CurtainCall by IIM Bangalore — ₹10,000 Theatre Case Competition
A business case contest from IIM Bangalore's dramatics club where student teams of 2 to 4 work out how to revive stage theatre. Run as part of VENIX 2026, with ₹10,000 in prizes.
- Funding amount
- ₹10,000 (competition)
- Funding type
- Competition
- Application deadline
- Closed (29 Jul 2026)
- Eligible stage
- Any stage
- Location
- Open to startups registered in India
Overview
CurtainCall is a case competition that treats theatre as a business problem rather than a cultural one. It is run by Goonj, the dramatics club at IIM Bangalore, and sits inside VENIX 2026 — the institute's flagship festival of business and entrepreneurship, which draws students from campuses across the country.
The premise is a familiar tension: stage performance against streaming. Participants take on the role of producers and turnaround strategists, and are asked to build a persuasive, workable plan for keeping theatre commercially alive — one that reckons with the audience, the performers and the money side of running a production. The strongest teams then defend that plan in person.
The contest moves through three rounds: an online quiz, a written case submission, and a final live presentation on the IIM Bangalore campus. A total prize pool of ₹10,000 is shared among the winning and runner-up teams.
Registration is handled online through Unstop, and the entry window shuts on 29 July 2026. Because the quiz comes first, teams need to be registered before that date to take part at all.
Highlights
- Case competition run by Goonj, the dramatics club of IIM Bangalore, as part of VENIX 2026.
- Open to students of any discipline and any institution, in teams of 2 to 4 members.
- Total prize pool of ₹10,000, shared by the winners and runners-up.
- Three rounds: an online quiz, a case submission, and a live final at IIM Bangalore.
- Case deck limited to five slides plus a title slide, with up to three extra slides or Excel files permitted.
- Register on Unstop by 29 July 2026.
Who can apply
CurtainCall is open to students, and there is no restriction on discipline or on which institution you attend.
- Team size: entries must be made in teams of 2 to 4 members. Solo participation is not permitted.
- Course or stream: any — management, arts, design, engineering, media or anything else.
- Institution: any college or university. The organiser does not limit entry to a particular campus, course or programme.
- Background that helps: an interest in business strategy, entertainment, arts management or entrepreneurship will make the case feel closer to your strengths, though the rounds themselves are open to all students.
No incorporated entity is needed. There is no requirement for company registration, DPIIT recognition or an MSME certificate, because this is a student case competition rather than a funding scheme.
CurtainCall by IIM Bangalore — ₹10,000 Theatre Case Competition is open to startups at any stage. It is open to startups registered anywhere in India.
- Eligible stage
- Any stage
- Location
- Open to startups registered in India
Deadline & timing
The most recent application window for CurtainCall by IIM Bangalore — ₹10,000 Theatre Case Competition closed on 29 Jul 2026. Many programmes run repeat cohorts, so it is worth checking the official site for the next round.
What the funding covers
CurtainCall rewards teams with cash prizes, not investment, so participants give up nothing in return — there is no equity stake, no revenue share and nothing to repay.
- Total prize pool: ₹10,000, shared among the winning and runner-up teams. How the money is divided depends on where a team finishes.
- The award is tied to final ranking in the competition rather than to milestones, reimbursements or project delivery.
- Teams that clear the case round take their plan to the IIM Bangalore campus, present it live and field questions from the judging panel.
There is no entry fee mentioned as part of the process, and the registration route is the competition's Unstop listing.
How to apply
Applications are submitted on the . Confirm the current deadline and document checklist there before you start.
Selection process
Teams are filtered through three rounds, each testing something different.
- Round 1 — Online quiz. A fast-moving quiz covering music, entertainment, literature and art, with the questions drawn largely from the film, cinema and entertainment industry. It carries 15 multiple-choice or subjective questions.
- Round 2 — Case submission. Teams receive a real case study built around a business problem a company in the theatre or entertainment space is facing right now. They analyse it and set out creative, practical solutions in a presentation deck capped at five slides, with the title slide excluded. Up to three additional slides, or Excel spreadsheets carrying data and visualisations, may be attached. The team leader is the only member who uploads the final solution, on the designated online platform.
- Round 3 — On-campus final. The top teams from the case round present their solutions live at IIM Bangalore before a panel of judges, and must answer questions and defend their strategy on the spot.
Documents you’ll need
Before you apply to CurtainCall by IIM Bangalore — ₹10,000 Theatre Case Competition, keep the following documents ready:
- A pitch deck or short business plan describing the problem, product and traction
- Company registration documents and PAN
- Founder identification (PAN / Aadhaar) and brief profiles
- Recent financial statements or projections
- Product details — a demo, prototype or working link if available
Exact requirements are confirmed on the official application portal — treat this as a preparation checklist.
Who this is best for
CurtainCall by IIM Bangalore — ₹10,000 Theatre Case Competition is best suited for startups in India seeking non-dilutive funding of ₹10,000. If that describes your startup, review the eligibility criteria above before applying.
Frequently asked questions
How much can a team win through CurtainCall?
There is a total prize pool of ₹10,000, and that amount is distributed among the top teams — the winners and the runners-up. The exact share each team receives depends on where it places. There is no separate grant, stipend or investment attached; the prize money is the reward on offer.
Who is eligible to participate?
Any student can take part, regardless of the course being studied or the institution they attend. There is no restriction by discipline, and no requirement that you come from a particular college or university. The one hard rule is on team composition: entries must be in teams of 2 to 4 members, so nobody can compete alone.
What is the last date to register?
The deadline is 29 July 2026. Since Round 1 is an online quiz that goes live for registered participants, getting your team signed up before that date is essential — there is no way to join after the window closes.
How and where do I apply?
Registration happens online through the Unstop platform, on the competition's dedicated listing page. Your team registers there, and in Round 2 it is the team leader who uploads the completed case solution to the designated online platform.
How many rounds does the competition have?
There are three rounds. Round 1 is an online quiz with 15 multiple-choice or subjective questions covering music, entertainment, literature, art and the film and cinema industry. Round 2 is a case submission. Round 3 is a live presentation on the IIM Bangalore campus for the teams that made the cut.
What exactly do we have to submit in the case round?
You submit a presentation deck solving the case study assigned to your team. It can run to a maximum of five slides, not counting the title slide, and you may add up to three further slides or Excel spreadsheets for data and visualisations. Only the team leader submits the final file, on the platform designated for Round 2.
What happens if we reach the final round?
The best teams from the case round present their solutions live on the IIM Bangalore campus to a panel of judges. You will be expected to answer questions about your plan and defend the reasoning behind it, so the final round is as much about how well you can argue your strategy as about the slides themselves.
Do we need DPIIT recognition or MSME registration?
No. Those requirements apply to government funding schemes meant for registered businesses. CurtainCall is a student business case competition, so the criteria are simply being a student and entering as a team of 2 to 4 members — no company, no registration certificate, no government recognition.
Does the competition take equity in the idea?
No. Because CurtainCall pays out cash prizes rather than investing capital, there is no equity taken, no revenue share and nothing to repay. It is a competition format, not a funding round.
Who organises CurtainCall?
It is organised by Goonj, the official dramatics club of Indian Institute of Management Bangalore, and it forms part of VENIX 2026 — the institute's flagship festival of business and entrepreneurship, which brings students together from across India for a set of business challenges and events.
How do I apply for CurtainCall by IIM Bangalore — ₹10,000 Theatre Case Competition?
Apply directly through the official application link on this page. Review the eligibility criteria and prepare your startup documents before you begin.
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