Lamakaan

Telangana Delphic Association holds its first offline public meeting in honour of Dr Akhilesh Misra IAS, the president of Delphic Association of UP.

Natyaved in association with Unmasked productions presents an evening of Laughter the event being named ' Comedy Threesome' is a collage of three short short plays in the Comedy genre. Happening on 28th & 29th January 2023, 8:00 p.m.

The First Play is an adaptation of Anton Chekov' 'The Surgery', Directed by kedar subedar which is of farce comedy in nature, the play is set up in a Dentist clinic between a fake dentist and a priest which leads to a roller coaster ride between the two.

The Second Play of the evening is titled 'Andhvishwas', written and directed by Thakur Honey Singh which is a mixture of Farce and situational Comedy that revolves around a family with strong beliefs in superstitions what follows is chaos in the household when things go haywire.

The Third Play of the evening is titled 'Bulaya kyu?', written and directed by Bob Christo which is a Dark humour involving two friends who find a deadbody by the roadside, as the mystery unfolds things get awkwardly funny and extremely illegal.

The Hyderabad Fountain Pen Club is an informal gathering of "Fountain Penthusiasts" where we gather to discuss pens and inks.

Calling all poets, translators and writers, lay people interested in mental health and dalit issues and everyone else to chai and samosa at Lamakaan on January 29 at 2 pm. We invite you to a quiet moment with Mumbai-based Jerry Pinto.
We find it difficult to describe Jerry or his work. Jerry is a visitor to the Hyderabad Litfest and we didn’t want him to leave before you had a moment with him. Jerry is a mentor of debut writers (mahimkajerry on Instagram has got valuable tips for young and old writers) and friend to all marginalised groups and communities. He brings with him the valuable, yet respectful insights of the cosmopolitan city of Mumbai which has been the nerve centre for many social reform movements in India. We will have a one+ hour session at 2 pm at Lamakaan where Jerry will speak for 10 minutes and then we open it to an interactive discussion. This is really not an open meeting but if you want to, you can bring an interested friend along
Jerry would like to describe himself as a poet, but he is a novelist, short fiction writer, children’s writer, translator as well as a showman. His Em and the Big Hoom was seminal to a public discussion on mental health in India, his translations from Marathi and Hindi have brought wonderful dalit fiction and non-fiction (including the issue of mental health) to the fore, his writings for children have brought a delightful twist to this literature, and his own novels and other writings mark him as a thinker and chronicler of our times.

His large oeuvre of work include

Poetry: Asylum, 2004. His poems are to be found in Fulcrum Number 4; An Annual of Poetry and Aesthetics, 2005) edited by Jeet Thayl; in Atlas; New Writing, 2006, edited by Sudeep Sen; and Ninety-nine Words (Panchabati Publications, 2006) edited by Manu Dash. I WANT A POEM AND OTHER POEMS, 2021
Prose: Surviving Women, 2000, Bombay meri jaan: Writings on Mumbai, with Naresh Fernandes. 2003, Helen: The Life and Times of an H-Bomb. 2006, Reflected in Water: Writings on Goa. 2006.Bollywood Posters, with Sheena Sippy. 2008. Leela: A Patchwork Life with Leela Naidu. 2009, The Greatest Show on Earth, 2011, Em and the Big Hoom. 2012, Murder in Mahim, 2018, The Education of Yuri, 2022, Citizen Gallery : The Gandhys of Chemould and The Birth of Modern Art in Bombay, 2022

For Children : Talk of the Town with Rahul Srivastava, Puffin, Phiss Phuss Boom, with Anushka Ravishankar and Sayoni Basu. Duckbill, 2013. When Crows Are White, 2013, Monster Garden, 2016, My Daddy and the Well: It's not a book, it's a hook! (Hook Books), Postcards from Bombay, 2019, A bear for Felicia, 2008, Puffin Book of Spooky Ghost Stories
Edited A Book of Light: When a Loved one has a Different Mind 2019, A BOOK OF NEW BEGINNINGS, 2022, Indian Christmas : An Anthology with Madhulika Liddle

Translated BATTLEFIELD by Vishram Bedekar, 2021, I HAVE NOT SEEN MANDU : A FRACTURED SOUL-MEMOIR by Swaraj Deepak, 2021, When I Hid My Caste: Stories by Baburao Bagul, 2018, Strike a Blow to Change the World by Meghnath Awad, 2018, Baluta by Daya Pawar, 2015

Inauguration ceremony of Natarang's 5th production oriented workshop for the already registered students of the workshop.

Natyaved in association with Unmasked productions presents an evening of Laughter the event being named ' Comedy Threesome' is a collage of three short short plays in the Comedy genre. Happening on 28th & 29th January 2023, 8:00 p.m.

The First Play is an adaptation of Anton Chekov' 'The Surgery', Directed by kedar subedar which is of farce comedy in nature, the play is set up in a Dentist clinic between a fake dentist and a priest which leads to a roller coaster ride between the two.

The Second Play of the evening is titled 'Andhvishwas', written and directed by Thakur Honey Singh which is a mixture of Farce and situational Comedy that revolves around a family with strong beliefs in superstitions what follows is chaos in the household when things go haywire.

The Third Play of the evening is titled 'Bulaya kyu?', written and directed by Bob Christo which is a Dark humour involving two friends who find a deadbody by the roadside, as the mystery unfolds things get awkwardly funny and extremely illegal.

Hum Aiseech Bolte is a collection of poems celebrating and remembering Hyderabad, by a group of contemporary poets from the city, representing a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. Edited by US-based poet Usha Akella, the volume has contributions from 35 poets. This event will feature readings from several of these poets.

February is more than the love month. It is the month to remember and celebrate one of the founders of French New Wave Cinema, Francois Truffaut.

About: Francois Truffaut: François Roland Truffaut 6 February 1932 – 21 October 1984) was a French film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and film critic. He is widely regarded as one of the founders of the French New Wave. After more than 25 years of career, he remains an icon of the French film industry, having worked on over 25 films.


Truffaut's film The 400 Blows (1959) is a defining film of the French New Wave movement and has four sequels, Antoine et Colette (1962), Stolen Kisses (1968), Bed and Board (1970), and Love on the Run (1979). Truffaut's 1973 film Day for Night earned him critical acclaim and several awards, including the BAFTA Award for Best Film and the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. His other notable films include Shoot the Piano Player (1960), Jules and Jim (1962), The Soft Skin (1964), The Wild Child (1970), Two English Girls (1971), The Last Metro (1980), and The Woman Next Door (1981). He is also known for his supporting role in Steven Spielberg's science fiction film Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977).


Truffaut also wrote the notable book Hitchcock/Truffaut (1966), which detailed his interviews with the film director Alfred Hitchcock during the 1960s.

