Mumbai: The much-awaited Rainbow Lit Fest 2024 is scheduled for Dec 7-8 to be held at Gulmohar Park Club in New Delhi. The event will feature a diverse lineup of speakers and performers from locations ranging from Imphal in Manipur, India, to Vancouver in Canada.
This year, the festival will explore a range of themes, including identity, gender, sexuality, feminism, desire, equality, cinema, mental health, public policy, power structures, and law.
The Rainbow Lit Fest fosters inclusivity by bringing together diverse identities and communities to find common ground. The festival aspires to create more informed narratives about diversity, blending alternative and mainstream perspectives. It features various forms of expression, including prose, poetry, art, music, dance, films, talks, and discussions.
The LGBTQIA+ community does not exist in isolation but faces the same challenges as women and other marginalised identities, such as patriarchy, stereotypical media portrayals, and the class and caste systems. The Fest aims to address these issues by sharing stories and ideas that contribute to a broader, more informed understanding of diversity, existence, and coexistence.
This year’s event will be a mix of in-person sessions, performances, and film screenings aimed at fostering open dialogue and understanding. With a diverse lineup of speakers and performers from across the globe, the festival offers something for everyone. From thought-provoking discussions about queer parenting to a deep dive into LGBTQ+ history, Rainbow Lit Fest 2024 promises to be a transformative experience for all attendees.
Rainbow Lit Fest Schedule 2024
A major highlight of the fest this year, is a session focused on the perspectives of queer parents, the first of its kind in the subcontinent, offering a transformative view on parenting. The audience will also have the opportunity to engage with parents who have lovingly embraced their children.
The Festival’s ‘Spotlight on History’ series will feature discussions with individuals who lived in the era before Section 377, a time without the digital world.
The Festival’s diverse lineup includes prominent figures such as gay lawyer and author Saurabh Kirpal, Bonita Rajpurohit (the first transgender woman to play a lead role in a Hindi film), award-winning filmmaker Faraz Ansari, popular podcasting gay couple Yogi and Kabeer, Minakshi Sanyal (founder of Sappho For Equality), NCP spokesperson Anish Gawande, Queer Feminist Jaya Sharma, hotelier Keshav Suri, and filmmaker Paromita Vohra, founder of Agents of Ishq.
On Day 1, Saturday, December 7, at The Gulmohar Park Club’s Playground, the festival will be hosted by Parvati M Krishnan and Shruti Garg. The day will begin with the Opening Ceremony from 11 to 11:15 am. Following that, from 11:20 to 11:55 am, there will be a Spotlight Talk titled “The Quiet Rebellion,” where Hansal Mehta will engage in a conversation with Chirag Thakkar.
For the detailed schedule, click here.
Queer Caravan
The Festival will also feature the Queer Caravan, a collaborative residency program led by Goethe-Institut / Max Mueller Bhavan, the French Institute in India, and The Queer Muslim Project, supported by the German-French Cultural Fund. This initiative brings together queer artists and storytellers from France, Germany, and India to amplify LGBTQIA+ voices and foster cross-cultural dialogue.
Film screenings
Seven films will be screened, including Holy Curse, which recently qualified for the Oscar 2026, and Sheer Qorma, featuring Shabana Azmi, Divya Dutta, and others.
Drag performances
The cultural program will include performances by drag artist Krystal Koko, expressionist dancer Patruni Chidananda Sastry, trans-man musician and activist Sarvagya, multi-national band Bollyjazz, gay stand-up comic Navin Noronha, music duo Sagar & Srijan, and dance troupe Footloose, led by transwoman lawyer Raghavi.
The Festival will also feature 12 stalls run by queer entrepreneurs from northeastern India, providing a platform for them to showcase their enterprises and create a market.
The festival will also host the Rainbow Awards for Literature & Journalism 2024, with categories for Fiction, Non-Fiction, Op-Ed, and Features, along with a Lifetime Achievement Award. The awards are supported by Kunzum Bookstores, the festival’s bookstore partner.
Key supporters of the festival include the Keshav Suri Foundation, LGBTQ Centre Delhi, Naz Foundation, Nazariya – QFRG, Official Humans of Queer, The Pink List, The Q-knit, Queering in Chandigarh, Sweekar – The Rainbow Parents, and Yes We Exist.
Rainbow Lit Fest 2024
When: December 7-8
Timing: 10:30 am onwards
Where: Gulmohar Park Club’s Playground and Courtyard, New Delhi
Rainbow Lit Fest tickets
The ticket price for one day is Rs 499 and for the season pass (two days), you have to pay Rs 900.
Students, including PhD scholars, are eligible for a 50% discount on tickets. This offer also extends to officials and consultants associated with queer-focused NGOs.
To avail of the discount, students must present valid government-issued ID cards at the Festival registration desk. Similarly, NGO representatives or consultants need to provide documentation verifying their association with the respective organisation.
You can book your tickets for the fest from here.
As the festival continues to grow in scope and impact, it remains a vital platform for amplifying underrepresented voices in the LGBTQIA+ community. With the support of key organisations and community leaders, Rainbow Lit Fest 2024 is set to be an enriching celebration of love, acceptance, and understanding. Don’t miss the opportunity to be part of this impactful event—mark your calendars and book your tickets soon.
Whether you’re attending the event for insightful talks, exciting performances, or the chance to connect with like-minded individuals, Rainbow Lit Fest 2024 will leave a lasting impression. Be part of the movement toward a more inclusive and equal world!
Rainbow Lit Fest 2024 promises an exciting lineup of talks, screenings, and performances focusing on LGBTQIA+ issues and diverse perspectives. This year’s festival will delve into important themes like gender, sexuality, equality, and mental health, with special events featuring queer parents and historical discussions on LGBTQ+ rights. Events Lifestyle News -Fashion Trends, Beauty Tips, Celebrity Party News, Relationship advice, Travel and Food Tips
