Prithvi is one of Mumbai's best known theatres, that belongs to the Kapoors, one of the influential actor/director families in Bollywood.

Prithviraj Kapoor's youngest son Shashi Kapoor, who had trained as an actor in the Prithvi Theatres, married Jennifer Kendal, daughter of Laura and Geoffrey Kendal, and the leading actress of their theatre company, Shakespearana . Both Shashi and Jennifer shared a deep passion for the theatre, and a great respect for Prithviraj's dream for Indian theatre.

A few years after his demise, when the lease of the land in Juhu ran out, they decided to buy the land and set up a Trust in Shri Prithviraj's memory with the intention of building a theatre to promote the performing arts. After studying the situation of theatre in the country, a need was felt for a unique theatre space - a space where the intimate and compelling actor / audience relationship, not unlike that of traditional Indian folk theatre, could be rediscovered. Attached to the theatre would be a cafe which would be a meeting place for artists and art lovers.

Shashi and Jennifer worked dedicatedly towards realising Prithviraj's dream, and on the 5th of November, 1978 the Prithvi Theatre, Bombay was inaugurated.