Film Title: The 400 Blows | 1959 | 99 minutes | French language subtitled in English |

About the film: My Neighbor Totoro is a 1988 Japanese animated fantasy film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki and animated by Studio Ghibli for Tokuma Shoten. The film—which stars the voice actors Noriko Hidaka, Chika Sakamoto, and Hitoshi Takagi—tells the story of a professor's two young daughters (Satsuki and Mei) and their interactions with friendly wood spirits in postwar rural Japan.

SCREENING FOLLOWED BY DISCUSSION! ALL ARE WELCOME!!! ENTRY IS FREE & OPEN TO ALL!!!

This is a Support Meeting for the LGBTQIA+ community in Hyderabad.

"Yaatri gan Kripya dhyan dein!

Agyatpuram ki taraf jaane waali train no XYXX ‘Trans-Kamala Express’ platform no 2024 par jald hi aane waali hai. Aapse Agrah hai ki apne samaan ka dhyaan rakhein aur platform par hi baithe rahein

Passengers please pay attention! The train to Agyatpuram, XYXX ‘Trans-Kamala Express’ is soon going to arrive at platform No. 2024. You are requested to please take care of your belonginings and please remain seated at the platform."

Oh you too have come! Yes, please join me. Hum tho kab se baithe huye hain yahan pe. Sorry, angrezi mein- I have been waiting over here god knows since when. This mardoot train doesn’t arrive only. What train are you here for? Trans-Twitter express? Or Trans-hot-shot-start-up express? Ki Trans-nirbharta express?

Arre, I know all the trains that pass through this station, haan! You see, waiting is like second skin to me- there is so much you absorb while waiting! Have you also waited for something for a long time- not knowing when to abandon that wait? weight? When to just be? or when to just run away from it all and do something else altogether- may be as a distraction? May be as a life-long thing?

Who knows? Sab ka apna kissa hai…Everyone has a story to tell…nahin ji?

So come! and don’t worry, this will not be a heavy dard bhari daastan - some meetha dard only. Come!

Book tickets here:
Tickets at: https://rzp.io/l/Avataridevi

Topic: Growing Communalisation and Violence in India: Responses of Civil Society in Different Cities Conversation with Mr. Suresh Khairnar - Veteran Peace Activist


5th February 2023: 3.30 pm to 5.30 pm
Lamakaan- Road No. 6 Banjara Hills, Hyderabad
Organized by COVA Peace Network
Contact: 87128 06553


DR. SURESH KHAIRNAR is a founder member of NAPM, CNDP, and PUCL and is associated with many Gandhian and peace organizations in India and South Asia.
Engaged in preventing communal violence and promoting peace for over 35 years, he helped establish 115 Mohalla Committees in Bhagalpur that remain functional and ensure peace to this day.
Dr. Khairnar enquired into over 60 communal and caste incidences and Human Rights violations in India and Abroad.


*Notable investigations were for Bhagalpur, Mumbai, Muzaffar Nagar, and Gujarat Communal Riots; Batla House incidence, Malegaon Bomb Blast, 26/11Mumbai Terror Attack, Enquiry of Kashmiri Pandits in different camps in Jammu Region and Mecca Masjid Bomb Blasts.

ALL ARE WELCOME!

Ballet performances by children ages 4-12

BREAKING BARRIERS: THE STORY OF A DALIT CHIEF SECRETARY
by KAKI MADHAVA RAO (IAS Retd)

BOOK DISCUSSION

Speakers:

Sujatha Surepally
Professor & Head, Dept of Sociology, Satavahana University

Rammanohar Reddy, Editor, The India Forum

K.Y. Ratnam, Associate Professor, Dept of Political Science, University of Hyderabad

Moderated by:
Kalpana Kannabiran, Distinguished Professor, Council for Social Development, New Delhi

February is more than the love month. It is the month to remember and celebrate one of the founders of French New Wave Cinema, Francois Truffaut.

About: Francois Truffaut: François Roland Truffaut 6 February 1932 – 21 October 1984) was a French film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and film critic. He is widely regarded as one of the founders of the French New Wave. After more than 25 years of career, he remains an icon of the French film industry, having worked on over 25 films.

Truffaut's film The 400 Blows (1959) is a defining film of the French New Wave movement and has four sequels, Antoine et Colette (1962), Stolen Kisses (1968), Bed and Board (1970), and Love on the Run (1979). Truffaut's 1973 film Day for Night earned him critical acclaim and several awards, including the BAFTA Award for Best Film and the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. His other notable films include Shoot the Piano Player (1960), Jules and Jim (1962), The Soft Skin (1964), The Wild Child (1970), Two English Girls (1971), The Last Metro (1980), and The Woman Next Door (1981). He is also known for his supporting role in Steven Spielberg's science fiction film Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977).

Truffaut also wrote the notable book Hitchcock/Truffaut (1966), which detailed his interviews with the film director Alfred Hitchcock during the 1960s.

Film Title: The Soft Skin | 1964 | 113 minutes | French language subtitled in English |

The Soft Skin (French: La peau douce) is a 1964 French-Portuguese romantic drama film directed by François Truffaut and starring Jean Desailly, Françoise Dorléac, and Nelly Benedetti. Written by Truffaut and Jean-Louis Richard, the film is about a successful married publisher and lecturer who meets a beautiful air hostess with whom he has a love affair. The film was shot on location in Paris, Reims, and Lisbon, and several scenes were filmed at Paris-Orly Airport. At the 1964 Cannes Film Festival, the film was nominated for the Palme d'Or. Despite Truffaut's recent success with Jules and Jim and The 400 Blows, The Soft Skin did not do well at the box office

SCREENING FOLLOWED BY DISCUSSION! ALL ARE WELCOME!!! ENTRY IS FREE & OPEN TO ALL!!!

Legendary director K Vishwanath breathed his last at his residence in Hyderabad on 2nd February 2023.

Lamakaan pays rich homage to the doyen of Telugu cinema by recollecting his great works and screening one of his critically acclaimed movies.


Kasinadhuni Viswanath (19 February 1930 – 2 February 2023) was an Indian film director, screenwriter, and actor, One of the most prolific filmmakers of Telugu cinema, he received international recognition for his works and is known for blending parallel cinema with mainstream commercial cinema. He was honored with the "Prize of the Public" at the "Besançon Film Festival of France" in 1981.

After serving as an assistant director for several years, Viswanath debuted as a director in 1965 with “Aatma Gowravam.” A glittering career in the Telugu-language film industry followed with highlights including “Kalam Marindi” (1972), “Sarada” (1973), “O Seeta Katha” (1974), “Jeevana Jyoti” (1975), “Siri Siri Muvva” (1976), “Sankarabharanam” (1980), “Saptapadi” (1981), “Sagara Sangamam” (1983), “Swathi Muthyam” (1986), “Sirivennela” (1986), “Swayam Krushi” (1987) and “Aapadbandhavudu” (1992).

