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Weekend events you can’t miss in Kolkata (March 6-8)
GenZ vs 90s, a standup comedy show, is presented as an inter-generational battle of punchlines featuring comedians performing in Bengali, Hindi and English
* A generational comedy clash
GenZ vs 90s, a standup comedy show, is presented as an inter-generational battle of punchlines featuring comedians performing in Bengali, Hindi and English. The event centres on humour arising from the cultural differences between those who grew up in the ’90s and Gen Z. It promises a relatable comedy line-up in which performers reference generational experiences, trends and everyday situations associated with the different age groups. The format positions the show around contrasting perspectives shaped by different eras and shared pop-cultural memories.
When: March 8, 6 pm
Where: Calcutta Comedy Company
Entry: ₹199 for one; ₹349 for two
* Two comics, one case
Curious Case ft Saquib & Surya is described as a thriller-comedy format featuring two comics performing as a duo. The show is framed as a mystery blending stand-up with a loose investigative setup rather than a conventional set structure.
Saquib and Surya bring distinct styles to the stage. Material will be presented in Bengali, Hindi and English. Billed as a concept-driven comedy show, Curious Case focuses on the interplay between suspense and humour, using a case to structure the performance while keeping the focus on punchlines and conversational exchanges.
When: March 7, 6 pm
Where: Calcutta Comedy Company
Entry: ₹199 for one; ₹349 for two
* Voices for Tagore
Mukto Koro Bhoy is conceived as an evening of Tagore’s music and verse, bringing together established and emerging voices in Bengali cultural performance.
Rezwana Chowdhury Bannya, known for her long engagement with Rabindra Sangeet as a performer and teacher, joins Srikanta Acharya, a stalwart of Tagore interpretation. Singers Mohan Singh Khadruna and Agnibha Bandopadhyay will also perform, while poetry will be recited by Bratati Bandopadhyay, recognised for her work in Bengali elocution.
The event will combine solo renditions and recitations, drawing on Tagore’s compositions and literary works.
When: March 8, 4 pm
Where: Nazrul Mancha
Entry: Prices start at ₹2,500
* A weekend in stereo
India Spirit Weekend brings together a cross-section of contemporary live and electronic music artists across two days. The line-up includes Nucleya, whose electronic productions draw on Indian sonic textures and bass-driven club sounds, and the DJ collective Aaste Ladies, known for high-tempo, dance-focused sets.
The programme moves through successive performances rather than a single headlining slot, with artists spanning Bollywood, pop, EDM and alternative styles. Sets are staged back-to-back, creating a continuous run with shifts of tone, creating an event that offers a combination of festival programming and urban nightlife culture.
When: March 7 and 8, 2 pm onwards
Where: Biswa Bangla Exhibition Centre
Entry: ₹2,999 for one day, ₹4,999 for both days
* The legend of Gauhar Jaan
Gauhar Jaan is a biographical play tracing the life of the singer who became one of India’s first gramophone recording stars. Born Angelina Yeoward, she trained in Calcutta under Kale Khan of Patiala and Ustad Wazir Khan of Rampur, studying classical forms such as Dhrupad and Dhamar. The production follows her rise as a sought-after performer and her transition into the early recording era, when her voice began reaching audiences beyond live mehfils. With Swagata Mukherjee in the title role, the play revisits the artistic discipline, public acclaim and shifting fortunes that marked Gauhar Jaan’s career.
When: March 8, 6.30 pm
Where: Uttam Mancha
Entry: Prices start at ₹199
* Two Tales, One Stage
Man ke Adeetth Saanche is part of Padatik Theatre’s Writers on Stage series and brings two stories by Vijaydan Detha — Putiya Chacha and Kenchuli — to the stage in a rehearsed reading format.
Instead of a full-scale production, the focus stays on the text and the actors’ delivery. The stories draw on Detha’s engagement with Rajasthani life and folklore, placing ordinary characters in situations that reveal tension, irony and shifting power dynamics.
Performers move between narration and dialogue, allowing the structure of the original stories to remain visible. The emphasis is on storytelling as performance — language, voice, and pauses doing most of the work.
When: March 7 and 8, 7 pm
Where: Padatik Little Theatre
Entry: ₹400
* Art as feminist inquiry
Empowerment: Art & Feminisms in Kolkata brings together 31 South Asian artists and collectives for a multidisciplinary exhibition that examines feminist thought and practice.
Organised by the Goethe-Institut Kolkata in collaboration with Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg, the show spans photography, video, installation, multimedia work, and performance.
Structured around thematic sections such as gender and identity, resistance and protest, and alternative narratives, it examines how artists respond to social inequality, postcolonial histories, racism, ecological crises, and shifting power structures.
The works move between personal testimony and collective memory, combining archival material, speculative futures and direct political commentary. Rather than presenting a single definition of feminism, the exhibition gathers varied positions that reflect different geographies, lived experiences and artistic strategies.
When: Until April 15
Where: Goethe-Institut / Max Mueller Bhavan Kolkata
Entry: Free
