Bangalore Literature Festival: Books, Banter & Beyond
BENGALURU: The 12th edition of the Bangalore Literature Festival (BLF) is all set to kick off on Saturday, December 2, at The Lalit Ashok Bangalore. The two-day literary extravaganza is set to feature nearly 250 authors from around the world, including acclaimed writers such as Perumal Murugan, Chandrashekhara Kambara, Devdutt Pattnaik, and Gideon Haigh among others – as well as other notable personalities such as comedian Kanan Gill and actor Huma Qureshi.
“It’s a flamboyant lineup,” shares co-founder and festival director Shinie Antony. “The keynote address is by Dr Abraham Verghese, who even has Oprah Winfrey as a fan. We have Sudha Murty, Ramachandra Guha, Daniel Bosley, Urvashi Butalia, and Ashwin Sanghi. Shashi Tharoor and his sister Smita Tharoor will give us a glimpse into their sibling’s funship and their love for language. Premchand’s granddaughter Sara Rai will be here too.”
of Bangalore Literature Fest
The upcoming edition of the fest is set to be the biggest in its decade-long history and will feature a diverse selection of sessions that is aimed at fostering fine reading and writing among the younger generations. Some of the themes of the sessions include crime, feminism, speculative fiction, artificial intelligence, mythology and more.
“The festival has evolved into an entity of its own. It goes beyond its organisers, curators, and visualisers. No one person can take credit for the festival’s magic – it is a combination of its Chameleon-esque genes and that bit of abracadabra that just cannot be explained in words,” Antony shares, adding “There is no hierarchy in literature, since it travels in all directions all at once, north-south-east-west. BLF has always seen that every genre get its due. So, while we look minutely at book covers and bookshops, as well as screenwriting, we also have poetry readings and in-depth sessions on translation and speculative fiction. When Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kashmiri, Urdu, German, French, and Turkish writers get together, the discussions can only be a layered confectionery! Crime, sci-fi, start-ups, ghosts, plus a stand-up by Anuvab Pal on lit-fests...So, no topic is taboo.”
Meanwhile, like last year LitMart and ScreenLit – platforms for aspiring writers and screenwriters to pitch their ideas – are set to return. Similarly, children’s litfest is also returning. “We have three venues for children, of all age groups. It promises to be a rollercoaster ride for tiny tots as well as young adults. From puppetry to singalongs, it is a breathless curation by Lakshmi Subodh, Vikram Sridhar and Sanjana Kapur,”Antony adds.
Music also finds a special place in the festival, with performances by Kavish Seth and Avrina Prabala-Joslin, adding a melodious dimension to the literary celebration. Carnatic and Hindustani recitals start the day, with musical performances by Kavish Seth and Avrina Prabala-Joslin, as well as gamaka.