Viswanath also enjoyed a career in the Hindi-language film industry with several hit films including “Sargam” (1979), “Kaamchor” (1982), “Shubh Kaamna” (1983), “Jaag Utha Insan” (1984), “Sur Sangam” (1985), “Sanjog” (1985), “Eeshwar” (1989), “Sangeet” (1992) and “Dhanwan” (1993).

During the course of his filmmaking career the themes Viswanath tackled included the Indian caste system, disability, gender discrimination, misogyny, alcoholism and the challenges faced by Indian classical performing art forms.


K Viswanath won five National Film Awards. He also has several Nandi Awards and Filmfare Awards to his credit. Viswanath was honoured with the Padma Shri in 1992 and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2017.

Film: Swathi Muthyam | 1986 | 161 Minutes | Telugu Language |

About the film: Swathi Muthyam (transl. White pearl) is a 1986 Indian Telugu-language drama film written and directed by K. Viswanath and produced by Edida Nageswara Rao. The film stars Kamal Haasan and Raadhika, while Gollapudi Maruti Rao, J. V. Somayajulu, Nirmalamma, Sarath Babu, and Y. Vijaya play supporting roles. The soundtrack and background score were composed by Ilaiyaraaja. Swathi Muthyam depicts the plight of a young widow who is rescued by an autistic man.

Theatrical Mushaira of famous Urdu poets of Deccan.

Justice to Bilkis Bano and other women subjected to violence

A 2002 Gujarat gangrape survivor Bilkis Bano who also lost 14 family members including a 3 years old daughter lives in the fear of 11 convicts who have been set free by the government with the consent of court. The rapists and murders were not only honoured but a BJP MLA, who was on the committee to decide remission of sentence, has described some of the convicts as sanskari Brahmins.
While Bilkis Bano clearly became a fodder for communal politics, especially in Gujarat, recent murders of Ankita Bhandari in Uttarakhand and Shraddha Walkar in Delhi and complaints and protest against sexual harassment of women wrestlers against the president of Wrestling Federation of India, a powerful member of Parliament of BJP, shows that patriarchy has a virtual stranglehold over our society.
Starting from 1848 school for girls by the Phule couple we have come a long way where women are formally not denied any position previously considered only male bastions but how long do we have to go before we can truly call ourselves a gender equal society inclusive of the now prominent and visible LGBTQIA+ community?


Date and day: 11 February, 2023, Saturday

Time: 11 am to 1 pm

Venue: Lamakaan, Off Road No. 1, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad

An event with Queer love stories and performances of queer love with queer art exhibition

Hyderabad Cinephiles is screening John Carpenter’s sci-fi movie “They Live” on Sunday, 12th February at 7:00 pm. Based on the short-story “Eight O'Clock in the Morning” by Ray Nelson, the movie follows the unnamed protagonist who, on a usual day of hardship, stumbles upon something that changes the course of his life - a pair of sunglasses that doesn’t let him not see anymore.

The screening will be followed by a discussion on various aspects of the movie.

February is more than the love month. It is the month to remember and celebrate one of the founders of French New Wave Cinema, Francois Truffaut.

About: Francois Truffaut: François Roland Truffaut 6 February 1932 – 21 October 1984) was a French film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and film critic. He is widely regarded as one of the founders of the French New Wave. After more than 25 years of career, he remains an icon of the French film industry, having worked on over 25 films.

Truffaut's film The 400 Blows (1959) is a defining film of the French New Wave movement and has four sequels, Antoine et Colette (1962), Stolen Kisses (1968), Bed and Board (1970), and Love on the Run (1979). Truffaut's 1973 film Day for Night earned him critical acclaim and several awards, including the BAFTA Award for Best Film and the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. His other notable films include Shoot the Piano Player (1960), Jules and Jim (1962), The Soft Skin (1964), The Wild Child (1970), Two English Girls (1971), The Last Metro (1980), and The Woman Next Door (1981). He is also known for his supporting role in Steven Spielberg's science fiction film Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977).

Truffaut also wrote the notable book Hitchcock/Truffaut (1966), which detailed his interviews with the film director Alfred Hitchcock during the 1960s.

Film Title: Stolen Kisses | 1968 | 91 minutes | French language subtitled in English |


About the film: Stolen Kisses (French: Baisers volés) is a 1968 French romantic comedy-drama film directed by François Truffaut, starring Jean-Pierre Léaud, Delphine Seyrig and Claude Jade. It continues the story of the character Antoine Doinel, whom Truffaut had previously depicted in The 400 Blows (1959) and the short film Antoine and Colette (1962). In this film, Antoine begins his relationship with Christine Darbon, which is depicted further in the last two films in the series, Bed & Board (1970) and Love on the Run (1979).


Film Title: Day for Night | 1973 | 116 minutes | French language subtitled in English |


About the film: Day for Night is a 1973 romantic comedy-drama film co-written and directed by François Truffaut, starring Jacqueline Bisset, Jean-Pierre Léaud and Truffaut himself. The original French title, La Nuit américaine ("American Night"), refers to the French name for the filmmaking process whereby sequences filmed outdoors in daylight are shot with a filter over the camera lens (a technique described in the dialogue of Truffaut's film) or also using film stock balanced for tungsten (indoor) light and underexposed (or adjusted during post-production) to appear as if they are taking place at night. In English, the technique is called day for night.

SCREENING FOLLOWED BY DISCUSSION! ALL ARE WELCOME!!! ENTRY IS FREE & OPEN TO ALL!!!

Urdu Shaahkaar: Masterpieces of Urdu Poetry
A conversation between S.M. Shahed and Mir Ali Husain

Shahed and Husain will talk about the works of great Urdu poets including Mirza Ghalib, Josh Malihabadi, Mohinder Singh Bedi, Balmukund Arsh Malsiani, Parveen Shakir, Brij Narayan Chakbast, Fahmida Riaz, Pandit Anand Mohan Gulzar Dehlavi, and Makhdoom Mohiuddin, among others.

S.M. Shahed is the force behind urdushahkar.org, one of the most important resources of Urdu poetry, with a rich and growing variety of content for both the rank beginner and the Urdu expert. Mir Ali Husain is an author, scriptwriter, and the lyricist of several songs including the super-hit "Ye Hausla" from the movie "Dor".

February is more than the love month. It is the month to remember and celebrate one of the founders of French New Wave Cinema, Francois Truffaut.

About: Francois Truffaut: François Roland Truffaut 6 February 1932 – 21 October 1984) was a French film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and film critic. He is widely regarded as one of the founders of the French New Wave. After more than 25 years of career, he remains an icon of the French film industry, having worked on over 25 films.

