The region of Maharashtra, has had a long theatrical tradition, one of the early references was found in the cave inscriptions at Nashik by Gautami Balashri, the mother of the 1st-century Satavahana ruler, Gautamiputras Satakarni.
[6] Marathi theatre made its beginning in 1843, and in the following years, Tamasha which was primarily constituted of singing and dancing expanded its thematic repertoire and added small dramatic and humorous skits, known as Vag Natya, to it.
Bashir Momin (Kavathekar) wrote short vag-natya based on the prevailing situations, challenges and on the topics which requires mass awareness about social issues like dowry, education.
Momin Kavathekar also wrote songs & Lavani's that enthralled the audiences, helped in sustaining popularity of the 'Tamasha' and earned him 'Vithabai Narayangavkar Lifetime Achievement Award' for his lifelong contribution.
For year 2018, Lokshahir Bashir Momin Kavathekar has been conferred with this award for his lifelong contribution to the field of Tamasha through his prolific lavani's & Vag's.
[16] Main elements of tamasha, like loud humour, suggestive lyrics and dance numbers, proved influential in the development the Bollywood idiom, which is based in Mumbai.
In the 1970s, during the rise of modernMarathi theatre, the tamasha form was employed as narrative device and style in several notable plays like Ghashiram Kotwal by Vijay Tendulkar, Vijaya Mehta's Marathi adaptations of Bertolt Brecht's The Good Woman of Setzuan as Devajine Karuna Keli (1972) and Caucasian Chalk Circle as Ajab Nyaya Vartulacha (1974), P. L. Deshpande's Teen paishacha Tamasha (1978), an adaptation of Brecht's The Threepenny Opera.
[18][19] The 1972, Marathi hit film, Pinjra directed by V. Shantaram, starring Shriram Lagoo and Sandhya in lead roles was set in the Tamasha musical theatre.
(1964) by Anant Mane and starring Jayshree Gadkar, Ek Hota Vidushak (1992) by Jabbar Patel, Natarang (2010) by Ravi Jadhav and Tamasha - Hach Khel Udya Punha (2011) by Milind Pednekar.
Momin Kavathekar, 'Gabhulalelya Chandrabanat' (a fictional love story) by Vishwas Patil, 'Tmashatil Songadya' by B. S. Shinde, 'Tamshatil Stree Kalavant- Jivan aani Samasya' by Dr. Sadhana Burade and 'Tamasha Lokrangabhumi' by Rustum AchalKhamb.