Fair Play

When Bharatnatyam danseuse Pratibha Prahlad was performing at the Tokyo Content Festival last month, she noted that the festival had the support of a 100 people committee...

The second Delhi International Arts Festival is ready to take off with an array of innovative performances

When Bharatnatyam danseuse Pratibha Prahlad was performing at the Tokyo Content Festival last month, she noted that the festival had the support of a 100 people committee, including government and private organisations, who were actively promoting it. 8220;Things went very smoothly,8221; says Prahlad, currently working hard to emulate her Japanese experience for the second edition of the Delhi International Arts Festival DIAF, which starts on December 1. Prahlad and her NGO Prasiddha Foundation have been roping in government organisations like the Indian Council for Cultural Relations ICCR, National School of Drama NSD, Sangeet Natak Akademi, Directorate of Film Festivals, as well as private organisations like Katkatha and PVR Cinemas. This year the festival will be spread over 70 venues across the NCR, that include far-flung places like Najafgarh, Dwarka and Lakshmi Nagar, besides the usual venues like Alliance Francaise, Siri Fort Auditorium and India International Centre.

There are 35 segments in the festival spread over 24 days, which include classical music and dance, theatre, puppetry, photography, films, and fringe festivals that will feature drama pieces and dance theatre. 8220;Delhi is the point where the world meets India and India meets the world, so we wanted to have a fair representation of the leading arts of not just India, but also from other countries,8221; says Arshiya Sethi, executive director of the festival. Accordingly, there are artists coming from Switzerland, Mexico, Japan and France. A special commemoration of Mexican Nobel Laureate Octavio Paz is also part of the schedule, where paintings by artists like MF Husain and poetry by Paz will be on display, besides discussions on his work.

Five film festivals are part of this year8217;s DIAF, including one featuring contemporary films from Japan, one by upcoming Indian filmmakers, and a fair representation of films from the India International Film Festival in Goa. In fact, in recognition of the cultural content of the festival, it has also been awarded the Incredible India branding this year. 8220;It8217;s a festival for people from all walks of life to get a glimpse of the immense cultural variety that is available to us. In a way, that8217;s a key tool for cultural tourism as well,8221; says Prahlad.nbsp;

Entry to the festival is free.

Paromita Chakrabarti

Paromita Chakrabarti is Senior Associate Editor at the The Indian Express. She is a key member of the National Editorial and Opinion desk and writes on books and literature, gender discourse, workplace policies and contemporary socio-cultural trends. Professional Profile With a career spanning over 20 years, her work is characterized by a "deep culture" approach—examining how literature, gender, and social policy intersect with contemporary life. Specialization: Books and publishing, gender discourse (specifically workplace dynamics), and modern socio-cultural trends. Editorial Role: She curates the literary coverage for the paper, overseeing reviews, author profiles, and long-form features on global literary awards. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent writing highlights a blend of literary expertise and sharp social commentary: 1. Literary Coverage & Nobel/Booker Awards "2025 Nobel Prize in Literature | Hungarian master of apocalypse" (Oct 10, 2025): An in-depth analysis of László Krasznahorkai’s win, exploring his themes of despair and grace. "Everything you need to know about the Booker Prize 2025" (Nov 10, 2025): A comprehensive guide to the history and top contenders of the year. "Katie Kitamura's Audition turns life into a stage" (Nov 8, 2025): A review of the novel’s exploration of self-recognition and performance. 2. Gender & Workplace Policy "Karnataka’s menstrual leave policy: The problem isn’t periods. It’s that workplaces are built for men" (Oct 13, 2025): A viral opinion piece arguing that modern workplace patterns are calibrated to male biology, making women's rights feel like "concessions." "Best of Both Sides: For women’s cricket, it’s 1978, not 1983" (Nov 7, 2025): A piece on how the yardstick of men's cricket cannot accurately measure the revolution in the women's game. 3. Social Trends & Childhood Crisis "The kids are not alright: An unprecedented crisis is brewing in schools and homes" (Nov 23, 2025): Writing as the Opinions Editor, she analyzed how rising competition and digital overload are overwhelming children. 4. Author Interviews & Profiles "Fame is another kind of loneliness: Kiran Desai on her Booker-shortlisted novel" (Sept 23, 2025): An interview regarding The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny. "Once you’ve had a rocky and unsafe childhood, you can’t trust safety: Arundhati Roy" (Aug 30, 2025): A profile on Roy’s recent reflections on personal and political violence. Signature Beats Gender Lens: She frequently critiques the "borrowed terms" on which women navigate pregnancy, menstruation, and caregiving in the corporate world. Book Reviews: Her reviews often draw parallels between literature and other media, such as comparing Richard Osman’s The Impossible Fortune to the series Only Murders in the Building (Oct 25, 2025). ... Read More