The Sanatkada Lucknow Festival, in its 15th edition, is going to be all about ‘Ashiqana Lucknow’. With interviews with over 90 people, the Sanatkada team has curated topics of discussion, films, books and artists, who during the duration of the festival from February 2 - 6, will echo the theme of ‘Love through the eyes of a Lucknowite’.
The festival will be spread across two venues and seven stages, and culture walks will be organised as a part of it. For the five days of the festival, simultaneous programmes will be going on at the Safed Baradari and Salempur House in Qaiserbagh.
From self-love to loss of love, and everything in between, has been tapped into, to curate this festival, expected to draw crowds young and old. “People of Lucknow from all walks of life, and all ages, have been interviewed, so that we could get an understanding of what love means to the common Lucknowite of today,” said Madhavi Kuckreja, founder of the festival.
“This might be the first platform in the city where the theme of love is being explored in all its faces, without any one definition of love or lover. We are exploring it as a common theme that appeals to all, regardless of where they come from and what their orientation might be,” she added.
Besides film screenings, book launches, music and dance performances, dramas and qissagoi, the festival will also see an exhibition curated on the theme of love and loss, and a Crafts Bazaar, featuring 100 weavers and handicrafts artists from across the country and abroad. “Needlework, home furnishing, apparel and more will be available at this Crafts Bazaar,” said a team member. “We have tribal women who weave lungis, coming in from Chhattisgarh, idol makers, and also a calligrapher who worked on the Chhota Imambara, for the visitors to interact with them and their craft. The Salempur House venue will also have the Bawarchi Tola, where visitors can sate their hunger for Awadhi cuisine, after exploring the festival.
{{/usCountry}}Besides film screenings, book launches, music and dance performances, dramas and qissagoi, the festival will also see an exhibition curated on the theme of love and loss, and a Crafts Bazaar, featuring 100 weavers and handicrafts artists from across the country and abroad. “Needlework, home furnishing, apparel and more will be available at this Crafts Bazaar,” said a team member. “We have tribal women who weave lungis, coming in from Chhattisgarh, idol makers, and also a calligrapher who worked on the Chhota Imambara, for the visitors to interact with them and their craft. The Salempur House venue will also have the Bawarchi Tola, where visitors can sate their hunger for Awadhi cuisine, after exploring the festival.
{{/usCountry}}Some of the names gracing the festival are singer and Dastango Askari Naqvi, Kathak dancer Neelakshi Rai, writer and director Muzaffar Ali, singer Manjusha Patil, folk singer Padma Shri Prahlad Tipaniya, with the closing performance on February 6, by acapella group of national fame Voctronica.