SALAAM MUMBAI AT KALAGHODA!!

Every year, the nine day Kala Ghoda Arts Festival sponsored by their new partner Hindustan Times takes place from the 1st Saturday in February till the next Sunday, and this time the festival is bigger and better than before.

The Kala Ghoda Arts Festival, now in its 16th year, is a community celebration of the arts within one of the most beautiful and historic precincts of Mumbai, The Kala Ghoda Art District. It has been held for the last 15 years, and is open to all, free of charge. The festival incorporates visual arts, music, theatre, dance, cinema, literature, lectures, street acts, heritage walks, literature, seminars and Workshops for children as well as adults. The Kala Ghoda festival has plenty in store for kids as well, with the festival including plenty of fun filled activities. The festival also has some heritage walks that provide people an insight into the heritage and culture of Mumbai. In short, the festival presents plenty of events which reflect the rich history of art in Mumbai. You can also treat yourself to a culinary section where you come across brilliant display of Food Art along with demonstrations conducted by renowned chefs and experts.

The Festival has grown exponentially, and is hugely successful, drawing over 150,000 people from all over the city to 350 events over 9 days. Tourists from all over the world plan their trip to Mumbai to witness the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival. Funds raised from the festival go towards the restoration and upkeep of the area. Several heritage buildings and institutions in the area have benefited from this.

Salaam...1950s Ke Naam, a play on Hindi cinema of Golden Era. Nadira Zaheer Babbar, the director comes up with moments of innocent amusement and drama from the black-and-white era. The story is predictable and the play’s appeal chiefly lies in the era’s melodious songs and the naivety of the characters. The foreign-returned aristocratic boy (Ankur Parekh) falls for the village belle (Juhi Babbar). But their young, virginal love is opposed by their warring families. The hero’s Johnny Walker-like friend, his doting mother, and other stereotypical characters fill up the stage.

The play is high on production values, with veteran designer Bhanu Athaiya’s costumes standing out. A screen, which serves as a backdrop displays movie clips to suggest the environment the characters are in. Still, it’s the songs that cast the spell. While some are imaginatively choreographed, such as “Yaad Kiya Dil Ne Kahaan Ho Tum”, others can be sung along to with eyes closed.

The play often walks on a tightrope between a tribute and a parody. While Babbar does a decent job recreating the mannerisms of the decade, she focuses mostly on clichés to draw laughs. The challenge for Ekjute is to charm those unfamiliar with those movies. At best, Salaam...1950s Ke Naam is a compilation of the most memorable scenes and songs of the decade.

And beside this do not miss the grand closing act on the final day. It is an absolutely beautiful way to end this cultural extravaganza.

-Tasneem Bankoda