What’s up Kolkata: Events between May 16 and May 21

Kolkata Centre for Creativity, in collaboration with Museo Camera, presents Touching Light, an exhibition tracing 200 years of photography through rare archival works and contemporary analogue practices. Featuring early formats, albumen prints, and historically significant collections alongside modern works, the exhibition reflects on photography as both a material process and a cultural memory. Visitors can explore the exhibition daily from 11 am to 7 pm until May 29 at KCC.

Gaane Mile Dui brings together celebrated Rabindrasangeet artistes Srikanto Acharya and Jayati Chakraborty for an evening dedicated to the music of Rabindranath Tagore. Moving through reflective melodies and expressive compositions, the concert blends storytelling with musical dialogue, creating an atmosphere of nostalgia, romance, and serenity. The programme begins at 6 pm at the Kala Mandir Auditorium.

The comedy play Mastuto Vice turns a burglary into a chaotic farce when a thief stumbles upon multiple secret affairs inside an apartment. Forced into the role of mediator and accidental moral compass, he struggles to keep the tangled lies hidden from the unsuspecting husband. Packed with confusion, deception and sharp humour, the production starts at 6.30 pm at Madhusudan Mancha.

A Japanese flower arrangement workshop Japanese Ikebana invites participants to explore the art of creating balanced floral designs using simple techniques and natural elements. Designed for beginners and creative enthusiasts alike, the session focuses on mindfulness, symmetry and the quiet beauty of minimal arrangements. Workshops will be held at 3 pm on May 16 and at 3 pm and 5 pm on May 17 at Park Street Social.

Tape A Tale’s open mic event, Ghar offers a relaxed space for people to share poetry, stories, and personal experiences or simply listen to others perform. Following a non-biased, chit-based format, the gathering encourages honest expression and community interaction in an informal setting designed around warmth, creativity, and conversation. The session begins at 4 pm at The Talent Hub by The Talent Cellar.

Mizu Izakaya, the Mumbai-based Japanese restaurant, is all set to take over Vintage Asia at JW Marriott Kolkata this weekend. Expect a curated selection of Mizu’s signature dishes along with new additions, like a Hamachi Smoked Ponzu with a garam masala–smoked finish, Salmon Yuzu Gondhoraj & Truffle, Tuna Waffle with black garlic and teriyaki, Fire Grilled Scallops with mentaiko butter and miso corn mousse, Shio Kombu Mushrooms and the Mizu Shumai filled with conger eel, crab, and prawns and many more. Till May 17, 7 pm onwards.

Jaya Ganguly: A Retrospective (1982-2025) brings together a powerful body of work that reflects the artist's deeply personal engagement with memory, vulnerability, and the human condition. Curated by Rakhi Sarkar, the exhibition traces the evolution of one of the most compelling voices of contemporary Indian art. On view till June 13, 6 pm onwards.

After more than 50 years since its first show at Rabindra Sadan, Suman Mukhopadhyay is all set to bring the magic of legendary actor-director the late Utpal Dutt’s Tiner Talowar on stage, with actors Debshankar Haldar, Shankar Chakraborty, Sujan Mukhopadhyay, Poulami Bose, and others. The seminal play is considered a milestone in the history of Bengali theatre. Tiner Talowar highlights the anti-establishment struggle of theatre workers against both British oppression and exploitative Bengali aristocrats during the colonial era. On May 17, 2.30 pm onwards at the Academy of Fine Arts.

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