Abhivyakti – The City Arts Project – an initiative of UNM Foundation of the Mehta family of Torrent Group is set to return to Surat with some of the most-admired performances in theatre, dance and music genres. After successfully completing first edition in Surat in February 2023, Abhivyakti will organise its second edition for the city on April 6 and 7, 2024.
The two-day festival under the banner of Abhivyakti Surat wil have the theme ‘Every Story Matters’. The performances have been especially selected from the most-admired ones from Abhivyakti’s Edition-5 in Ahmedabad during November-December 2023.
The main attractions on April 6 include Vaishali Gohil’s musical performance ‘Saptapadi ni Fatanabaji’ and a dance performance by Shraddha, Pankhi, Pari Brahmbhatt titled ‘Hasli’. On the second day, i.e. April 7, musical performance by Sumant-Aalap titled ‘Advaitam’ will be showcased followed by a theatre performance ‘Bapuji Ni Chhelli Ichchha’ by Ravi Ughrejiya.
All the performances will be organised at ‘SCET Amphitheatre, Sarvajanik University Campus, Surat’ and the entry is open to all.
The performances have been curated by leading art curators including Bhargav Purohit in music, Chirag Modi in theatre and Jaimil Joshi in dance along with Kathanki Raval Sheth as assistant curator for dance. The performers under this edition of Abhivyakti have been mentored by the celebrated names in the art fraternity, Daksha Sheth (Dance), Rajat Dholakia (Music) and Saumya Joshi (Theatre).
Since its launch in Ahmedabad in 2018, this one-of-its-kind arts project has witnessed participation of over 330 artists from across India on a platform provided by the UNM Foundation’s initiative. Over the years, Abhivykati has gained scale and admiration as more than 2.8 lakh people have already witnessed the performances across all the past editions in the four cities. The UNM Foundation had also organised two-day events in Surat (February 2023), Vadodara (September, 2023 & February, 2024), and Rajkot (March, 2024).
In this latest edition, Abhivyakti Surat attempts to bring forth and breathe life into stories and tell us that #EveryStoryMatters. This will bring forth the diverse voices and perspectives that converge in the vast tapestry of human stories.
‘Saptapadi ni Fatanabaji’ by Vaishali Gohil starts at 7.15 pm. Vaishali began her Lagna Geet journey in 2008, seamlessly blending tradition with modernity. Her performance will offer a curated collection of Fatana (a format of wedding songs) that encompasses both timeless classics and modern renditions. Vaishali and her team has also graced the historic moment with their melodious songs while a Guinness Book World Record was set under honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s presence for 551 Samuh Lagna.
‘Hasli’ by Shraddha, Pankhi and Pari starts at 9.00 pm. Shraddha Brahmbhatt, kathak dancer will portray the inner struggles of sexual abuse survivors through her performance ‘Hasli’. She along with her two daughters Pankhi and Pari, also Kathak dancers, seek to portray the inner turmoil of sexual abuse survivors, emphasising the importance of breaking the silence. Inspired by Jignesh Brahmbhatt’s 1994 Gujarati poem, the production combines contemporary and classical Kathak dance to convey this poignant narrative.
‘Advaitam’ by Sumant-Aalap starts at 7.15 pm on the second day. The musician duo Sumant – Aalap will present a captivating fusion of diverse world music forms to convey the principle of non-duality, equating it with the unity found in music. They skillfully express a range of emotions – happiness, sadness, fear, and anger – through various world music styles, including Hindustani, African, Latin, and Bossa Nova through their captivating sound engineering. K Sumant is a versatile pianist, while Aalap Kikani is a computer engineer with a background in Hindustani classical music and sound engineering.
‘Bapuji ni Chhelli Ichchha’ by Ravi Ughrejiya starts at 9.00 pm on April 7. Award-winning theatre artist Ravi Ughrejiya will showcase his theatre production ‘Bapuji Ni Chhelli Ichchha’ – set in the heart of Kathiyawad (Saurashtra), unfolding the poignant tale of an elderly man and the frantic efforts of his family to fulfill his final wish. The performance will give the audience the taste of different folk musical elements such as Dohas, Chhand, and Bhajans weaved into the story narration that amplify its emotional impact.
Art lovers can log on to www.abhivyaktiart.org for event schedule or dial 7069104444/7069105555 for the performance of their choice.
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