Little construction workers stacking blocks, tiny chefs molding sweets out of playdough, children darting around while parents shopped or chased after them — this was the lively scene at Saptaparni, where toy brand Star Papaya’s Festival of Play was in full swing.
With storytelling sessions from various authors, a dedicated play area featuring a ball pit, and a bustling marketplace filled with stalls offering games, books, toys, clothes, snacks, and more, the festival buzzed with energy — just like a busy beehive.
Star Papaya co-founders Echo Han and Deepti Chadda recently expanded their business from Singapore to Hyderabad, marking the beginning of their new venture in the city. “As we were marketing our products, we realised that this kind of imaginative play needed more education and advocacy,” Echo explains, adding, “That’s how we came up with the idea for The Festival of Play.” She adds, “We built this event on three pillars: Community, Connection, and Imagination. It’s about bringing people together to strengthen the bond between parents and children through play.”
At the heart of the festival was the concept of story-playing — a form of immersive play where children engage with storybooks using toys inspired by the setting and characters. In an era of increasing digitisation and iPad kids, this kind of screen-free play encouraged families to slow down, connect, and engage more creatively.
“It’s a great way to spend the weekend,” says Sameera, a mother attending the event. “It’s a safe space for kids to engage in play-school-style activities— we don’t really have something like this in Hyderabad,” she says. Another parent, Vishnu, echoed the sentiment, “It’s hard to find events specifically designed for kids. Most exhibitions are commercial, but here, there’s so much for them to do. It’s different, exciting, and refreshing.”
The true highlight of the day, however, was the festival’s grand finale — a mesmerising puppet show by Talking Turtles. Puppeteer Shreedevi Sunil had the audience spellbound as children eagerly participated in storytelling sessions featuring The Girl and the Wolf and Brother Crocodile and Sister Chicken, komkwakiwa-ing her way into everyone’s hearts.
“This was our first step — to explore what’s possible, who wants to collaborate, and how we can expand this idea,” Deepti shares, adding, “With such a warm and positive response, we hope to take the festival forward in smaller formats — maybe even to other cities.”
The Star Papaya India chapter has only just begun, but the brand is well on its way to making story-play a part of families’ everyday lives. Even when telling age-old tales, each moment brings something new to discover.