Banu Mushtaq to Lead Star-Studded Bangalore Literature Festival

The 14th edition of the Bangalore Literature Festival is set to feature prominent figures including Banu Mushtaq, the winner of the International Booker Prize, bestselling British crime novelist Clare Mackintosh, Indian politician Shashi Tharoor, and comedian Vir Das. Scheduled for December 6 and 7, this year’s festival will take place at a new location: Freedom Park on Seshadri Road.

The decision to move to a larger venue reflects the festival’s expanding scale, according to co-founder Srikrishna Ramamoorthy. He stated, “We felt a larger venue would do more justice to the festival and the crowds it draws. It is also a public space and, in that sense, is more inclusive.” The accessibility of the new site is noteworthy, being just an eight-minute walk from the Sir M Visvesvaraya metro station and a 15-minute walk from the Nadaprabhu Kempegowda metro station. Paid parking will also be available for attendees.

The festival anticipates around 300 speakers, who will address a wide array of topics including crime, sports, romance, history, politics, gender, artificial intelligence, culture, music, film, and food. Notable discussions will focus on contemporary India, as well as themes of death and grief, with multiple sessions dedicated to these subjects.

One highlight will be a session featuring Clare Mackintosh, who will engage in conversation with author Shobhaa De about her memoir titled “I Promise It Won’t Always Hurt Like This.” This poignant work reflects on her experiences following the death of her five-week-old son. Another significant discussion, titled “The Shape of Us,” will include insights from Ghazala Wahab, Pankaj Mishra, Santosh Desai, Shefalee Vasudev, and Manish Sabharwal, focusing on the forces shaping contemporary Indian society.

Approximately 25% of the festival sessions will concentrate on Kannada and other Indian languages. A session named “Samiksheyalli Kanda Badukina Kathegalu” (Life Stories from the Census) will feature experts such as Guruprasad Kantalagere, Haseena Malnad, Sudha Adukala, and Abdul Rasheed, discussing insights from the recently concluded census.

The 21-acre Freedom Park will host four stages for the festival, along with a bookstore and a children’s literature festival featuring three additional stages. Ramamoorthy expressed enthusiasm for the venue, stating, “It is a beautiful location in the heart of the city, with immense possibilities for public events. Work is underway to ensure it is ready for the large numbers we anticipate.”

The festival will commence at 9 AM on both days. For more information, interested individuals can visit bangaloreliteraturefestival.org.