E-Paper
Weekend events you can’t miss in Kolkata (Feb 6-8)
Experience Kolkata’s vibrant arts scene this weekend with plays, folk music, live concerts, poetry, and stand-up comedy for all tastes and ages
Duty, beauty, violence: Guards at the Taj
What: Written by American playwright Rajiv Joseph in 2015, Guards at the Taj follows two imperial guards, Humayun and Babur, stationed at the newly completed Taj Mahal. Set in 17th-century India, the play explores their struggles with duty, obedience, and the cost of perfection.
Wildly comic and sharply satirical, the plot moves through humour, violence, and intimacy, testing the fragile line between loyalty and rebellion. While Humayun is a man of honour and duty, Babur champions free will. The night that unfolds in this dark comedy challenges their long-standing friendship amid the shifting political landscape of the time.
Winner of the 2016 Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Play and the 2016 Obie Award for Best New American Play, the production is being presented in Hindi for the first time. This adaptation leans into poetic language, raw emotion, and absurdity.
When: February 7 (Saturday), 7 pm
Where: Padatik Theatre
Entry: ₹400
The Root Music Festival
What: The 8th edition of the Root Music Festival, focused on folk and traditional music, brings together vocal and instrumental performances by artists such as Baul stalwart Parvathy Baul; Prahlad Singh Tipaniya, a Kabir bhajans singer performing in the Malwi folk style; Palestinian-American violin virtuoso Akram Abdulfattah; Madhya Pradeshi folk band Nimad, known for their immersive audio-visual storytelling; and Manipuri folk group Mihun (The Pulse).
The emphasis is on acoustic performance, oral traditions and indigenous musical practices, foregrounding community-based sound over individual star acts, all part of organiser Sahaj Parav’s effort to create a dedicated platform for the preservation of root music traditions.
When: February 7 and 8 (Saturday and Sunday), 5 pm
Where: GD Birla Sabhaghar
Entry: Prices start at ₹499
An evening with Kabira
What: Kabira Music, a Bengaluru-based ensemble whose repertoire ranges from retro Bollywood hits and popular chart-toppers to vintage melodies and high-energy, dance-driven sets, is performing structured mashups and medleys in Kolkata this weekend. Their performances are built around fluid transitions rather than standalone songs. Expect to clap and sing along at this signature live set.
When: February 7 (Saturday) , 9.30 pm
Where: Hard Rock Cafe
Entry: ₹500
Punjabi poetry in concert
What: Punjabi poet and singer Satinder Sartaaj brings his Heritage India Tour to Kolkata as part of his ongoing concert series. The tour features Sartaaj performing live with his musicians, presenting an evening focused on his work as a singer, lyricist, and performer. Known for weaving together poetry and music, the concerts draw on his Punjabi repertoire, with an emphasis on lyrical composition, musical arrangement, and Sufism.
When: February 6 (Friday) , 7 pm
Where: Science City auditorium
Entry: Prices start at ₹1,500
Growing up, questioned
What: Bali Ka Basra is a stand-up comedy solo by Tushar Basra, offering observations on middle-class life, Delhi households, and the quiet unease of growing up “just fine.” In the hour-long show, crisp storytelling collides with sharp punchlines, moving through experiences of engineering-college dreams, awkward first jobs, shared flats, pointless queues, and long meetings that raise existential questions.
Basra’s humour draws directly from everyday situations. As part of his ongoing tour, the show brings this personal set to Kolkata, offering audiences a live experience of Basra’s humour.
When: February 8 (Sunday) 7 pm
Where: The Satire Club
Entry: ₹299 for one; ₹499 for a couple
