Skip to main content

About


We are curating the role of art in its various forms in propagating countless protests over time. 
While today, the field is rife with posters and memes generating a call for action across borders; for generations, art forms ranging from music, theatre, literature and paintings have been instrumental in expressions of dissent across the globe. In this space, we take you through a journey; kranti ki kahaani, kala ki zubaani.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Remembering the Legacy of Safdar Hashmi: A Pioneer in Indian Street Protest Theatre

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...

Dissent: Land of the Free

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...

Protest Music in India : Anthems for the New Generation

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-...