July 2012 at Studio Safdar

July 2012 at Studio Safdar, Shadi Khampur and

May Day Bookstore and Café

Sunday 8^th, 6.30 pm. Little Remains by Improper Fractions. The play engages with memory as a process, which is made, unmade and remade by focusing on certain texts – literary fiction, plays and extracts which we adapt and attempt to string together. The first piece is an adaptation of Gabriel García Márquez’s novella Chronicle of a Death Foretold. The second piece, Photographic Memory, is an adaptation of American playwright, Kelly Powell's play What are the Chances that deals with memory and photography. The third piece, laFjaoa mao gauma (Lost in Words) is self scripted. Memories are revoked, altered and transformed through repetition and rehearsal. Directed by Manjari Kaul and Shilpi Gulati.

Middle of the Month at May Day. The third weekend of every month, and the Thursday-Friday preceding it. The bookstore will offer special discounts on all books during these 4 days.

Thursday 12^th, 6.30 pm. Screening of ‘Bom aka One Day Ahead of Democracy’.  A real life story of transition; an ancient civilization being invaded and obliterated by the modern democracy. Directed by Amlan Datta. Filmmaker will be present for discussion. 118 minutes. Presented by the Magic Lantern Foundation.

Friday 13^th, 6.30 pm. Novelist Githa Hariharan discusses Sadat Hasan Manto’s story Toba Tek Singh. Followed by reading of the story by Brijesh (Jana Natya Manch) and discussion.

Saturday 14^th, 5 pm. Com. Kalindi Deshpande Memorial Lecture.

Sunday 15^th, 9.30 am.-12 noon. Breakfast at May Day. The menu this time is based around mangoes, and includes aam panna, puri-sabzi, mango shrikhand, mango chutney, and, of course, lots and lots of mangoes. Buffet with an eat-all-you-can menu. Limited seats. Advance booking recommended. Email cafemayday@gmail.com.

Sunday 15^th, 12 noon. ‘The Romance of Mangoes’: Sohail Hashmi in conversation with Zahoor Siddiqui.

Wednesday 18^th, 6.30 pm.  Anecdotes and Allegories by Gulbadan Begum, a puppet performance by Katkatha. Gulbadan . . . her nephew was Akbar, known to be one of the greatest emperors of India . . . her half-brother was Humayun, who set up Delhi . . . her father was Babur, who journeyed from Kyrgyzstan to set up an empire in Hindustan and make India his home. This performance uses miniature puppets of three and five inches, paper sets, spy cameras, Mughal miniature paintings and shadow puppets in a unique blend. Concept and direction: Anurupa Roy.

Untold Stories from the Margins, a three-day festival of documentary films, curated by Kanishka Prasad.

Friday 20^th, 6.30 pm.  Series of Short Films by Surya Shankar Dash, 98 mins. The films ranging from 1 min to 33 mins deal with stories from a people’s struggle and a people’s own narration of it against corporations like Tata, Posco and Vedanta in Odisha. 

Saturday 21^st, 6.30 pm. Delhi Mumbai Delhi by Saba Dewan, 63 mins. Riya dances in the beer bars of Mumbai to make a living. The documentary follows her from her home in Delhi to Mumbai where hundreds of working class girls come in search of work and a future. Riya’s future is unpredictable and the present is marked with its own difficulties. The police harass her family in Delhi, there is constant pressure from her agent in Mumbai to attract more tips and the work itself is demanding. However, there are other girls to have fun with, there is money to dress well and then there are men… admirers promising the moon. The documentary is an intimate portrait of the everyday in the life of the girls, their agents and their neighbourhoods.

Sunday 22^nd, 6.30 pm.  Izzatnagar Ki Asabhya Betiyaan by Nakul Sawhney, 93 mins. The film looks at the narratives of five young Jat women who have dealt with the strictures of the Khap Panchayat and found ways to resist them.

Friday 27^th, 6.30 pm.  Akhiri Jumme ki Sangat, a series on Hindi/Urdu literature on the last Friday of every month. Manisha Kulshreshta, author of the acclaimed novel Shigaf, will read from her work, followed by a discussion. This series is curated by Sanjeev Kumar and Vibhas Verma.

* We give a grace time of 15 mins after the scheduled time. In any case, both Studio Safdar and May Day are small spaces with limited seating, so best to arrive early.

None of the events are ticketed. We are unable to pay anything to the artists who enrich our lives, unless you contribute. We’ll spread the chadar at the end of the performance. These contributions will be shared 50:50 with the artists.

Studio Safdar has been made possible by hundreds of voluntary donations from across the country and beyond. Please consider making a donation that will help us equip and maintain the space better.

And if you can’t make it for any of these events, do still drop in for books and coffee. The bookstore opens Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. — but note that the café will begin serving only at 3.

Studio Safdar and May Day Bookstore and Café

2254/2A Shadi Khampur, New Ranjit Nagar, New Delhi 110008

Metro: Shadipur. Directions: Shadipur metro – Satyam Cinema – cycle ricksha – ‘Biyaasi number’ – May Day board next to DMS booth.

Email: cafemayday@gmail.com or studiosafdar@gmail.com. Phone (only on event days): 011 2570 9456.