Truffaut's film The 400 Blows (1959) is a defining film of the French New Wave movement and has four sequels, Antoine et Colette (1962), Stolen Kisses (1968), Bed and Board (1970), and Love on the Run (1979). Truffaut's 1973 film Day for Night earned him critical acclaim and several awards, including the BAFTA Award for Best Film and the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. His other notable films include Shoot the Piano Player (1960), Jules and Jim (1962), The Soft Skin (1964), The Wild Child (1970), Two English Girls (1971), The Last Metro (1980), and The Woman Next Door (1981). He is also known for his supporting role in Steven Spielberg's science fiction film Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977).

Truffaut also wrote the notable book Hitchcock/Truffaut (1966), which detailed his interviews with the film director Alfred Hitchcock during the 1960s.


Film Title: The Last Metro | 1980 | 131 minutes | French language subtitled in English |


The Last Metro (French: Le Dernier Métro) is a 1980 historical drama film, written and directed by François Truffaut, that stars Catherine Deneuve and Gérard Depardieu.

Opening in 1942 during the German occupation of France, it follows the fortunes of a small theatre in the Montmartre area of Paris which keeps up passive resistance by maintaining its cultural integrity, despite censorship, antisemitism and material shortages, to emerge triumphant at the war's end. The title evokes two salient facts about city life under the Germans: fuel shortages led people to spend their evenings in theatres and other places of entertainment, but the curfew meant they had to catch the last Métro train home.

Topic: Forgotten Muslim Empires of South India by Syed Ubaidur Rahman

Syed Ubaidur Rahman’s book 'Forgotten Muslim Empires of South India' is a thoroughgoing work of historical revisionism and excavation. It seeks to rehabilitate the Muslim Sultanates of medieval South India into mainstream historical discourse in India and thereby remedy its current marginal status. A major work of historiography, it delves into the Bahamani kingdom, the Adil Shahi Sultanate of Bijapur, the Nizam Shahi Sultanate of Ahmadnagar, the Qutub Shahi Sultanate of Golconda (Hyderabad), and the Sultanate of Madura (Ma’bar). Certain aspects of the political history of these sultanates, such as their rich cultural life, architectural achievements, and scholarly investments, are delved into.

They have all heavily contributed to the rich texture of Indian civilization. For instance, the Bahamani Sultanate collaborated with the neighboring Vijaynagar kingdom at the level of art and culture, thereby creating a syncretic nature of this medieval ethos.

This book is helpful to all scholars of medieval Indian history at an international level.

About the Author: Syed Ubaidur Rahman is a New Delhi-based author and columnist. His recent publications include 'Forgotten Muslim Empires of South India: Bahmani Empire, Madurai, Bijapur, Golconda & Mysore Sultanates' (2022), 'Biographical Encyclopaedia of Indian Muslim Freedom Fighters' (2021), and 'Ulema's Role in India's Freedom Movement with a Focus on Reshmi Rumal Tehrik' (2019).

Join us for the book launch of “The Forgotten Muslim Empires of South India.” Copies of the book will be available for sale at the event.

ALL ARE WELCOME!

Samahaara Workshop Productions
presents

A double bill of popular Telugu plays

Gollapudi Maruti Rao's
"KALLU"
&
Gandavaram Subbarami Reddy's
"AAGANDI NENU VASTUNNAA"

Directed by Rathna Shekar

24th Feb 2023
08.00pm
Lamakaan, Banjara Hills, Hydrabad.

Bookings at in.bookmyshow.com

KALLU (EYES), is a play about a group of people who are blind. They pool enough money by begging and for the collective good of the group they decide to get one of them eyes. What happens when one of them can see? Will the others be taken care of or exploited?

AAGANDI NENU VASTUNNAA is a play about Seetharamayya and his son Satyam. Seetharamayya is an orthodox middle class father who hates the creative field (Theatre/Acting). Satyam a very passionate and talented actor tries to change his fathers opinion. Will Satyam succeed?

Tired of your daily routine and eager to explore your hobbies? I'm starting a meet up group for hobbyists who are looking to start a new hobby or work on your existing hobby while chitchatting and interacting with likeminded individuals. Whether you enjoy crocheting, painting, designing, embroidery, tatting, drawing, photography, DIY projects, crafting, doll making, sewing, wood working or have any other hobbies, then this platform is for you. In light of current environmental issues, using sustainable and biodegradable materials for your projects is recommended, however not mandatory. Let's all do our part in protecting our environment while enjoying our hobbies.

'In Defense of Reason' invites you to a talk on
'One Year of Delhi Anganwadi Caregivers’ Heroic Strike: Prospects, Challenges and the Road Ahead'

Speaker:
Shivani Kaul
(President, Delhi State Anganwadi Workers and Helpers Union (DSAWHU), Political Analyst and Political Activist)

Dear Friends,

The Anganwadi caregivers of Delhi had led a historic strike for 38 days since 31st January 2022 under the leadership of Delhi State Anganwadi Workers and Helpers Union (DSAWHU). It was one of the major strikes in the recent history of working class movement in Delhi as well as India with three massive rallies in the heart of Delhi.

In those 38 days, this strike had not only become a challenge for the Delhi Kejriwal Government and the Central Modi Government, but at the same time exposed the entire capitalist system. Despite their relentess efforts, the BJP Government at the Centre and the AAP Government of Delhi failed to sabotage the strike. However, owing to their growing desperation and panic both these parties mutually agreed upon imposing draconian Essential Services Maintainance Act (ESMA).


In the current session, 'In defence of Reason' has invited Shivani Kaul, a political activist and president, DSAWHU to share her views on the events that led to strike, post-strike developments, the challenges that face the struggle of caregivers everywhere fighting for regularisation who are not identified as a government employees but are rather termed as "volunteers", the political economy of care work and how the capitalist system exploits these caregivers, the prospects, challenges and road ahead for these struggles.

We heartily extend our invitation to everyone to be part of this important talk and we hope this talk will be able to deal, though in a very limited and humble way, with some of these pertinent questions confronting the working class movement in India at present.

Samahaara Workshop Productions
presents

"PAAPAM URI TEESTHARU KABOLU"
(Telugu Play)
An adaptation of Reginald Rose's 12 Angry Men
Translated into Telugu by Chitta Shankar

Directed by Rathna Shekar

25th Feb 2023
08.00pm
Lamakaan, Banjara Hills, Hydrabad.

Bookings at in.bookmyshow.com

Twelve persons have been led into a jury room of a court of law. They are given final instructions about determining the verdict in a murder case whose defendant faces the death penalty if found guilty.They gather around a table to begin discussions about the case. The defendant, a young man, is accused of killing his father; and, after a preliminary vote, all but one of the jurors presume he is guilty. Juror #8 is the only one who feels differently. Because they must come to a unanimous decision, debates begin. Most of the men are upset and very vocal about the dissenting vote. It is agreed to go around the table and have each man explain why he believes the young man is guilty, in hopes of convincing Juror #8 to change his mind. They heatedly discuss the known facts of the case; and little by little the personalities, opinions, and biases of each juror become evident. Will the juror #8 stand his ground or can the others convince him otherwise?

