audiotechnik support one of India’s most respected theatre institutions with clarity, control, and restraint
Setting the Scene
Prithvi Theatre is an institution that has shaped the course of Indian theatre for decades. A subsidiary of the Shri Prithviraj Kapoor Memorial Trust & Research Foundation, Prithvi Theatre was established in 1975 in memory of Prithviraj Kapoor, with a clear and enduring mission: to promote professional theatre, particularly Hindi theatre, while nurturing artists, technicians, and researchers through access, affordability, and support.
Located in Juhu, Mumbai, Prithvi has always placed the artist, the audience, and the act of theatre at the centre of everything it does. The space is known for its disciplined audience culture and its belief in enabling ideas.
Within this context, sound is meant to serve the performance.
The Challenge
Prithvi didn’t need a sound system that would wow people with bass drops or surround-sound effects. What they needed was something more subtle, and in many ways, harder to achieve: a system that would let every word land clearly, support the actors without overpowering them, and stay invisible.
The brief was straightforward:
- Crystal-clear speech intelligibility, because theatre here is dialogue-driven
- Natural, honest reinforcement that doesn’t colour or distort the performance
- Precise coverage for an intimate space where every seat matters
- Reliability and simplicity
In other words, the system had to work perfectly while feeling like it wasn’t even there.
The Solution
Ansata approached the project with the same restraint that Prithvi brings to its programming. They designed a focused d&b audiotechnik system built around clarity and control.
At the heart of it are d&b 10S-D loudspeakers: compact, articulate, and known for delivering speech with wide directivity, precision and warmth. For productions that need a little more depth like music and atmospheric moments, d&b 18S-SUB subwoofers add low-frequency support without overwhelming the space.
Powering and managing it all is a d&b 25D amplifier, which ensures everything runs smooth and reliably. The system was tuned carefully to match the acoustic character of the room and the expectations of the audience.
The Result
With the new sound system in place, Prithvi Theatre continues to offer an environment where every word is heard, every pause is felt, and nothing distracts from the performance.
The installation reflects the Prithvi Way: realistic, respectful, and uncompromising where it matters. It demonstrates how professional audio design can support theatre by enabling artists and audiences to connect more deeply.
