Rainbow Lit Fest 2024: Authors, artistes, filmmakers assemble in Delhi a fest that's queer, inclusive and quite lit!

Dec 08, 2024 10:25 AM IST

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Talks, films, music acts and drag shows will highlighting the issues of LGBTQ. Filmmakers Hansal Mehta, Faraz Ansari, and actor Sandhya Mridul will join too.

During the annual Queer Pride Parade, several participants dress up to walk in solidarity with the LGBTQIA+. Some even turn up in regular clothes, to waive a flag and show support. Celebrating the spirit of inclusivity, many others mark the Pride Month in June, which is when allyship takes centrestage. But, come winter and the city's calendar makes way for everyone to get together to celebrate and understand the challenges of the queer at the Rainbow Lit Fest – Queer & Inclusive.

Filmmaker Hansal Mehta, actor-author Sandhya Mridul, and filmmaker Faraz Arif Ansari will be at the fest in its third edition.

Returning to the Capital for a third edition, this lit fest opened in Delhi, and is making waves with its expanded scale and grandeur. “This time we will have 80 speakers, seven short films, three music acts, two drag shows, a dance performance, an open mic and a stand-up,” informs Sharif D Rangnekar, founder-director of the fest.

Over the past couple of years, this fest has caught the attention of litteratti not just nationally but even internationally. Confirming this is David Ledain, author of Gay Dad, who is one of the panellists this year. “I have not known of many queer literature festivals, certainly not in the UK, and not one at this scale. I feel the more we are represented, the more visible we become,” says Ledain, adding, “My books talk about the shame and traumas that gay dads go through, and no matter which country you are from, these feeling are the same everywhere... When I came back home last year after visiting India, someone asked me ‘Did you attend this fest?’ I was like I must go, so I reached out and was invited to come along.”

Stills from films Sifar, Sheer Qorma, and Holy Curse, which are part of the screenings at the fest this year.

Seeing the increased number of film screenings this year, it becomes imperative to talk about how this literature festival “is creating space for the visual medium, which is wonderful,” feels filmmaker Faraz Arif Ansari, whose cinematic work Sheer Qorma (2021) is being screened at the fest this year. Ansari opines, “Literature inspires films and vice versa. I, personally, read a lot of books. There are so many nuances in the films I make. I genuinely feel we need to make better films, and what better way than leaning on to literature to get inspired from.”

The serious and engaging discussion during the day, will make way for entertaining performances in the evening. But these won't be deprived of a social message either! Take for instance the drag artiste Sas' stage act. “Drag is often seen as glam, but I see it as a medium for social change,” shares Hyderabad-based drag artiste Patruni Sastry aka Sas. Popularly known as India's first Bisexual drag dad, Sastry shares, “I use contextual work for my public performance, and busk on the streets. It's my way of using my art as a medium for social change and as a tool to retrospect about what is happening around us. Artistes are vulnerable, and because of the space where I come from it's all the more important to spread the right message to change mindsets.”