Kala-e-Kranti

'Minimal Freedom'  Since the year 2012 women have been fighting for the freedom of the nipple. What started out as a top freedom campaign is now a global phenomenon. Free the nipple as a campaign stands for the basic right of women being able to be topless in a public just like a man and not be objectified, sexualized or considered indecent for doing so. The campaign highlights the blatant double standard that exists in our society which has now morphed into a norm. Not only this but #freethenipple as a campaign has been giving a voice to other campaigns like body positivity, the freedom to breastfeed and breast cancer awareness. Women want to be bare and not be judged or attacked for it. In 2012, when Lina Esco started the campaign by running around the streets of New York topless, she might not have known the impact she would have on the world and how women all over the globe would unite and fight their fight. Image Courtesy:  https://www.instagram.com/freethenippl...

One teenager was able to conjoin forces and unite climate activists all over the world. Climate change is now and it's happening. There have been steps taken by a privileged few, to live a plastic free and sustainable life, several rich opt for environmentally conscious clothing brands. Even though small changes are being made, the changes aren't happening fast enough. The rapidity with which the human race is causing harm to the earth, the repairs are far less and its consequences are far more. These climate activists have held mass protests worldwide, under the group Extinction Rebellion that aims at, not just awareness but also bringing about change in government laws and policies. First came the Summer of Uprising in the April of 2019, that witnessed several people occupy the streets and protest for Climate Preservation. The next big gathering, that was a worldwide event, occurred on the 20th of September, encouraged by Greta Thuneberg, the young sixteen year old, S...

Historically, music has been an integral part of protests. Alongside slogans, music has always been one of the most exemplary forms for expressing dissent. Modern day India has witnessed extreme political unrest in the past year. From the abrogation Article 370 to the Anti-CAA & NRC protests, the citizens have taken to the streets to express dissent, in masses that have shaken up even the ignorant and the unaware. A significant part of the support comes from the music industry. Homegrown music acts like Seedhe Maut to Delhi Sultanate have churned out anthems based on political opinions. Unabashed, blunt and in your face lyrics make these a rage amongst the youth that chooses to protest and express one’s political opinion.  Amongst the many pieces of music released in India since December 15, listed below are some of the most popular ones. 'Scalp Dem' By Delhi Sultanate x Seedhe Maut (Prod. By Jawan) With the recent upsurge of hip-...

America has been the cultural hot-pot that has given rise to multi-billion-dollar empires in music and movies. They are the global leaders in the entertainment industry. America has seen strong youth centric movements. Protest songs often skew liberal, and usually fall under two major categories: politically charged, topical songs taking issue with the government, or culturally focused songs aimed at injustices facing marginalized groups. This broad categorization gives songwriters a lot of leeway to experiment and even when no major political movement or cultural shift is happening, musicians can contribute to the canon with bold songs about smaller issues. The most famous protest songs date back to America's freedom struggle with “Yankee Doodle,” which is now popular as a children’s song , was actually written by British soldiers mocking the American counterparts during the Revolutionary War, but  Americans started singing the song ironical...

Street Theatre has been one of the earliest forms of theatre. Traditionally, artists have taken to the streets to express an opinion, make a socio- political commentary and inform the masses in laymen terms- their revolutionary ideas. One pioneer in this respect who took the Indian Street Protest Theatre scene to a recognisable level beyond a mere crowd was Safdar Hashmi. Theatre has always been a way of staging protests and illustrating to the layman, a message in an artistic rendition that they might not in lack of suspended disbelief, otherwise register. The year was 1973, when Hashmi, then a 19-year old, founded the theatre group Jana Natya Manch (JANAM Theatre) with fellow amateur theatre practitioners. With an aim to take the theatre to the masses, Hashmi came from a family inspired by liberal values and Marxist thought. He started theatre in college with IPTA (Indian People's Theatre Association) and left his government job as a lecturer after the period of the Emergency...

Ghungroon ki jhankar mein hai takat, jo kalam se kam nahin Nritya bhi hai ek kala pradarshan, jo layega badlav, kranti se kam nahin!                                                                                                                                                    -Nandini Suri Poster created by Nandini Suri It is difficult for a person to imagine the soft and lyrical movements of dance being used a form of protest. But, the fact is that every form of art is political and has the potential of bringing about a change. Dance is a beautiful language that has the power to express the deepest of e...