Capturing Gandhi
What: A rare and intimate archive of photographs of one of history’s most public figures – Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi — captured by Kanu Gandhi, can be viewed online. Born in 1917, Kanu, the Mahatma’s grandnephew, spent his formative years at Sabarmati Ashram. In the mid-1930s, he joined the Mahatma’s personal staff in Sevagram and later married Abhaben Chatterjee, who had lived with the Gandhis since she was 12. In his twenties, Kanu developed an avid interest in photography and began photographing the Mahatma with his Rolliflex camera. Gandhi was amenable to being photographed on three conditions: no flash, no posing and no financial assistance from the Ashram. Ironically, Kanu, who usually travelled with Gandhi, was in Noakhali in East Bengal when Gandhi was assassinated in 1948, while Abha was with him in Birla House. Gandhi’s death had a profound effect on Kanu and Abha’s lives. Photography took backstage and the couple spent several years travelling across India spreading Gandhi’s message and promoting khadi, spinning and handicrafts. Presented by Photoink, most of Kanu’s work remained unpublished and unseen, and the published work remained largely uncredited till the late 1990s. Several scenes from Richard Attenborough’s biopic Gandhi were shot on the basis of Kanu’s photographs.
When: 22 September–5 November
Where: Website of Art In Touch
Quiz with a twist
What: What connects Lucy Liu and Dame Judy Dench? What is Nick Offerman’s day job? Name any five American Idol winners. If your reaction is “Why Would I Know That?”, then this is the show for you. Featuring comics Ashish Shakya, Navin Noronha, Sumukhi Suresh, the show titled “Why Would I Know That?” is a quiz panel show where they test the nerdy side of famous (relatively) people. They poke and prod their guests in the hope that they had spent all of their childhood zoning out in front of a television set. They will ask questions from movies, tv shows, music, comics, stand-up specials and sources you didn’t know were considered pop culture. In collaboration with Geek Fruit, the ultimate nerd guide, this show will have you on the edge of tomorrow!
When: 8 October (10 pm onwards)
Where: Register at BookMyShow
Film fiesta
What: This year marks the 100th birth anniversary of the great Italian master Federico Fellini. To celebrate his contributions to cinema, India Habitat Centre has put together a bunch of special treats for film lovers. First up, a concert featuring the compositions of Fellini’s long-term collaborator, Giovanni Rota Rinaldi (Nino Rota) performed by exceptional musicians. The line-up also includes a webinar discussing Fellini’s impact on Indian cinema between Nico Psaltidis and Murtaza Ali Khan, brought by the Italian Embassy Cultural Centre.
When: 4 -11 October
Where: Website of India Habitat Centre
