The 6th annual Tata Literature Live! The Mumbai LitFest from October 29
Four-day festival: 29th October through 1st November, 2015
Two venues: NCPA, Nariman Point and Prithvi Theatre, Juhu
Germaine Greer, Vikram Seth, Kiran Nagarkar and over 120 celebrated writers and thinkers from across the world
To present seven literary awards
Media registrations open today
Entry is free
Tata Literature Live! The Mumbai LitFest returns in full vigour to mark the city’s cultural calendar from 29th October to 1st November, 2015. The 6th edition of Mumbai’s largest international literary festival brings together an eclectic mix of the world’s most notable authors. As always, the four-day festival will be held at the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA), Nariman Point. Encouraged by its successful premiere at Prithvi Theatre, Juhu last year, the festival will be simultaneously hosted at the venue on 31st October and 1st November this year too.
Over 120 celebrated writers and thinkers from over 14 countries will participate in the festival, making this a truly international literature event. Among them are Egyptian-American Mona Eltahawy who is creating waves for her recent book, ‘Headscarves and Hymens’, Germaine Greer, one of the pioneers of the international feminist movement, Kiran Nagarkar, Indian novelist and playwright, India’s ‘Suitable Boy’ – Vikram Seth and Hussain Zaidi – investigative journalist and author of Dongri to Dubai, among others. (Full list of authors is appended in annexure 1).
On her participation at the festival, Germaine Greer says, “First of all I am looking forward to being in India. I believe that everyone in the rich world needs regular exposure to the glory and the anguish that is India, and I need it right now. I’m also looking forward to being in Mumbai. I hope I can meet up with some of the women I taught at Sophia in 1982 (such a long time ago!), and I’m looking forward to talking with Vikram Seth, whom I haven’t seen for ages. Literary festivals are always fun; a literary festival in wonderful Mumbai will be better than fun.”
Vikram Seth says, “Being a Calcuttan by birth and a Dilliwala by descent, Bambai meri jaan has always fascinated and puzzled me. So it is with great pleasure that I look forward to going there (or is it ‘coming here’?). And having attended the Mumbai LitFest once before, I know that my usual nervousness when I speak or read (or am heckled) will be more than balanced by the pleasure of meeting other writers – and, needless to say, readers.”
Seven awards will be presented to celebrate and recognise outstanding works – Tata Literature Live! First Book Award for Fiction and Non-Fiction, Tata Literature Live! Book of the Year Award for Fiction and Non-Fiction, Tata Literature Live! Business Book Award, Tata Literature Live! Poet Laureate Award and Tata Literature Live! Lifetime Achievement Award. Shortlists for the first three will be declared mid-October and all seven winners will be felicitated at the festival.
Founder and Director, Literature Live!, Anil Dharker, says, “Mumbai has made Tata Literature Live! an intrinsic part of its cultural scene and it is heartening to know this has happened in a short span of five years. We’re thrilled to announce a fantastic line-up for the sixth edition of Tata Literature Live! The Mumbai LitFest. Indian writers will be sharing the stage with authors from over 14 countries. This year’s edition also brings a riveting line-up of international performances from across the globe. We’re in the process of finalising the events that make up the festival and the programme, which will be available mid-October, and is sure to delight literature enthusiasts from all over!”
Dr. Mukund Rajan, Member-Group Executive Council and Brand Custodian, Tata Sons, says, “The Tata group is pleased to bring the 6th edition of Tata Literature Live! The Mumbai LitFest, yet again, to audiences not only in Mumbai, but those who visit us every year from around India and the world. Over the past five years, the festival has grown from strength to strength, attracting well-known authors and performances, and delighting literature lovers with an invigorating line-up of events that celebrate the finest literature worldwide. This year’s edition promises no less but much more, and we hope that you’ll join us in the coming days to enjoy the exciting programme that the festival team is putting together.
