Cultural Utsav in the city

Gurgaon Utsav to bring a host of plays, music and dance performances to the city.

As you shop, eat and burst crackers this festive season, how about getting a dose of our rich culture in the form of theatrical plays and musical performances? That’s what the second edition of Gurgaon Utsav is all about.

Organised by Arts, a social organisation for promoting art and culture in Delhi and NCR, the three-day fest that starts on November 2, aims to bring creative performers from around the country on one platform. “The first edition in March this year, saw more than 600 people attending the fest each day. So, we’ve decided to make it a bi-annual affair,” says Uma Prakash, co-founder of Arts.

The Utsav begins with an English play titled, Chinese Coffee, which shows a friendship gone sour due to professional rivalry. “It’s a theme most college students and young corporate professionals can relate to,” says Danish Hussain, the director of the play.

Then there’s classical singer Vidya Shah, who will sing songs by Gauhar Jan, Zohra Bai, Agrewali from 20th century. “My performance is about women who sang on record (gramophone) but of whom there is little record in the history,” says Shah, who is a disciple of musicians Shubha Mudgal and Shanti Hiranand.

The festival will conclude with a dance drama, Face to Face, directed by Jyotsna Shourie. “I’ve used poetic license to place two iconic women from Hindu mythology - Draupadi, the multi-faceted beauty, and Sita the embodiment of loyalty and courage on the same stage,” says Shourie.