Fostering cultural awareness, inclusion, and reflection within global communities through innovative storytelling.
✓ Entertaining theater productions
✓ Promoting niche folk & classical performing arts
First Indian Theater Production Platform in East Bay, San Francisco Bay Area
Katha Munch org is a registered, 501(c)(3) non profit in the San Francisco Bay Area, California. Based out of Dublin, CA, it is the first Indian theater production platform in East Bay, registered in 2024. We aim to drive cultural awareness, sensitivity, inclusion and reflection within global communities, mostly via innovative and entertaining theater productions. we strive to create content that resonates with our global audiences.
With an interesting pipeline of upcoming plays, Katha Munch is all set to make its mark. Katha Munch has successfully completed two productions thus far – Akbar Birbal (performed in Feb, 2024) and Community Ram Leela (performed in 2022 and 2023).
Our Team
Co-Founder & President
Spandana Akella
Spandana is an avid enthusiast of art, history and culture, and is an Indian classical dancer. With a passion for storytelling and deep experience in product management, Spandana co-founded Katha Munch and has written, directed, and produced it’s first two productions, ‘Ram Leela’ and ‘Akbar Birbal,’ blending cultural richness with compelling narratives. Spandana is not only an advocate for cultural inclusion but also actively promotes its nuanced reflection.
Creative Advisor
Richa Pareekh
Richa is a versatile artist, deeply passionate about art, music, and theater. She is also a trained singer and lifelong student of Hindustani classical music. In the past decade, Richa has performed in several theatrical productions in India and the US as an actor/vocalist, alongside working as a product and payments executive. Some of these include – ‘HAL’, ‘Hayavadan’, ‘Ramayan’, ‘The Mousetrap’, and her latest – Katha Munch’s musical, ‘Akbar Birbal’.
Creative Advisor
Lalitha Nanduri
Lalitha is a trained Indian classical dancer (primarily focused on the Kuchipudi dance tradition), and an IT professional. She is an active performing artist and a choreographer, as well as artistic director, and has performed in several theater, dance and dance ballet productions. She has been an integral part of establishing Katha Munch, and has been the artistic director of its debut stage production, ‘Akbar Birbal’.
Board Member (Director)
Murali Krishnan
With over 24 years of experience in the tech industry and a profound dedication to promoting Indian art and culture globally, Murali brings a wealth of knowledge, leadership, strategic thinking, and passion to the Board of Directors at Katha Munch. As a Director at Katha Munch, Murali aims to inspire positive societal change by uniting communities through our shared passion for stage plays and community development, fostering a collaborative and inclusive environment for cultural promotion.
Co-Founder & Treasurer
Vimal Pannala
Driven by a strong passion for innovative storytelling, movies, arts, humanities, and history, Vimal brings a wealth of creativity to Katha Munch. With his years of professional experience in consulting, finance and thought leadership, he also brings a strong execution and strategic focus to our productions. A voracious reader and ardent writer, Vimal is currently adding to Katha Munch’s diverse productions pipeline as a playwright. Co-founding Katha Munch, Vimal’s vision is to deliver quality entertainment through Indianized content that resonates with global, immigrant communities.
Secretary
Pavan Sura
With over two decades of experience in the tech industry and a deep commitment to community service, Pavan brings a wealth of leadership experience to Katha Munch. He is dedicated to driving impactful results for the organization and its communities, prioritizing the cultivation of meaningful relationships, both personally and professionally, while fostering a collaborative culture. At Katha Munch, Pavan endeavors to inspire positive societal change by uniting communities through our shared passion for stage plays and community development.