Performances and acts
Performances — plays, performance poetry, dances based on stories and poetry, and storytelling with music — are an integral part of the festival. This year’s schedule boasts an array of performances, some of which are:
- The blackly funny social satire ‘When it Rains’ from one of Canada’s most heralded touring companies
- ‘Blank Page’,acelebration of contemporary Indian poetry through theatre, music & movement
- ‘Comedy of Horrors’, a thrilling evening of three stories from the masters of the horror literary genre. A first for theatre, this show has been specially commissioned by the festival and is directed by Vivaan Shah (son of Naseeruddin Shah)
- The River Runs Deep: Rhythm Divine II:Inspired by the work of Manipuri poet SaratchandThiyam, this dance piece captures the soul of the North East, with AstadDeboo
- An Indian interpretation of the award winning German playwright Peter Handke’s famous work Storm Still
Debates, panel discussions and talks
An invigorating line-up of debates and talks will dot each day of the festival, interspersed with book readings and conversations with eminent authors and poets.
- Lisa Ray – actress, ex-model and activist – will speak on how reading helped her cope with cancer
- Panel discussions and debates on current issues: “No man’s land: How would the Earth continue without humans?” with Jairam Ramesh, Jon Turney and Alan Weisman as panelists and “Aslidesimaal or What is authentically India?”with Kalki Koechlin and Johnathan Gil Harris, among others
- Discussion on Literature and Cinema, led by Richard Price who wrote the screenplay for the film The Colour of Money and the hit US TV series, The Wire
- Talk on Investigative journalism by The Guardian newspaper`s famous journalist, Nik Davies, who exposed the News of the World scandal
- Stephen Kelman, who has written a book based on BibhutiNayak, the serial record breaker, will be at the festival. Bibhuti Nayak, will try and break a Guinness Record during the festival
Workshops and contests
Workshops this year are exciting for both adults and children, including a special Harry Potter workshop and one on writing for young adults by Canadian writer, S. J. Laidlaw.
Tata LitliveMyStory Contest, which invited entries from unpublished writers, is live on the festival’s Facebook page and website, and invites public voting until 5thOctober, for the received entries.As in previous years, the jury will pick 3 winners from a shortlist of 10 entries, based on public votes.
Entry to the festival will be free and on a first-come, first-served basis.
The Tata group is the title sponsor of Tata Literature Live! The Mumbai LitFest and Landmark is the book store partner.
The festival is conceived by Anil Dharker, the Founder and Festival Director of Literature Live! which organises the festival with the support of the Tata group.
About the Tata group:
Founded by Jamsetji Tata in 1868, the Tata group is a global enterprise, headquartered in India, comprising over 100 independent operating companies. The group operates in more than 100 countries across six continents, with a mission ‘To improve the quality of life of the communities we serve globally, through long-term stakeholder value creation based on Leadership with Trust’. Tata Sons is the principal investment holding company and promoter of Tata companies. Sixty-six percent of the equity share capital of Tata Sons is held by philanthropic trusts, which support education, health, livelihood generation and art and culture. In 2014-15, the revenue of Tata companies, taken together, was $108.78 billion. These companies collectively employ over 600,000 people. Each Tata company or enterprise operates independently under the guidance and supervision of its own board of directors and shareholders. There are 30 publicly-listed Tata enterprises with a combined market capitalisation of about $134 billion (as on 31st March 2015). Tata companies with significant scale include Tata Steel, Tata Motors, Tata Consultancy Services, Tata Power, Tata Chemicals, Tata Global Beverages, Tata Teleservices, Titan, Tata Communications and Indian Hotels.
About Literature Live!
Literature Live! is dedicated to celebrating the written word in all its glorious forms. From book launches, thought-provoking talks, literary evenings and author interactions to performances, book swaps, fiction and haiku contests, it offers Mumbai a chance to participate in the many joys of literature.It also organises Tata Literature Live! The Mumbai LitFest, Mumbai’s premier international literary festival. Now gearing up for its 6thedition from October 29thto November 1st2015. Tata Literature Live! The Mumbai International LitFest has become immensely popular because it looks at literature in a way that complements the spirit of Mumbai: energetic, cosmopolitan and all-inclusive.Over 120 writers, thinkers and performers from all over the world are expected to participate during its many events this year at the National Centre for Performing Arts and the Prithvi Theatre.
