Asad Lalljee, CEO of Avid Learning, part of the Essar group, is also now curator of Mumbai¡¦s iconic theatre- The Royal Opera House, which opened in October this year. The beautiful heritage property after being in a dilapidated condition for many years has now been restored and is officially open. We ask Asad Lalljee about his new role and his experience in the field of arts and culture programming.  By Deepa Punjani Deepa Punjani (DP): You said its humbling and exciting for you to be an intrinsic part of the events that will unfold at the Royal Opera House. Were you surprised when you were asked by the Gondal family to join, or was it something that was planned? Asad Lalljee (AL): I met the Gondal family at a book launch I had organised for Abha Lamba. They mentioned the Opera House then and needless to say I was excited and offered to help connect them with a few cultural stakeholders. A few months later Abha called me with the idea of being the curator of the Royal Opera House and asked me to set up time to meet with Ashsih Doshi, the Director. Then I met with Maharanisaheb and the rest is history! DP: MAMI had the opening day of its film festival at the venue, following which there was Mumbai-born, British soprano Patricia Rozario's concert, and Ashvin Gidwani's closed show of his production SCENT OF A MAN. Will the venue operate like a regular theatre or will it only host select performances and events? AL: After a pooja on 18th October, the curtains went up once again in the baroque-style building with the MAMI festival for the opening night on 20th October followed by an opera performance by Patricia Rozario the next day, organised by the owners of the property - Maharaja Joytendrasinhji Jadeja and Maharani Kumud Kumari Jadeja. On 22nd October, we had 'On This Island: A Shining Night' produced by Pravesh Java which was a closed-door event. That comprised the opening weekend festivities. We had rented out the space for a private event where they staged Ashwin's production for a small closed group. We have designed a robust curatorial philosophy. The curatorial vision for The Royal Opera House, Mumbai, is to position it as not just as a spectacular location and venue but more so as a proactive partner and catalyst in the propagation and revival of arts and culture in the city and for the city's youth. This will entail collaborations spanning the breadth of the performing arts. DP: As a theatre focused website, we are keen to know what kind of plays do you have in mind for the space? Will there be a theatre-dedicated programme? AL: We will host various kinds of cultural events/ programmes. We aim to be a vibrant cultural hub¡Kthis is a space for Mumbai, so we will try and present new voice and talent in addition to the wonderful programmes that already are in production. Theatre is an integral part of our history and legacy, so YES. DP: Maybe, it's too early to ask, but assuming once plays are invited, what will be the policy in terms of the venue's rentals? How are things at present? AL: We have already started to receive many bookings and booking requests for various events. Our rentals' policy will encourage performances and not restrict them. We do need to cover some basic costs but the Gondal family is keen for the space to be a platform for sharing and presenting. DP: How did you get involved with Arts and Education? Tell us a little about your journey, prior to Avid Learning. AL: Originally from Mumbai, I went to the US for my Masters. I was in New York for 16 years and worked in Advertising. My last job was with McCann Ericsson (with a B2B specialisation). I was recruited by the Essar Group from NYC to be part of their corporate team in Mumbai. I have always enjoyed the Arts and attended programmes. I was also part of a really cool arts organisation in New York called the Indo American Arts Council¡Kso it was latent in my system :) I met Mrs Madhu Ruia when I joined Essar and she requested some help on a project and then another. She had started AVID and asked me to help, then mentor and later take over so that it could grow further. We both are in sync with our working styles and have the passion to learn something new and dedicate to the AVID platform. So we grew from 5 programmes to 150 programmes a year. Avid Learning has been involved with all kinds of programmes and workshops across the spectrum of the Arts. DP: How would you qualify the outcome of some of these initiatives and the relationships you would have built with individuals, groups and collectives over time? AL: Avid Learning, which is a public programming platform and cultural arm of the Essar Group, has conducted over 650 programs and connected with more than 60,000 individuals since its inception in 2009. Driven by the belief that 'learning never stops', AVID's multiple formats like workshops, panel Discussions, gallery walk-throughs, and festival platforms create a dynamic and interactive atmosphere that stimulates intellectual and creative growth across the fields of Culture, Heritage, Literature, Art and innovation. It has been successful because of key partnerships, mentors and dedicated attendees. It's a collaborative model. We work with everyone and support as many initiatives as we can. DP: You have had substantial experience in the private sector space that supports the Arts. Art professionals over the world have always stressed the need for public-private, and even community partnerships for the vitality and the long-term sustenance of the Arts. What are your views about this? AL: Overall if you review the past 5 years, lots has happened and changed. The cultural consumption of this city has increased and so has the ecosystem. I don¡¦t think one model can work. It has to be a combination of several initiatives. Yes not enough is being done, but on the flip side, there are several smaller program that all add up. Corporates are stepping up to the plate and there is also private support. 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