Performing Classical Dance (Bharatnatyam)

Telangana Delphic Association holds its first offline public meeting in honour of Dr Akhilesh Misra IAS, the president of Delphic Association of UP.

Natyaved in association with Unmasked productions presents an evening of Laughter the event being named ' Comedy Threesome' is a collage of three short short plays in the Comedy genre. Happening on 28th & 29th January 2023, 8:00 p.m.

The First Play is an adaptation of Anton Chekov' 'The Surgery', Directed by kedar subedar which is of farce comedy in nature, the play is set up in a Dentist clinic between a fake dentist and a priest which leads to a roller coaster ride between the two.

The Second Play of the evening is titled 'Andhvishwas', written and directed by Thakur Honey Singh which is a mixture of Farce and situational Comedy that revolves around a family with strong beliefs in superstitions what follows is chaos in the household when things go haywire.

The Third Play of the evening is titled 'Bulaya kyu?', written and directed by Bob Christo which is a Dark humour involving two friends who find a deadbody by the roadside, as the mystery unfolds things get awkwardly funny and extremely illegal.

The Hyderabad Fountain Pen Club is an informal gathering of "Fountain Penthusiasts" where we gather to discuss pens and inks.

Calling all poets, translators and writers, lay people interested in mental health and dalit issues and everyone else to chai and samosa at Lamakaan on January 29 at 2 pm. We invite you to a quiet moment with Mumbai-based Jerry Pinto.
We find it difficult to describe Jerry or his work. Jerry is a visitor to the Hyderabad Litfest and we didn’t want him to leave before you had a moment with him. Jerry is a mentor of debut writers (mahimkajerry on Instagram has got valuable tips for young and old writers) and friend to all marginalised groups and communities. He brings with him the valuable, yet respectful insights of the cosmopolitan city of Mumbai which has been the nerve centre for many social reform movements in India. We will have a one+ hour session at 2 pm at Lamakaan where Jerry will speak for 10 minutes and then we open it to an interactive discussion. This is really not an open meeting but if you want to, you can bring an interested friend along
Jerry would like to describe himself as a poet, but he is a novelist, short fiction writer, children’s writer, translator as well as a showman. His Em and the Big Hoom was seminal to a public discussion on mental health in India, his translations from Marathi and Hindi have brought wonderful dalit fiction and non-fiction (including the issue of mental health) to the fore, his writings for children have brought a delightful twist to this literature, and his own novels and other writings mark him as a thinker and chronicler of our times.

His large oeuvre of work include

Poetry: Asylum, 2004. His poems are to be found in Fulcrum Number 4; An Annual of Poetry and Aesthetics, 2005) edited by Jeet Thayl; in Atlas; New Writing, 2006, edited by Sudeep Sen; and Ninety-nine Words (Panchabati Publications, 2006) edited by Manu Dash. I WANT A POEM AND OTHER POEMS, 2021
Prose: Surviving Women, 2000, Bombay meri jaan: Writings on Mumbai, with Naresh Fernandes. 2003, Helen: The Life and Times of an H-Bomb. 2006, Reflected in Water: Writings on Goa. 2006.Bollywood Posters, with Sheena Sippy. 2008. Leela: A Patchwork Life with Leela Naidu. 2009, The Greatest Show on Earth, 2011, Em and the Big Hoom. 2012, Murder in Mahim, 2018, The Education of Yuri, 2022, Citizen Gallery : The Gandhys of Chemould and The Birth of Modern Art in Bombay, 2022

For Children : Talk of the Town with Rahul Srivastava, Puffin, Phiss Phuss Boom, with Anushka Ravishankar and Sayoni Basu. Duckbill, 2013. When Crows Are White, 2013, Monster Garden, 2016, My Daddy and the Well: It's not a book, it's a hook! (Hook Books), Postcards from Bombay, 2019, A bear for Felicia, 2008, Puffin Book of Spooky Ghost Stories
Edited A Book of Light: When a Loved one has a Different Mind 2019, A BOOK OF NEW BEGINNINGS, 2022, Indian Christmas : An Anthology with Madhulika Liddle

Translated BATTLEFIELD by Vishram Bedekar, 2021, I HAVE NOT SEEN MANDU : A FRACTURED SOUL-MEMOIR by Swaraj Deepak, 2021, When I Hid My Caste: Stories by Baburao Bagul, 2018, Strike a Blow to Change the World by Meghnath Awad, 2018, Baluta by Daya Pawar, 2015

Inauguration ceremony of Natarang's 5th production oriented workshop for the already registered students of the workshop.

Natyaved in association with Unmasked productions presents an evening of Laughter the event being named ' Comedy Threesome' is a collage of three short short plays in the Comedy genre. Happening on 28th & 29th January 2023, 8:00 p.m.

The First Play is an adaptation of Anton Chekov' 'The Surgery', Directed by kedar subedar which is of farce comedy in nature, the play is set up in a Dentist clinic between a fake dentist and a priest which leads to a roller coaster ride between the two.

The Second Play of the evening is titled 'Andhvishwas', written and directed by Thakur Honey Singh which is a mixture of Farce and situational Comedy that revolves around a family with strong beliefs in superstitions what follows is chaos in the household when things go haywire.

The Third Play of the evening is titled 'Bulaya kyu?', written and directed by Bob Christo which is a Dark humour involving two friends who find a deadbody by the roadside, as the mystery unfolds things get awkwardly funny and extremely illegal.

Hum Aiseech Bolte is a collection of poems celebrating and remembering Hyderabad, by a group of contemporary poets from the city, representing a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. Edited by US-based poet Usha Akella, the volume has contributions from 35 poets. This event will feature readings from several of these poets.

February is more than the love month. It is the month to remember and celebrate one of the founders of French New Wave Cinema, Francois Truffaut.

About: Francois Truffaut: François Roland Truffaut 6 February 1932 – 21 October 1984) was a French film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and film critic. He is widely regarded as one of the founders of the French New Wave. After more than 25 years of career, he remains an icon of the French film industry, having worked on over 25 films.


Truffaut's film The 400 Blows (1959) is a defining film of the French New Wave movement and has four sequels, Antoine et Colette (1962), Stolen Kisses (1968), Bed and Board (1970), and Love on the Run (1979). Truffaut's 1973 film Day for Night earned him critical acclaim and several awards, including the BAFTA Award for Best Film and the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. His other notable films include Shoot the Piano Player (1960), Jules and Jim (1962), The Soft Skin (1964), The Wild Child (1970), Two English Girls (1971), The Last Metro (1980), and The Woman Next Door (1981). He is also known for his supporting role in Steven Spielberg's science fiction film Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977).


Truffaut also wrote the notable book Hitchcock/Truffaut (1966), which detailed his interviews with the film director Alfred Hitchcock during the 1960s.

