Hyderabad: In a darkened room in the city, readers of Hyderabad are slipping on headphones and finding themselves inside the mind of Josef K, one of Franz Kafka’s most famous characters.The immersive installation, titled I Josef, reimagined Kafka’s century-old novel as a binaural audio and multimedia experience that pulls visitors into the protagonist’s dizzying world of suspicion, absurdity, and existential dread. The show, presented by Kaivalya Plays in collaboration with Goethe-Institut/Max Mueller Bhavan, celebrated the 101st birth anniversary of Kafka at Rangabhoomi in the city.For many, the experience was both unsettling and eye-opening. Priya R, a postgraduate literature student, said, “It felt unsettling but fascinating, like I was literally inside Josef’s mind. The voices came from all around me, and I couldn’t tell what was real or imagined.”Sameer Khan, a young professional from Kondapur, said, “I’ve read Kafka before, but this was something else. The audio made me feel like I was the one being questioned and judged. It’s both claustrophobic and eye-opening.” Alongside the immersive show, a comic-style poster exhibition by Austrian artist Nicolas Mahler offers a visual journey into Kafka’s life and works, giving audiences a chance to see the author’s world in images as surreal as his writing.Gaurav Singh Nijjer, the director and designer of the production, told TOI, “It’s been a really interesting experience to come to Hyderabad; the arts culture here is so well established. We’ve received lots of positive feedback, and it’s wonderful to see artists, theatre students, literature enthusiasts, even lawyers coming in to experience it. Around 400 people and 250 children have already attended, through our partnership with the Hyderabad Children’s Theatre Festival. What made it special was the open dialogue that followed each experience.”
