Kathakar is India`s first and Asia’s biggest storytelling festival. The festival features Storytelling sessions from India and abroad, Conversations with acclaimed artists and performers, Musical performances by renowned folk artists. The festival this year will host international storytellers Nell Phoneix (UK), Usifu Jalloh (UK/Sierra Leonne), Polina Tšerkassova (Estonia), Nama Tel Sur (Israel), Julliana (Columbia), Seung Ah Kim (South Korea), Imtiaz Ali, Lucky Ali, Bhupinder Babbal, Mohit Chauhan, Kutle Khan from India.

Prominent dignitaries who have participated at the previous festivals are Hon’ble President of India Smt. Droupadi Murmu,; Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, Former President of India, Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, Gulzar, A R Rahman, Prem Chopra, Imtiaz Ali, Manoj Bajpayee, Pankaj Tripathi, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Sanjay Mishra, Vishal Bhardwaj, Deepti Naval, Sushma Seth, Divya Seth, Nandita Das, Shantanu Moitra, Manoj Tiwari, and a host of renowned international storytellers Vergine Gulbenkian, Xanthe Gresham, TUUP, Michal Malinowski, Nell Phoneix, Jodie Edwards, Lillian Rodrigues, Spice Arthur among others.

The festival was started in 2010 by the NGOs Nivesh and HHACH under the patronage of UNESCO by the Gahilote Sisters - Rachna, Prarthana and Shaguna in the memory of their father the first Braille Editor of India also known as the Father of Braille Literature in India Thakur Vishva Narain Singh. The Chief Patron of the festival is well-known singer-songwriter-composer Mohit Chauhan.

Schedule of the event

Friday, 31st January 2025 (5 to 10 pm)

Storytelling by: Nell Phoneix (UK), Usifu Jalloh (UK/Sierra Leonne), Polina Tšerkassova (Estonia), Nama Tel Sur (Israel)

Inauguration by Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Minister of Culture and Tourism

Kissey Kahani aur Storytelling - Mohit Chauhan In Conversation with Imtiaz Ali moderated by Prarthana Gahilote

Music Performance by Kutle Khan Manghaniyaar and group (Rajasthan)

Saturday, 1st February 2025 (5 to 10 pm)

Storytelling by: Nell Phoneix (UK), Usifu Jalloh (UK/Sierra Leonne), Polina Tšerkassova (Estonia), Nama Tel Sur (Israel)

Kissey Kahani aur Mausiqui - Mohit Chauhan In Conversation with Lucky Ali moderated by Prarthana Gahilote

Music Performance by AR Rahman’s KM Music Conservatory (India)

10 am to 1 pm – Art of Storytelling Workshop with International storytellers

Sunday, 2nd February 2025 (5 to 10 pm)

Storytelling by: Nell Phoneix (UK), Usifu Jalloh (UK/Sierra Leonne), Polina Tšerkassova (Estonia), Nama Tel Sur (Israel)

Kissey Kahani aur Cinema - Prarthana Gahilote In Conversation with Sajid Ali

Music Performance by Bhupinder Babbal (India)

10 am to 3 pm – Sajid and Imtiaz Ali Retrospective: Film Screening of Laila Majnu and Chamkila inaugurated by Writer and film director Sajid Ali