Leela marks Amit Ambalal's much anticipated fifth solo at Sakshi Gallery. The show opens on February 26 and remains on view until March 31, 2026 on the ground floor gallery.

In Leela, Amit Ambalal inhabits the idea of cosmic play in both sensibility and practice. Shaped by childhood stories heard at his grandparents' home and an enduring interest in mythical stories, his paintings move beyond a world seen through human gaze. Ambalal's understanding of leela, is not limited to humans alone. Animals, birds and trees exist in quiet synchrony, each part of a larger unfolding.

His long engagement with Nathdwara painting, particularly pichwai paintings, informs both his palette and process. Blue carries the presence of Krishna, yellow holds the golden radiance of Radha and green, born from their union, becomes a meeting point of the two. Colour is not merely decorative but devotional, layered with memory and meaning.

Elephants, langurs and peacocks wander through his compositions with wit and whimsy. Animals, birds and trees exist in a playful synchrony each part of a larger unfolding. In one, a tiger rests among blooming pink flowers as bees hum gently around it, in another, a red dog leaps overhead as a man below juggles, turning the scene into a choreography of surprise. Marked by surprise and movement, the works carry a playful energy shaped by a conscious refusal of solemnity. Painting, for Ambalal, remains an act of joyful observation, inviting viewers to see the world as shared, animated and continuously unfolding.