Restored by Abha Narain Lambha after 20 years of remaining closed, entering the Royal Opera House in Mumbai is like walking back in time. First opened in 1916, it is still the only surviving one of its kind in India today.

Regarded as the finest opera house ‘East of Suez’ in its hay day, Lambah and her team retained as much of its rich historic fabric, rebuilding it back to the decadent Baroque wonder it once was. An ode to the performing arts, its sumptuous past can be seen all around - in the plush colours, ornate pediments, ceiling friezes and much of the opulent interiors.