A must-watch, Breast of Luck, brings a Powerful Story of Love and Hope

Breast of Luck, a moving theatre production that blends love, laughter, humour, emotion and courage, arrives in Delhi and Gurgaon this October as part of a national breast cancer awareness campaign.

Featuring National Award-winning actor and writer Tannishtha Chatterjee in the lead, alongside Sharib Hashmi, best known for The Family Man and his acclaimed debut in Filmistaan, the production brings two deeply personal experiences of cancer to the stage.

Tannishtha began writing the play after being diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer. Sharib brings another intensely personal perspective as a real-life caregiver to his wife, who has been battling recurrent cancer. Their lived experiences lend the production an authenticity that goes beyond a conventional awareness campaign.

Organised by the Forum of Breast Protection, the play will be presented at PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry, New Delhi, on October 10, and at Excelsior Auditorium, Gurgaon, on October 11 at 7 pm, brought to Gurgaon by Varnan Films. The performances are part of the wider Know Your Breast national campaign, which aims to use theatre, expert conversations and screening initiatives to change the conversation around early detection.

Directed by Leena Yadav, the musical Breast of Luck is touring more than 20 cities across India. Maanaav Podaar composed the music, with lyrics by Swanand Kirkire and choreography by Ashley Lobo. The production has already played to sell-out audiences in Mumbai, Lucknow, Indore, Bhopal and at Delhi’s India Habitat Centre. Shabana Azmi and Nandita Das have recommended the production.

From diagnosis to the stage

Stories from time immemorial have been a powerful medium to get the point across. When more than 2.3 lakh women in India are diagnosed with breast cancer every year, conversations around the disease cannot remain confined to hospitals and consultation rooms. They need to reach people, and sometimes the most powerful way to do that is through a story.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in India. “Yet fewer than 30% of cases are detected early. When detected at Stage 1, the five-year survival rate is over 90%; by Stage 4, it drops sharply,” shares Dr Ramesh Sarin, an eminent surgical oncologist and Chairperson, Forum for Breast Cancer Protection.

“The numbers tell us that breast cancer is one of the most urgent public health conversations we need to be having in India right now, and what better way than storytelling,” says Vernita Verma, Founder and Creative Director, Varnan Films.

The evening goes beyond the curtain call. A post-show panel featuring senior oncologists, specialists and healthcare experts will engage with the audience, bringing medical perspectives into a conversation that is often difficult to begin.

The message is simple but urgent: know your body, notice the changes, and seek help early. Breast of Luck hopes to make that conversation a little less frightening and a lot more human.

Passes are available on BookMyShow.