Festival Details

Mumbai Storytellers Society Presentation.

‘Earth Democracy,’ the core theme for the Mumbai International Storytelling Festival, is rooted in the ancient Indian concept of vasudhaiva kutumbakam, meaning ‘the world is one family,’ which highlights the interconnectedness of humanity. The oral tradition of storytelling plays a vital role in preserving the culture and beliefs of communities, passing them down from one generation to the next. The fifth edition of this two-day festival will showcase a rich selection of stories, featuring histories, legends, women of ancient India, intergenerational storytelling, reimagined tales from our past, ecofeminist narratives and enchanting stories for children. The edition features international storytellers and talent from across India.

Day 1

Geeta Ramanujam the doyen of Storytelling in India will be felicitated by Mumbai Storytellers Society for her contribution in the field of Indian storytelling.

Geeta Ramanujam is a master storyteller, trainer, founder and executive director of Kathalaya’s International Academy of Storytelling and Kathalaya Trust. A pioneer of the storytelling movement in India, Geeta has defined and evolved the ancient art of storytelling through workshops and certified courses.

Kathalaya’s International Academy of Storytelling is the only globally recognized academy for storytelling in the world with accredited courses affiliated to USA, Scotland and Sweden.
Geeta will capture the pulse of collective storytelling emphasizing diversity and harmony.

Abhinaya Katha by Apeksha Niranjan
Apeksha Niranjan a Bharatnatyam dancer, choreographer, art educator and a film actress from Mumbai is the first artist to incorporate Gregorian Chants into traditional Bharatnatyam performances and the 1st Indian Classical dancer who has choreographed Bharatnatyam recital on traditional Polish Folk music.

Apeksha presents the inspirational story of Noble Laureate Scientist Marie Curie who is famously known as ‘Madam Curie.’

This unconventional Bharatnatyam recital takes you to the 18th and 19th century of Europe and showcases the experience during the noble winning research.

Ameen Haque is a poet, storyteller and a teacher of the craft presents Na Hindu, Na Musalmaan: Kabir Ki Dastaan, a dastan-goi–style storytelling performance that brings the life, thought, and songs of the poet-saint Kabir alive through Urdu narration and music. Moving between story and song, the performance traces Kabir’s journey as a weaver, a mystic, and a fearless questioner of identity, ritual, and belief.

Mehak Mirza Prabhu
Storytelling is not a performance, it’s a conversation”, says Storyteller | Scriptwriter | Life Coach Mehak Mirza Prabhu. Mehak presents her original written Hindi stories touching upon the complexities of today’s times, bringing them alive on stage as she transforms into multiple characters. Blending depth, humour, and spontaneity, the performance creates a highly interactive storytelling experience.

Day 2

Mara Menzies is a multi-award-winning narrative artiste, author and nature lover from Kenya. She celebrates her Kenyan and Scottish heritage to explore the human experience through myth, legend and fantasy. Menzies brings The Great Tree of Stories, an interactive journey for children into the African savannah, where a wise old Baobab tree holds the secrets of the world. She uses rhythm and movement to tell how animals from far and wide learned to live as one family.

When Earth Was a Woman: Eco Feminist Tales
Usha Venkatraman is the founder of Mumbai Storytellers Society and festival director and producer of Mumbai International Storytelling Festival. She will be presenting When Earth Was a Woman: Eco Feminist Tales that speaks of the sisterhood between women and nature.

Villu Pattu
Lavanya Prasad is an electrical engineer who unplugged from wires and discovered that stories create far more powerful connections. She will bring to life the folklore surrounding how Villupaatu (Bow Song), an ancient musical storytelling art form from Tamil Nadu, came into being.

Spoken Puppetry
The Puppetarians
Sangya Ojha and Hashim Haider present a unique blend of spoken word and puppetry inspired by Munshi Premchand’s Eidgah.

Box Office now open.