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Superqueens, written and directed by Vivek Mansukhani and choreographed by Shohini Dutta and Udisha Uniyal, marks a defining moment in Indian theatre as the country’s first full-length drag musical. Set in Delhi, the production follows five drag performers navigating identity, community, and visibility through a cabaret-style narrative that blends humour, vulnerability, and high-energy performance. Moving beyond the limitations of short-format drag sets, the musical creates space for deeper storytelling while addressing the structural challenges drag artists face, from restricted platforms to inconsistent agency within performance venues. At its core, Superqueens celebrates drag as both art form and lived experience, foregrounding sisterhood, resilience, and collective survival.
Written and directed by Vivek Mansukhani and choreographed by Shohini Dutta and Udisha Uniyal, the 'Superqueens' musical marks a significant cultural moment as India’s first full-length drag musical, carving space for an art form that has long thrived on the margins to take centre stage.
Set in Delhi, 'Superqueens' follows the lives of five drag performers bound by a shared commitment to keeping drag alive in a city that is as complex as it is vibrant. What unfolds across its 90-minute runtime is a story that moves fluidly between humour and vulnerability, shining on both the glitter and grit that encompasses the lives of these queens. Beneath the sequins and spotlights lies a deeply human narrative about identity, belonging, and the courage it takes to exist unapologetically.
The structure of the musical leans into a cabaret-style format, allowing moments to feel intimate even within the scale of theatre. Scenes shift between outrageous backstage chaos and deeply personal confessions, creating a rhythm that feels both playful and poignant. It’s in this oscillation that Superqueens finds its strength, presenting drag as a part of a community that is often sidelined. It depicts their lived experiences, refusing to let drag be reduced to performance alone.
Choreographed with a kinetic energy that matches its emotional range, the show moves through a soundtrack that spans Bollywood favourites, club anthems, and pop classics. Each number is designed to reveal, whether it’s a high-octane group routine that celebrates collective joy or a quieter solo that holds space for introspection. The performers, among some of India’s leading drag artists, bring a magnetic authenticity to the stage, blurring the line between character and self.
It is shaped by the constraints artists work amidst: the unpredictability of venues, the varying degrees of agency performers are afforded, and the constant negotiation of visibility. And yet, despite these limitations, what emerges is resilience. The drag family at the centre of the musical becomes a site of support, collaboration, and shared survival, reminding us that community is not just a backdrop, but a backbone. While speaking to Homegrown, “Even though we keep saying drag is an art form, we restrict the spaces, and the access it has to a larger audience. What does ‘drag excellence’ in India look like?” asks Lush Monsoon, one of the queens from the musical.
What makes Superqueens particularly compelling is its insistence on community. The relationships between the five queens are at the heart of the narrative and are built on sisterhood, shared struggle, and moments of unexpected tenderness. In a cultural landscape where drag is still negotiating visibility, the musical offers something radical in its simplicity; it centres joy without erasing difficulty, and celebrates identity without diluting its complexity.
More than a theatrical production, Superqueens feels like a declaration. It situates drag not as novelty, but as narrative, as something worthy of space, attention, and applause. And in doing so, it opens the door for a broader conversation about performance, queerness, and the evolving language of Indian theatre.
Drag and trans lives in India and across the world have long been deeply intertwined because they share histories of visibility, resistance, and survival in a society that often seeks to regulate both gender and its expression. Many drag performers draw from lived experiences of gender fluidity, while trans communities have historically used performance as a way to earn their livelihood as well as assert their identity. In the wake of the 2026 Trans Amendment Bill, that takes away trans people’s right to self-identify, drag becomes more than performance; it becomes a visible, public negotiation of gender that challenges binaries and expands understanding. Its presence on larger stages, much like in Superqueens, matters not just for representation, but for creating space in cultural, economic, and emotional spheres, where trans and gender non-conforming voices can exist with agency.
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