In 2017, Benjamin was commissioned by the Commonwealth Games Festival 2018 to create a new work with Mallakhamb artists from Mumbai. The result was Mallakhamb Mumbai, a 30-minute theatrical performance featuring five of India’s leading Mallakhamb artists accompanied by renowned Mumbai-based musician Donn Bhat.
The production marked a significant shift for the form. Traditionally, Mallakhamb is presented as a 90-second sporting display or a short 3–5 minute demonstration within events or cabaret programs. Mallakhamb Mumbai was the first theatrical work to place Mallakhamb at the centre of a staged performance.
Since its world premiere, the work has been invited to perform at major international events including Sydney Festival, Festival Du Luxe, Royal Opera House Mumbai, Sziget Festival (Hungary) and Escénica Ciudad de México. By August 2019, Mallakhamb Mumbai had reached audiences of over 40,000 people across four countries and multiple international festivals.
As part of Benjamin’s ongoing work in India, in 2019 he travelled to the birthplace of Kalarippayat in southern India to work with CVN Kalari Sangham, one of the leading institutions for the practice. While practitioners of Kalarippayat and Mallakhamb have long been aware of each other’s traditions, the two forms had never been combined in a theatrical work.
Through a series of exchanges and creative discussions, the artists recognised the potential for a meeting between the two physical traditions. The development process revealed a shared performance language informed by ancient discipline, ritual and contemporary movement practice.
This collaboration led to the creation of a second major work, Warriors — a full-length theatrical production featuring nine performers and a soaring original score by Donn Bhat. The work premiered to sold-out audiences at Royal Opera House Mumbai with support from the Centre for Australia India Relations, Royal Opera House Mumbai, Avid Learning and the Australian Consul-General Mumbai.
Over the past decade this collaboration has grown beyond the creation of two international touring productions. The program has also supported a broad range of workshops, panels and mentoring initiatives in India.
Creative teams and performers participate in an ongoing cycle of coaching and professional development, with artists moving in and out of stage productions over time. This approach allows for significant upskilling and professional experience, using the creative works as a springboard for long-term artistic development.