Friday, November 21, 2025 kicks off Kolkata’s month-long winter festival of art and culture, which has grown in popularity over the six years it’s been running, and this edition is presented with a bit of politics.
Organized by the Kolkata Center for Creativity (KCC), the AMI Arts Festival will run until December 21 and will feature exhibitions, workshops, theater productions, dance and music recitals, band performances, panel discussions, film screenings and community gatherings. Along with the KCC premises, there will be events across major landmarks in Kolkata including the Indian Museum, Victoria Memorial, GD Birla Sabhaghar and Gyan Mancha.
This year’s panelists include former West Bengal Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi, who will deliver a talk, “Creative? Really?” and Yogendra Yadav, whose talk is titled “Reclaiming the Republic.” Other guests include Makarand Deshpande, Svastika Mukherjee, Kumud Mishra, Ratna Pathak Shah, Seema Pahwa and Arko Mukhaerjee.
“The festival has always aimed to reflect the world we live in, and that naturally includes conversations about society and ideas that sometimes intersect with politics. This year, we’re creating spaces for thoughtful dialogue that allows audiences to engage with contemporary issues, but the focus remains on art as a vehicle for exploration, questioning and connection. It’s not about politics per se, but about using creativity to reflect the world and sense of spark,” said Richperson, KCC Chair.
“This time we’re pushing the geographical boundaries, from working with local traditional artisans in workshops and pop-ups to international collaborations like King, a theater production from Ireland. We’re trying to make the festival really diverse in spirit and scope,” Ms Agarwal said.
A highlight of this year’s AMI festival will be a tribute to filmmaker Shyam Benegal, which will include an exhibition titled The Lens of Revolution, a panel discussion titled Acting, Art and the Indian Conscience, and screenings of some of his best-known films. Safdar Hashmi’s legacy will also be discussed.
“The festival is an opportunity to honor our traditions while welcoming new perspectives, showing how art can bring people together and inspire new ways of thinking. Audiences will see emerging and established artists and discover new ideas and new ways to engage with the arts,” said Ms. Agarwal.
Published – 21 Nov 2025 04:48 IST
