I have always found it difficult to form opinions on various matters. There is a dearth of social communities around us,” admits Sankalp Sharma (21), a management student who recently graduated from Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies, Mumbai. It was this realisation that prompted Sharma to launch The Abstract Room, a virtual community platform that facilitates conversations on literature, movies, and poetry, in June 2020. Since its inception on Instagram, Sharma has been successful in bringing together a coterie of like-minded individuals who have found their voice through The Abstract Room.
Indulging in discussions
The Abstract Room is essentially a virtual space for people to meet and share ideas, something that Sharma feels most people are unable to do given routine lives. “The conversations we have with friends are not always growth-oriented. Our exchanges with them are mostly idle chatter and less constructive discussions. I felt the need to create a space where we could actually discuss ideas; abstract ideas,” shares Sharma. In time, however, this platform has strengthened into a community that is “almost like a family for many people”.
Welcoming ideas in any form, the group often organises a variety of community engagement sessions—these range from books to movies or even poetry. Film screenings, book discussions, and poetry readings have become part and parcel of their monthly schedule. The platform also reaches out to professionals and experts who deliver talks on diverse topics. A few prominent personalities who have spoken during Abstract Room’s sessions include film directors Abhiroop Basu, Nishtha Jain, intersex social worker and activist Daniel Mendonca, theatre director Ramesh Bora, among others. While most sessions are open for all, they also conduct exclusive sessions for members—the platform also has a subscription-based model (`200 per month)
Creating virtual bonds
Initiated as a pandemic project, The Abstract Room turned out to be a timely endeavour especially amid a period when most people were yearning to talk their hearts out. The space also served as a medium in helping individuals create channels of interaction—they not only discuss art but also have groups to rant about their day and share work opportunities. “Abstract [Room] really helped me connect with people. It is also an open space where you can speak what you think, no one is correcting you or guiding you,” shares Aadri Vishal (26), a resident of Shahdara, who is part of The Abstract Room from its launch.
Sharma mentions that they have members across age groups. “The only prerequisite [to join the platform] is that you need to be interested in art,” he shares. Even though the platform functions virtually, many members have fostered close connections despite never meeting each other in person. “The whole community has not met even once. Members have met in clusters in their respective cities. Despite that, people are so connected to each other that this space is not just where you discuss books or films. It has gone beyond that,” concludes Vishal.