Mumbai - Somaiya Vidyavihar University (SVU) has announced the hosting of Afsana : The Somaiya Storytelling Festival on January 30-31, 2026 at Vidyavihar Campus in Mumbai.
Curated around the theme "Bindu: Centered Metaphors", the festival will spotlight rich oral, folk and performative storytelling traditions, especially from Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, highlighting Adivasi narratives , bardic forms , mythic retellings and land- and river-based folklore.
The festival focuses on building a close connection between storytellers and audiences, while encouraging cultural dialogue on the memory and identity. Over two days, Afsana will feature myths, folklore, contemporary narratives and interactive activities such as performances, workshops and open-mic sessions for an engaging cultural experience.
The distinguished line-up of practitioners include :
Akshay (actor & director trained at SITI Company, NYC & Odin Teatret, Denmark)
Rochelle Potkar (Award winning poet and author)
Dr. Ankit Dwivedi ( storyteller and educator)
Dr. Ulka Mayur (theatre director and co-founder of Story Circus)
Dr. Tina Tambe (acclaimed Kathak performer and choreographer)
Other participants include :
Mahmood Farooqui, Fiona Fernandez (Associate Editor, Mid-day)
Narayan Parasuram (co-founder of Karadi Tales)
Mehak Mirza Prabhu
Vaishali Shroff (Bal Sahitya Puraskar nominee)
Narottam Bain
Among others, more participants are expected to be announced.
Amrita Somaiya, Festival Chair, Afsana , said that the festival aims to offer deeply engaging storytelling experiences while preserving live traditions. Festival Director Yamini Dand Shah added that each year Afsana will highlight storytelling traditions from one Indian state through performances, workshops and community activities.
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