Film Title: The 400 Blows | 1959 | 99 minutes | French language subtitled in English |

About the film: My Neighbor Totoro is a 1988 Japanese animated fantasy film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki and animated by Studio Ghibli for Tokuma Shoten. The film—which stars the voice actors Noriko Hidaka, Chika Sakamoto, and Hitoshi Takagi—tells the story of a professor's two young daughters (Satsuki and Mei) and their interactions with friendly wood spirits in postwar rural Japan.

SCREENING FOLLOWED BY DISCUSSION! ALL ARE WELCOME!!! ENTRY IS FREE & OPEN TO ALL!!!

This is a Support Meeting for the LGBTQIA+ community in Hyderabad.

"Yaatri gan Kripya dhyan dein!

Agyatpuram ki taraf jaane waali train no XYXX ‘Trans-Kamala Express’ platform no 2024 par jald hi aane waali hai. Aapse Agrah hai ki apne samaan ka dhyaan rakhein aur platform par hi baithe rahein

Passengers please pay attention! The train to Agyatpuram, XYXX ‘Trans-Kamala Express’ is soon going to arrive at platform No. 2024. You are requested to please take care of your belonginings and please remain seated at the platform."

Oh you too have come! Yes, please join me. Hum tho kab se baithe huye hain yahan pe. Sorry, angrezi mein- I have been waiting over here god knows since when. This mardoot train doesn’t arrive only. What train are you here for? Trans-Twitter express? Or Trans-hot-shot-start-up express? Ki Trans-nirbharta express?

Arre, I know all the trains that pass through this station, haan! You see, waiting is like second skin to me- there is so much you absorb while waiting! Have you also waited for something for a long time- not knowing when to abandon that wait? weight? When to just be? or when to just run away from it all and do something else altogether- may be as a distraction? May be as a life-long thing?

Who knows? Sab ka apna kissa hai…Everyone has a story to tell…nahin ji?

So come! and don’t worry, this will not be a heavy dard bhari daastan - some meetha dard only. Come!

Book tickets here:
Tickets at: https://rzp.io/l/Avataridevi

Topic: Growing Communalisation and Violence in India: Responses of Civil Society in Different Cities Conversation with Mr. Suresh Khairnar - Veteran Peace Activist


5th February 2023: 3.30 pm to 5.30 pm
Lamakaan- Road No. 6 Banjara Hills, Hyderabad
Organized by COVA Peace Network
Contact: 87128 06553


DR. SURESH KHAIRNAR is a founder member of NAPM, CNDP, and PUCL and is associated with many Gandhian and peace organizations in India and South Asia.
Engaged in preventing communal violence and promoting peace for over 35 years, he helped establish 115 Mohalla Committees in Bhagalpur that remain functional and ensure peace to this day.
Dr. Khairnar enquired into over 60 communal and caste incidences and Human Rights violations in India and Abroad.


*Notable investigations were for Bhagalpur, Mumbai, Muzaffar Nagar, and Gujarat Communal Riots; Batla House incidence, Malegaon Bomb Blast, 26/11Mumbai Terror Attack, Enquiry of Kashmiri Pandits in different camps in Jammu Region and Mecca Masjid Bomb Blasts.

ALL ARE WELCOME!

Ballet performances by children ages 4-12

BREAKING BARRIERS: THE STORY OF A DALIT CHIEF SECRETARY
by KAKI MADHAVA RAO (IAS Retd)

BOOK DISCUSSION

Speakers:

Sujatha Surepally
Professor & Head, Dept of Sociology, Satavahana University

Rammanohar Reddy, Editor, The India Forum

K.Y. Ratnam, Associate Professor, Dept of Political Science, University of Hyderabad

Moderated by:
Kalpana Kannabiran, Distinguished Professor, Council for Social Development, New Delhi

February is more than the love month. It is the month to remember and celebrate one of the founders of French New Wave Cinema, Francois Truffaut.

About: Francois Truffaut: François Roland Truffaut 6 February 1932 – 21 October 1984) was a French film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and film critic. He is widely regarded as one of the founders of the French New Wave. After more than 25 years of career, he remains an icon of the French film industry, having worked on over 25 films.

Truffaut's film The 400 Blows (1959) is a defining film of the French New Wave movement and has four sequels, Antoine et Colette (1962), Stolen Kisses (1968), Bed and Board (1970), and Love on the Run (1979). Truffaut's 1973 film Day for Night earned him critical acclaim and several awards, including the BAFTA Award for Best Film and the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. His other notable films include Shoot the Piano Player (1960), Jules and Jim (1962), The Soft Skin (1964), The Wild Child (1970), Two English Girls (1971), The Last Metro (1980), and The Woman Next Door (1981). He is also known for his supporting role in Steven Spielberg's science fiction film Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977).

Truffaut also wrote the notable book Hitchcock/Truffaut (1966), which detailed his interviews with the film director Alfred Hitchcock during the 1960s.

Film Title: The Soft Skin | 1964 | 113 minutes | French language subtitled in English |

The Soft Skin (French: La peau douce) is a 1964 French-Portuguese romantic drama film directed by François Truffaut and starring Jean Desailly, Françoise Dorléac, and Nelly Benedetti. Written by Truffaut and Jean-Louis Richard, the film is about a successful married publisher and lecturer who meets a beautiful air hostess with whom he has a love affair. The film was shot on location in Paris, Reims, and Lisbon, and several scenes were filmed at Paris-Orly Airport. At the 1964 Cannes Film Festival, the film was nominated for the Palme d'Or. Despite Truffaut's recent success with Jules and Jim and The 400 Blows, The Soft Skin did not do well at the box office

SCREENING FOLLOWED BY DISCUSSION! ALL ARE WELCOME!!! ENTRY IS FREE & OPEN TO ALL!!!

Legendary director K Vishwanath breathed his last at his residence in Hyderabad on 2nd February 2023.

Lamakaan pays rich homage to the doyen of Telugu cinema by recollecting his great works and screening one of his critically acclaimed movies.


Kasinadhuni Viswanath (19 February 1930 – 2 February 2023) was an Indian film director, screenwriter, and actor, One of the most prolific filmmakers of Telugu cinema, he received international recognition for his works and is known for blending parallel cinema with mainstream commercial cinema. He was honored with the "Prize of the Public" at the "Besançon Film Festival of France" in 1981.

After serving as an assistant director for several years, Viswanath debuted as a director in 1965 with “Aatma Gowravam.” A glittering career in the Telugu-language film industry followed with highlights including “Kalam Marindi” (1972), “Sarada” (1973), “O Seeta Katha” (1974), “Jeevana Jyoti” (1975), “Siri Siri Muvva” (1976), “Sankarabharanam” (1980), “Saptapadi” (1981), “Sagara Sangamam” (1983), “Swathi Muthyam” (1986), “Sirivennela” (1986), “Swayam Krushi” (1987) and “Aapadbandhavudu” (1992).

