Mumbai's iconic Kala Ghoda Arts Festival has taken on a digital avatar this year. As usual, the noted arts festival will commence on the first Saturday of February and close on the second Sunday of February but virtually.
Organised by the Kala Ghoda Association (KGA), a non-profit organisation, the art festival will be hosted on Paytm Insider (www.kgaf2021.com) and includes 70 programmes, including discussions, workshops and demonstrations about dance and music, visual arts, theatre, cinema, literature, book launches and tributes to famous personalities. The festival will also present plenty of events that would reflect the rich history of art in Mumbai.
While the Kala Ghoda Spotlight will shine a light on some scintillating performances and talks by Leslee Lewis, TM Krishna, Usha Uthup, Rahul Mehrotra, among many biggies, Kitchen Secrets will focus on cooking demonstrations by culinary heroes including Saransh Goila, Zeba Kohli, Pooja Dhingra, Tara Deshpande and Michelin Star Chef Fabio Mazzolini from Italy.
Unlocking Heritage captures a series of heritage walks that take us through the city and its renowned architectural precincts in association with Art Deco Mumbai Trust and Khaki Tours.
Key Conversations promises engaging conversations with luminaries including Ruth Padel, Devdutt Patnaik, TM Krishna, Perumal Murugan, Pankaj Udhas with Kavita Krishnamoorthy, Tahira Kashyap, Neena Gupta and Vikas Khanna, Padma Shri Shubha Mudgal, Shilpa Rao and Dia Mirza to name a few. Laugh Out Loud, as the title suggests, brings forth the best in the business of comedy including Atul Khatri, Aditi Mittal, Sorabh Pant, Vir Das, Rohan Joshi, Sonali Thakker and Kashyap Swaroop.
KGAF Specials this year also include a section titled Artists' Studio that will take audiences into the workspace of artists including Arzan Khambatta, Paresh Maity, Ajay De, Madhvi Subrahmanian, Brinda Miller, Sameer Kulavoor, Sunil Padwal, Dhruvi Acharya, Seema Kohli and Rekha Rodwittiya. The LGBTQ-focused Kashish International Film Festival will also be showcasing cinematic works, both Indian as well as International, and will also be hosting a panel of trans artists in the cinema world.
Funlocked, the children's section, includes an exciting workshop by Harun Robert, storytime with Kahaani Online, Anand Neelakantan and Shabnam Minwalla, celebrated authors both. Meera Warrier's The Treasure Chest with Maya brings alive the story of the Kala Ghoda for kids, and the talented team at Amar Chitra Katha shares the story behind some of their iconic characters!
"This year, KGAF's partners include KOMMUNE, Kashish, MAMI, the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, Bangalore International Centre, Nehru Science Centre and Amar Chitra Katha, as also cultural embassies including the Institute of Italian Culture, Consulate General of Switzerland, the Italian Cultural Centre (Mumbai), the Brazilian Consulate and the Consulate General of Sweden," said the organisers.
The festival is also set to take its stalls, an eclectic collection of handicrafts (a huge attraction at the festival every year), online. The Marketplace will open February 6 but will go till the end of the month and can be accessed through the website.
KGAF 2021 will be hosted on Paytm Insider. The schedule will be available on www.kgaf2021.com. Registrations open on January 29.
(with inputs from IANS)