STORIES FROM THE MARGINS AT THIS LIT GATHERING
This first edition of Rainbow Lit Fest is the community’s attempt to own the queer narrative, in an inclusive space
The Pride rainbow has six colours, and each has a meaning. Red stands for life, orange for healing, yellow for sunlight, green for nature, blue for peace, and purple for spirit. This is the rainbow that’s become symbolic of the LGBTQIA+. And all these colours will unfurl at the debut edition of Rainbow Lit Fest — Queer and Inclusive, in the city.
Like its name suggests, this fest is about the LGBTQIA+, but endeavours have been made to include other sections of society, and people with different identities. And this becomes the central theme rather than remaining on the periphery. Sharif D Rangnekar, festival director, says, “There’s audience on subjects like queer, but festivals in general have, say, a 30-minute session that doesn’t satiate the appetite. It’s included probably because ‘queer’ is a happening subject. But it’s not a happening thing in our lives. We know better what inclusion is all about and we can be more empathetic towards similar people who are suffering same challenges. We wanted to engage people and find common ground. That’s how this festival took birth.”
Rangnekar shares that when he first conceived the idea of this fest, he didn’t expect around 80 panellists to turn up in the final line-up. “It’s amazing that there are so many people,” he adds, informing that the event is a mix of different forms of expressions such as prose, art, poetry, music, dance, films, and discussions. All this will be in English, Hindi, and Urdu.
“I was clear that we need to take our stories out... I look at literature as a form of expression and literature being lit. There’s influence of literature in every art form,” he says.
The panel discussions and talks will feature personalities such as film director-writer Apurva Asrani (whose work includes the web series Made in Heaven), author Devdutt Pattanaik, actor-director Nandita Das, and filmmaker Onir. There will be screenings of films such as U for Usha by Rohan Kanwade, Monsoon Date by Tanuja Chandra, I Am Sanjo by Jijo Kuriakose, and the silent film, Sisak by Faraz Ansari. These will be coupled with dance performances, a puppet show, a drag act, and three music performances by Nizami Brothers, Manzil Mystics (a 12-member band), and The Original Knock-Offs (a rock band).
One of the speakers and panellists, writer-activist Urvashi Butalia says, “I live in Gulmohar, where this festival is happening. So, I like that the festival organisers have chosen a residential area, and a space like a community centre, which is usually not reserved for the subversive... Feminism and the queer movement have a strong alliance... I will give a short talk on feminism, looking at the moments in the feminist movement, and would like to trace a little bit of history of how the issue of queer identity began to be raised with trepidation and vulnerability.”
We need to take our stories out... I look at literature as a form of expression and literature being lit. There’s influence of literature in every art form.
SHARIF D RANGNEKAR
FESTIVAL DIRECTOR