Viswanath also enjoyed a career in the Hindi-language film industry with several hit films including “Sargam” (1979), “Kaamchor” (1982), “Shubh Kaamna” (1983), “Jaag Utha Insan” (1984), “Sur Sangam” (1985), “Sanjog” (1985), “Eeshwar” (1989), “Sangeet” (1992) and “Dhanwan” (1993).

During the course of his filmmaking career the themes Viswanath tackled included the Indian caste system, disability, gender discrimination, misogyny, alcoholism and the challenges faced by Indian classical performing art forms.


K Viswanath won five National Film Awards. He also has several Nandi Awards and Filmfare Awards to his credit. Viswanath was honoured with the Padma Shri in 1992 and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2017.

Film: Swathi Muthyam | 1986 | 161 Minutes | Telugu Language |

About the film: Swathi Muthyam (transl. White pearl) is a 1986 Indian Telugu-language drama film written and directed by K. Viswanath and produced by Edida Nageswara Rao. The film stars Kamal Haasan and Raadhika, while Gollapudi Maruti Rao, J. V. Somayajulu, Nirmalamma, Sarath Babu, and Y. Vijaya play supporting roles. The soundtrack and background score were composed by Ilaiyaraaja. Swathi Muthyam depicts the plight of a young widow who is rescued by an autistic man.

Theatrical Mushaira of famous Urdu poets of Deccan.

Justice to Bilkis Bano and other women subjected to violence

A 2002 Gujarat gangrape survivor Bilkis Bano who also lost 14 family members including a 3 years old daughter lives in the fear of 11 convicts who have been set free by the government with the consent of court. The rapists and murders were not only honoured but a BJP MLA, who was on the committee to decide remission of sentence, has described some of the convicts as sanskari Brahmins.
While Bilkis Bano clearly became a fodder for communal politics, especially in Gujarat, recent murders of Ankita Bhandari in Uttarakhand and Shraddha Walkar in Delhi and complaints and protest against sexual harassment of women wrestlers against the president of Wrestling Federation of India, a powerful member of Parliament of BJP, shows that patriarchy has a virtual stranglehold over our society.
Starting from 1848 school for girls by the Phule couple we have come a long way where women are formally not denied any position previously considered only male bastions but how long do we have to go before we can truly call ourselves a gender equal society inclusive of the now prominent and visible LGBTQIA+ community?


Date and day: 11 February, 2023, Saturday

Time: 11 am to 1 pm

Venue: Lamakaan, Off Road No. 1, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad

An event with Queer love stories and performances of queer love with queer art exhibition

Hyderabad Cinephiles is screening John Carpenter’s sci-fi movie “They Live” on Sunday, 12th February at 7:00 pm. Based on the short-story “Eight O'Clock in the Morning” by Ray Nelson, the movie follows the unnamed protagonist who, on a usual day of hardship, stumbles upon something that changes the course of his life - a pair of sunglasses that doesn’t let him not see anymore.

The screening will be followed by a discussion on various aspects of the movie.

February is more than the love month. It is the month to remember and celebrate one of the founders of French New Wave Cinema, Francois Truffaut.

About: Francois Truffaut: François Roland Truffaut 6 February 1932 – 21 October 1984) was a French film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and film critic. He is widely regarded as one of the founders of the French New Wave. After more than 25 years of career, he remains an icon of the French film industry, having worked on over 25 films.

Truffaut's film The 400 Blows (1959) is a defining film of the French New Wave movement and has four sequels, Antoine et Colette (1962), Stolen Kisses (1968), Bed and Board (1970), and Love on the Run (1979). Truffaut's 1973 film Day for Night earned him critical acclaim and several awards, including the BAFTA Award for Best Film and the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. His other notable films include Shoot the Piano Player (1960), Jules and Jim (1962), The Soft Skin (1964), The Wild Child (1970), Two English Girls (1971), The Last Metro (1980), and The Woman Next Door (1981). He is also known for his supporting role in Steven Spielberg's science fiction film Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977).

Truffaut also wrote the notable book Hitchcock/Truffaut (1966), which detailed his interviews with the film director Alfred Hitchcock during the 1960s.

Film Title: Stolen Kisses | 1968 | 91 minutes | French language subtitled in English |


About the film: Stolen Kisses (French: Baisers volés) is a 1968 French romantic comedy-drama film directed by François Truffaut, starring Jean-Pierre Léaud, Delphine Seyrig and Claude Jade. It continues the story of the character Antoine Doinel, whom Truffaut had previously depicted in The 400 Blows (1959) and the short film Antoine and Colette (1962). In this film, Antoine begins his relationship with Christine Darbon, which is depicted further in the last two films in the series, Bed & Board (1970) and Love on the Run (1979).


Film Title: Day for Night | 1973 | 116 minutes | French language subtitled in English |


About the film: Day for Night is a 1973 romantic comedy-drama film co-written and directed by François Truffaut, starring Jacqueline Bisset, Jean-Pierre Léaud and Truffaut himself. The original French title, La Nuit américaine ("American Night"), refers to the French name for the filmmaking process whereby sequences filmed outdoors in daylight are shot with a filter over the camera lens (a technique described in the dialogue of Truffaut's film) or also using film stock balanced for tungsten (indoor) light and underexposed (or adjusted during post-production) to appear as if they are taking place at night. In English, the technique is called day for night.

SCREENING FOLLOWED BY DISCUSSION! ALL ARE WELCOME!!! ENTRY IS FREE & OPEN TO ALL!!!

Urdu Shaahkaar: Masterpieces of Urdu Poetry
A conversation between S.M. Shahed and Mir Ali Husain

Shahed and Husain will talk about the works of great Urdu poets including Mirza Ghalib, Josh Malihabadi, Mohinder Singh Bedi, Balmukund Arsh Malsiani, Parveen Shakir, Brij Narayan Chakbast, Fahmida Riaz, Pandit Anand Mohan Gulzar Dehlavi, and Makhdoom Mohiuddin, among others.

S.M. Shahed is the force behind urdushahkar.org, one of the most important resources of Urdu poetry, with a rich and growing variety of content for both the rank beginner and the Urdu expert. Mir Ali Husain is an author, scriptwriter, and the lyricist of several songs including the super-hit "Ye Hausla" from the movie "Dor".

February is more than the love month. It is the month to remember and celebrate one of the founders of French New Wave Cinema, Francois Truffaut.

About: Francois Truffaut: François Roland Truffaut 6 February 1932 – 21 October 1984) was a French film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and film critic. He is widely regarded as one of the founders of the French New Wave. After more than 25 years of career, he remains an icon of the French film industry, having worked on over 25 films.

