MUMBAI: Kala Ghoda Arts Festival (KGAF), India’s biggest cultural street festival, is all set to deliver this year an enthralling commemoration of 20 years since its inception. KGAF 2019 will celebrate 2 glorious decades of art and culture, across various forms and communities including design, cinema, theatre, dance, literature and much more, from 2nd to 10th February 2019 at the iconic art district of Kala Ghoda. This year also marks 150 years of Mahatma Gandhi’s birth, and the festival will pay its respects to his philosophy and contribution to the nation as well.
Speaking on the 20 years of the iconic festival’s achievements, Maneck Davar, Hon Chairman of Kala Ghoda Association said, “It is a milestone year for us and everybody who has been involved with the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival, right since its inception. Come February 2nd, all art and creative enthusiasts the world over, will come and showcase their talent in the finest way possible.
The festival has always been inclusive, providing information and entertainment to all demographics and social and economic strata, without any charge. It is a wondrous, cumulative effort of artists and artisans, curators and volunteers who make the festival a true celebration of culture.
This year we also pay homage to the Father of the Nation on his 150th birth anniversary by a special exhibition at the Jehangir Art Gallery and through programs in music, dance, literature, theatre and more.”
Talking about what the festival has in store as it turns 20, Nicole Mody, Festival Coordinator of KGAF, said, “The creative hub of Kala Ghoda, over the course of 20 years, has always acknowledged the various communities that are involved in the visual and performing arts industry. Having received unprecedented support from all over the country, KGAF has had a very successful run. It is very important that we honour their support and hence this year, we celebrate each and every category with a sense of nostalgia while embracing the developments in the coming future.”
The festival will also host captivating exhibitions at the historic Jehangir Art Gallery. Some of the best collections on the Father of the Nation - Mahatma Gandhi, will be on display here, in addition to the rich archival collection of the Bombay heritage.
Along with the regular artistic and cultural display at the festival, here’s a list of 20 special things to look forward to at the 20th anniversary edition of the Kala Ghoda Art Festival:
Culinary delights: Celebrated Indian pastry chef Pooja Dhingra will be launching her book at the festival. Pooja, along with American chef Tiffany Derry, will also host culinary workshops for the attendees
Documentary screening: Renowned director Khalid Mohammad will showcase a special documentary on the Irani Cafes of the city at the festival.
The Magic of Flute: World renowned flautist, Padma Vibhushan award winner, Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia will grace the stage of Cross Maidan
Musical notes: Sisters Prakriti and Sukriti Kakar will enthrall the audience with their performance at the festival
A treat for the movie enthusiasts: A special interaction with the cast and crew of ‘Tumbbad’ and ‘Badhaai Ho’ will give the audience an in-depth and different perspective on the movies
The evergreen Shaan: Popular chartbuster Tanha Dil by Shaan also completes 20 years in 2019. The festival will see the singer croon this special tune much to the delight of the listeners in addition to a mix of his old and new set of songs
The National Heroes: Panel discussion on 26/11 attacks and its survivors to be conducted by patrons of the literary world
Get Set Drone: Gaurav Singh will be conducting a demo and DIY session/workshop of fun and drones titled "Get set Drone"
More Stalls, More Shopping: The 20th edition of the festival will have stalls in a way that after 5 days, newer set of products will be offered to the visitors. Expansion in the variety offered to the audience will give them a chance to revisit the stalls each day
For the theatre lovers: Theatre legend Suchithra Krishnamurthy will showcase a special theatre performance at the festival
Literature: Award-winning author Githa Hariharan will talk about her major release I Have Become The Tide and her journey as an author. She will cover various aspects of societal fragility through the context of her novel with Ranjit Hoskote
Touch a chord: A special performance will be seen by violinist Sunita Bhuyan, a renowned social activist recognized by the Vatican for her work towards underprivileged children
· People Called Kala Ghoda: The Kala Ghoda Association will also be releasing a book curated by The People Place Project, featuring experiences shared by people of the precinct and those associated with the festival for over two decades; it is a cultural narrative on the genesis and the 20-year history of the festival.
Hit the Dance floor: Artists Sunayana Hazarilal (Padmashree winner), Mansi Salve, Rukmini and Shakti Mohan will enthrall the audience by their performances
Dance it out: A specially choreographed amalgamation of 20 dance forms across categories (from western to Indian classical to bring forth a fusion) will be presented at the festival
From the expert’s corner: Hon. Justice Dr DY Chandrachud will throw some light on the power of the Indian Constitution in safeguarding society, art, history and culture
Heritage Walk: Heritage walks to showcase the city and its monuments as they were 20 years ago and how they are today. These walks will consist of 20 major pit stops with every pit stop highlighting the significance of what the same stands for
150 years of Mahatma Gandhi: With the father of the nation turning 150, the festival will pay its tribute to Mahatma Gandhi honoring him via activities and events taking place in this year’s edition of the festival
Women talk: There will be a special all-women panel of Marathi writers who will discuss the various aspects of literature in regional languages and its nuances
2 decades of movies: This year the festival will be screening 4 special movies that will be marking the completion of 20 years since its release
Bringing out art from the confines of a gallery and presenting imperative matters of discussions, the annual festival is only getting bigger and better as it celebrates its 20th edition. One can catch all the action from 2nd to 10th February 2019.
