Fiery And Fragrant: ‘Masala Dabba’ Comes To Southern California

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By Fatema Baldiwala

LONG BEACH, CA – Every Indian household has one. The round steel box, neatly filled with turmeric, cumin, chili, cardamom, and coriander, sits by the stove: ready to season meals with memory, tradition, and love. Known as the masala dabba, the spice box is a symbol of connection, heritage, and the magic of blending the old with the new.

Now, award-winning playwright Wendy Graf brings that symbol to life in her powerful new play ‘Masala Dabba,’ having its world premiere at International City Theater in Long Beach. Much like the iconic spice box, the play holds many flavors — grief and joy, estrangement and reunion, silence and truth, all stirred together into a story about family, culture, and healing.

“This is a play about home, faith, and belonging,” says Graf, writer-in-residence. “Food is the way these characters reconnect. Spices open the door to the past, and stories begin to flow.”

‘Masala Dabba’ follows three generations of women navigating identity, memory, and culture. At its heart is Aditi Doshi, an Indian-born mother who returns to California after two decades of estrangement from her daughter Nisha, now married to Charlie, an African American man. Their teenage daughter Tina is biracial, navigating the complexities of being Black and Indian in America while knowing almost nothing of her Indian heritage.

Tension simmers when Aditi reappears after years of silence, yet Tina seizes the chance to connect with her grandmother. Through food, spices, and long-buried truths, three women confront their past and find surprising paths toward healing.

Graf describes the play as “Kintsugi for families” — a reference to the Japanese art of mending broken pottery with gold. “Rather than hiding the cracks, you honor them. That’s how this family heals, by seeing their brokenness as part of their beauty.”

The production features a deeply talented South Asian cast whose personal connections enrich the story.

Ansuya Nathan, who plays Nisha Byrd, explains, “It’s really about relationships, about mothers and daughters, about secrets families keep. Food and culture get lost, and in this play they’re found again. It’s a beautiful, moving story about love and connection.”

For Nathan, performing at International City Theater is particularly meaningful, “Though it seats 800, it feels intimate. The moment I walked in, I thought, ‘Oh gosh, I really want this job.’”

Nandini Minocha, who portrays Aditi, connects the role to her own life and family, “I play the grandmother who returns to reconnect with her daughter and granddaughter. Like many families, there is estrangement — but food and stories become the bridge. This play has given me an insight into the psyche of my own grandmother.”

Minocha’s character prepares her granddaughter for the inevitability of loss with a verse from the Bhagavad Gita, “It is not born, it does not die; Having been, it will never not be.”

“This moment is about culture and spirituality passing from one generation to the next,” Minocha adds. “It shows how heritage can still find its way into the lives of young people, even if there has been distance.”

Central to the play is the masala dabba itself. In one pivotal scene, Nisha, who hosts a cooking show, brings her mother and daughter together to talk about spices. As the grandmother describes cumin, cardamom, and turmeric, stories surface that Nisha never heard before — tales of India, rituals, and blessings passed down through food.

Turmeric, for example, is remembered not only as a seasoning but also as a sacred substance used in weddings, remedies, and religious offerings. It becomes a metaphor for memory itself — vivid, golden, and impossible to erase.

“For me,” says Graf, “writing about Indian cooking and traditions was a way to immerse myself in a world I deeply respect. I worked with Indian actors and cultural consultants to make sure the representation felt authentic. This play is about seeing ourselves and our families reflected on stage.”

For Nathan, the play is more than a story. It’s a chance for the South Asian community in America to see itself represented in mainstream theater. “I really hope the South Asian community comes out to see this play. It’s so rare that we get to see ourselves on stage in America. Representation matters, and this play gives us that space.”

‘Masala Dabba’ is a play that resonates far beyond the South Asian diaspora. It speaks to anyone who has wrestled with identity, struggled with family estrangement, or found healing in unexpected places. It is a reminder that food is more than nourishment; it is memory, ritual, and love.

Like the spice box it is named after, ‘Masala Dabba’ is full of surprises: fiery, fragrant, and unforgettable. It is a must watch.

For more: www.InternationalCityTheatre.org