Unburdened by partisanship or political correctness, these essays by Shiv Visvanathan, one of India’s foremost public intellectuals, chronicle the democratic ferment and political upheavals in contemporary India. Written over the last twenty years, they engage with issues as diverse as the new dimensions of violence, the value of dissent, the creativity in popular culture and the pathologies of nationalism and religious fundamentalism. Always alert to nuance, Visvanathan offers novel portraits of politicians, intellectuals, and sport and film personalities. Combining wit, irony and analytical brilliance, the writings collected in Theatres of Democracy show a commitment to thinking creatively about India.