Truffaut's film The 400 Blows (1959) is a defining film of the French New Wave movement and has four sequels, Antoine et Colette (1962), Stolen Kisses (1968), Bed and Board (1970), and Love on the Run (1979). Truffaut's 1973 film Day for Night earned him critical acclaim and several awards, including the BAFTA Award for Best Film and the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. His other notable films include Shoot the Piano Player (1960), Jules and Jim (1962), The Soft Skin (1964), The Wild Child (1970), Two English Girls (1971), The Last Metro (1980), and The Woman Next Door (1981). He is also known for his supporting role in Steven Spielberg's science fiction film Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977).

Truffaut also wrote the notable book Hitchcock/Truffaut (1966), which detailed his interviews with the film director Alfred Hitchcock during the 1960s.


Film Title: The Last Metro | 1980 | 131 minutes | French language subtitled in English |


The Last Metro (French: Le Dernier Métro) is a 1980 historical drama film, written and directed by François Truffaut, that stars Catherine Deneuve and Gérard Depardieu.

Opening in 1942 during the German occupation of France, it follows the fortunes of a small theatre in the Montmartre area of Paris which keeps up passive resistance by maintaining its cultural integrity, despite censorship, antisemitism and material shortages, to emerge triumphant at the war's end. The title evokes two salient facts about city life under the Germans: fuel shortages led people to spend their evenings in theatres and other places of entertainment, but the curfew meant they had to catch the last Métro train home.

Topic: Forgotten Muslim Empires of South India by Syed Ubaidur Rahman

Syed Ubaidur Rahman’s book 'Forgotten Muslim Empires of South India' is a thoroughgoing work of historical revisionism and excavation. It seeks to rehabilitate the Muslim Sultanates of medieval South India into mainstream historical discourse in India and thereby remedy its current marginal status. A major work of historiography, it delves into the Bahamani kingdom, the Adil Shahi Sultanate of Bijapur, the Nizam Shahi Sultanate of Ahmadnagar, the Qutub Shahi Sultanate of Golconda (Hyderabad), and the Sultanate of Madura (Ma’bar). Certain aspects of the political history of these sultanates, such as their rich cultural life, architectural achievements, and scholarly investments, are delved into.

They have all heavily contributed to the rich texture of Indian civilization. For instance, the Bahamani Sultanate collaborated with the neighboring Vijaynagar kingdom at the level of art and culture, thereby creating a syncretic nature of this medieval ethos.

This book is helpful to all scholars of medieval Indian history at an international level.

About the Author: Syed Ubaidur Rahman is a New Delhi-based author and columnist. His recent publications include 'Forgotten Muslim Empires of South India: Bahmani Empire, Madurai, Bijapur, Golconda & Mysore Sultanates' (2022), 'Biographical Encyclopaedia of Indian Muslim Freedom Fighters' (2021), and 'Ulema's Role in India's Freedom Movement with a Focus on Reshmi Rumal Tehrik' (2019).

Join us for the book launch of “The Forgotten Muslim Empires of South India.” Copies of the book will be available for sale at the event.

ALL ARE WELCOME!

Samahaara Workshop Productions
presents

A double bill of popular Telugu plays

Gollapudi Maruti Rao's
"KALLU"
&
Gandavaram Subbarami Reddy's
"AAGANDI NENU VASTUNNAA"

Directed by Rathna Shekar

24th Feb 2023
08.00pm
Lamakaan, Banjara Hills, Hydrabad.

Bookings at in.bookmyshow.com

KALLU (EYES), is a play about a group of people who are blind. They pool enough money by begging and for the collective good of the group they decide to get one of them eyes. What happens when one of them can see? Will the others be taken care of or exploited?

AAGANDI NENU VASTUNNAA is a play about Seetharamayya and his son Satyam. Seetharamayya is an orthodox middle class father who hates the creative field (Theatre/Acting). Satyam a very passionate and talented actor tries to change his fathers opinion. Will Satyam succeed?

Tired of your daily routine and eager to explore your hobbies? I'm starting a meet up group for hobbyists who are looking to start a new hobby or work on your existing hobby while chitchatting and interacting with likeminded individuals. Whether you enjoy crocheting, painting, designing, embroidery, tatting, drawing, photography, DIY projects, crafting, doll making, sewing, wood working or have any other hobbies, then this platform is for you. In light of current environmental issues, using sustainable and biodegradable materials for your projects is recommended, however not mandatory. Let's all do our part in protecting our environment while enjoying our hobbies.

'In Defense of Reason' invites you to a talk on
'One Year of Delhi Anganwadi Caregivers’ Heroic Strike: Prospects, Challenges and the Road Ahead'

Speaker:
Shivani Kaul
(President, Delhi State Anganwadi Workers and Helpers Union (DSAWHU), Political Analyst and Political Activist)

Dear Friends,

The Anganwadi caregivers of Delhi had led a historic strike for 38 days since 31st January 2022 under the leadership of Delhi State Anganwadi Workers and Helpers Union (DSAWHU). It was one of the major strikes in the recent history of working class movement in Delhi as well as India with three massive rallies in the heart of Delhi.

In those 38 days, this strike had not only become a challenge for the Delhi Kejriwal Government and the Central Modi Government, but at the same time exposed the entire capitalist system. Despite their relentess efforts, the BJP Government at the Centre and the AAP Government of Delhi failed to sabotage the strike. However, owing to their growing desperation and panic both these parties mutually agreed upon imposing draconian Essential Services Maintainance Act (ESMA).


In the current session, 'In defence of Reason' has invited Shivani Kaul, a political activist and president, DSAWHU to share her views on the events that led to strike, post-strike developments, the challenges that face the struggle of caregivers everywhere fighting for regularisation who are not identified as a government employees but are rather termed as "volunteers", the political economy of care work and how the capitalist system exploits these caregivers, the prospects, challenges and road ahead for these struggles.

We heartily extend our invitation to everyone to be part of this important talk and we hope this talk will be able to deal, though in a very limited and humble way, with some of these pertinent questions confronting the working class movement in India at present.

Samahaara Workshop Productions
presents

"PAAPAM URI TEESTHARU KABOLU"
(Telugu Play)
An adaptation of Reginald Rose's 12 Angry Men
Translated into Telugu by Chitta Shankar

Directed by Rathna Shekar

25th Feb 2023
08.00pm
Lamakaan, Banjara Hills, Hydrabad.

Bookings at in.bookmyshow.com

Twelve persons have been led into a jury room of a court of law. They are given final instructions about determining the verdict in a murder case whose defendant faces the death penalty if found guilty.They gather around a table to begin discussions about the case. The defendant, a young man, is accused of killing his father; and, after a preliminary vote, all but one of the jurors presume he is guilty. Juror #8 is the only one who feels differently. Because they must come to a unanimous decision, debates begin. Most of the men are upset and very vocal about the dissenting vote. It is agreed to go around the table and have each man explain why he believes the young man is guilty, in hopes of convincing Juror #8 to change his mind. They heatedly discuss the known facts of the case; and little by little the personalities, opinions, and biases of each juror become evident. Will the juror #8 stand his ground or can the others convince him otherwise?