The Kala Ghoda Arts Festival (KGAF), Mumbai’s legendary celebration of arts, culture and heritage is all set to mark its silver jubilee with the KGAF Silver edition. Scheduled from January 25 to February 2, this milestone event will feature over 300 events across more than 20 venues, making it a monumental celebration of creativity, culture, and community.
Started in 1999, KGAF was the first-of-its-kind multi-disciplinary street arts festival in Mumbai started by the Kala Ghoda Association with the aim to maintain and preserve the heritage of Kala Ghoda area. The celebrated arts festival is back with its 25th edition featuring an exceptional lineup spanning literature, dance, music, theatre, food, architecture, and design, stand up, visual arts etc.
The festival will open with KGAF Silver Sitaare Fusion, a breathtaking showcase of 25 distinct dance styles performed by over 55 artists and institutions that have been integral to KGAF’s legacy. Esteemed performers such as Girish Dalvi, Sangeeta Sawant, Dinesh Singh, Ankita Narkar, and Manasi Damle will deliver awe-inspiring performances that celebrate the richness of global and Indian dance.
KGAF’s new anthem will be launched on the opening day, which has been composed by renowned artist Shantanu Moitra and sung by Shaan, Rahul Deshpande, Kaushiki Chakraborty, Kavita Seth, and will be performed by Amaan and Ayaan Ali Bangash. This original piece encapsulates the festival’s journey and enduring spirit, celebrating 25 years of artistic excellence.
The opening day will also include Avagha Anandi Anand by the Nrityasmriti Academy of Performing Arts and Smriti Talpade, to showcase Maharashtra’s rich cultural traditions through Ganesh Stuti, Gondhal, depictions of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, and a tribute to Lord Vitthal.
The literature section will present diverse and thought-provoking sessions around the concepts of queer narratives, extreme perspectives, mystical provocations of Kabir, union and separation in mythology, celebrating poets of Bombay, Narayan Surve’s revolutionary poetry, storytelling forms and love in all its avatars.
KGAF will launch its 15th vertical on the occasion of 25 years that brings to life fashion, wellness, youth centric engagement and sustainability at the festival. Keep Moving with Milind Soman will feature Roopa Pai speaking to Milind Soman, Usha Soman, and Ankita Konwar about staying young in mind and body. The vertical will include a fashion trot in the precinct, a fashion show at Cross Maidan, a series of talks, workshops and activities.
Performances by luminaries like Aditi Mangaldas and the Drishtikon Foundation, Shivanshu Soni, Padmashri Narthaki Nataraj, Prachee Shah Pandya and Prithvi Gandharva, Aditi Bhagwat, and SNA awardee Latasana Devi will celebrate the grace of traditional and contemporary dance.
The food section of the arts festival will feature a culinary journey led by celebrate chefs. ‘Food! Camera! Action!’ will be a tribute to Om Puri on his 75th birthday with a screening of The Hundred-Foot Journey and intimate memories shared by his family. Similarly, restaurateurs will discuss the intersection of design and functionality in dining spaces at the Dining by Design event.
‘Urban Design and Architecture: Envisioning the Future’ will feature esteemed names like Alfaz Miller, Sarah Sham, Mrudul Pathak Kundu, Abha Narain Lambah, Arthur Duff, Nachiket Barve, and Ritu Mohanty Padora. Iconic venues like the Afghan Church, Hamilton Studios, and Studio Arjun Rathi will host special events.
The music section of the arts festival will host a tribute to Zakir Hussain as a musical homage to the legendary tabla maestro by highly regarded musicians and artists. Grand finale wil be held at the prestigious Asiatic Steps with Mame Khan & Troupe, Sachin-Jigar and more.
Brinda Miller, Chairperson of KGAF, said, “Since its inception in 2000, the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival has grown into one of Asia’s largest and most comprehensive arts festivals, spanning visual arts, music, dance, theater, and literature. KGAF is more than a festival, it is a celebration of creativity, community, and collaboration. This 25th year honors not only the art but the spirit of togetherness that makes KGAF a living, breathing canvas of culture.”
Literature Section of Kala Ghoda Arts Festival
Pride & Pronoun: Modern Queer Narratives – R. Raj Rao and Shanta Khurai, led by Harish Iyer
It Was the Best of Times, It Was the Worst of Times – Gurcharan Das and Vinutha Mallya
Bole Kabir Burn Down Your House – Shabnam Virmani and Rajni Bakshi
Marriage, Murder, and Mythology – Devdutt Pattanaik
Kolatkar and Friends: A Poetry Crawl – Saranya Subramanian
Kamgaar Aahe Me, Talpati Talwar Aahe – Jerry Pinto and Mustansir Dalvi
The Long and the Short of It – Anindita Ghose, Prayaag Akbar, and Murzban Shroff
Bridging Differences: Love and Hope in Sanskrit and Urdu – Rakhshanda Jalil, Anusha Rao, and Suhas Mahesh
