Lamakaan Marks 16 Years with Progressive Cultural Programming in Hyderabad
Hyderabad’s open cultural space Lamakaan will celebrate its 16th anniversary with a four-day programme from February 5 to February 8, 2026, featuring literature, theatre, dance, poetry and political dialogue in new and experimental formats.
The celebrations will open with a special reading by veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah, who will present excerpts from the works of noted Urdu dramatist Imtiaz Ali Taj, best known for Anarkali, later adapted into the classic Hindi film Mughal-e-Azam.
Speaking about the anniversary programme, Ashhar Farhan, one of Lamakaan’s founders, said the focus this year marked a clear shift in approach. “This year is a move from being reflective to being progressive,” he said, adding that the programming would be more exploratory and experimental in nature.
Urdu literature forms a key strand of this year’s celebrations, with an emphasis on rediscovering dramatists such as Imtiaz Ali Taj. Telugu literature will also be in focus, with discussions examining how economic liberalisation has influenced literary themes and concerns.
Among the more unusual offerings is a Bharatanatyam adaptation of Faiz Ahmed Faiz’s poem Utho Ab Maati Se, which reflects on Palestine. According to Mr. Farhan, the idea is to place political and literary texts within new performative contexts.
Lamakaan’s engagement with poetry has also evolved over the years. “Earlier, we explored the lives of poets. Now we want to examine how poetics itself has evolved and changed over time,” he said.
Political discussions at the venue are also being reimagined. Moving away from what Mr. Farhan described as ‘hard talks’ with politicians, the focus is now on broader political processes. An upcoming session by Biju Mathew, who worked closely on Zohran Mamdani’s election campaign in New York, will offer insights into how minority candidates can succeed in highly capitalist urban environments.
The programme will also feature reinterpretations of established narratives, including ‘Du Saraswati’, which retells episodes from Indian epics through the perspective of a Dalit woman.
