Go for abstracts by Gaitonde, colourful odes to Krishna this weekend

Some recommendations to enliven your weekend

BANGALORE

Music

Songs of freedom: Celebrate Independence Day at Humming Tree with a selection of sounds and samples from a vinyl collection that spans the history of Indian music production, spun by DJ Unnayanaa. He has incorporated the sounds into his set of Lo-Fi bass music, hip hop and broken beat/funk, converting it into a two-hour performance that combines familiar sounds of 20th century India with 21st century electronic music. The music will be preceded by kalaripayattu, the well-known martial art from Kerala, by students of the Kalari Gurukulam.
Where: The Humming Tree, 12th Main Road, Indira Nagar, Bangalore
When: August 15, 8.30 pm onwards

Do the moonwalk: Counter Culture continues its walk through memory lane, this time with a tribute to the late king of pop, Michael Jackson. Moonwalk your way through classic hits performed by Gaurav Vaz, Willy Demoz, Bryden Lewis, Mark Lazaro and more.
Where: Counter Culture, Whitefield, Bangalore
When: August 16, 9 pm onwards

Theatre

Life in the times of terrorism: Mumbai-based theatre group Akvarious returns with Bombed. Through the life of Zameer, aka Zed, and Yogi, a struggling actor from Bihar, and Inspector Damle, the play takes a look at today’s weed-loving youth, the city we live in, religion and how our paranoia about terrorism colours our vision and relationships.
Where: Jagriti, Ramagondanahalli, Varthur Road, Bangalore
When: August 20 to 24, 8 pm. On August 24, 3 pm and 6.30 pm
Info: Tickets available at www.bookmyshow.com

Dastakar in the city: This is the last week of Dastkar Nature Bazaar in Bangalore, which features handcrafted products by artisans all over the country. Headed by Laila Tyabji, the bazaar gives craftspeople the chance to sell directly to customers.
Where: Manpho Convention Centre, Nagawara Ring Road, Bangalore
When: Till August 17

DELHI

Art

Meaning without form: Delhi Art Gallery presents 'Indian Abstracts: An Absence of Form', an exhibition that charts the development of abstraction in modern Indian art and will feature close to 70 artists. The retrospective is an investigation into the evolution of abstraction in Indian art from the early 1950s till recent times. Part of a series, the exhibition is an attempt to continue to document the diverse and less understood aspects of modern Indian art, featuring 350 works by over 60 significant practitioners of Indian abstraction. Works of some prominent artists, such as V S Gaitonde, S H Raza, Ram Kumar, Zarina Hashmi, Jeram Patel, Shanti Dave, J. Swaminathan and V. Vishwanadhan will be exhibited here. Additionally, it also brings together lesser-known abstract works of artists who are otherwise famous for their representative works. These feature artists such as M F Husain, Somnath Hore, Dharamnarayan Dasgupta, Benode Behari Mukherjee, Sunil Das and Rabin Mondal.
Where: Delhi Art Gallery, Hauz Khas Village, New Delhi
When: Till Septembr 30, 10.30 am to 7 pm

Landscapes that fold: ‘The Folded Garden’ is an exhibition that will showcase the work of Delhi-based landscape designer, architect and origami artist Ankon Mitra. The show, curated by well-known art critic Uma Nair, is inspired by the rich and vibrant landscape traditions of India, interpreted through the precise geometric techniques of origami. The works are mostly abstract, but evoke images of fruits, trees, flowers, garden ornaments and fountains and link back to the deeply spiritual and sacred roots of landscape traditions. The artworks have been executed in diverse mediums beyond paper, like metals, plastics and fabric.
Where: Visual Arts Gallery, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi
When: August 16 to 20, 10 am to 8 pm

Evolving in art: To celebrate India’s 68th Independence Day, the Tea Lounge presents Song Of Feedom, an exhibition of paintings and drawings by artist Aditya Dev. The artworks on display compare the changes and growth of human nature vis-à-vis the society and the environment. The artist depicts the continuous processes of growth in relationships through his paintings. Aditya Dev is a self-taught artist, whose works depict the surreal world of fantasy, beauty of nature, spirituality, colorful dreams and beautiful bonding of flora and fauna.
Where: The Tea Lounge, Taj Palace Hotel, New Delhi
When: Until August 17, 11 am

Theatre

Celebrating a mythological legend: Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra presents Krishna, dance drama that portrays the journey of the playful icon from his adorable childhood and youthful antics, to the centre stage of human reverence. The drama, produced and directed by Shobha Deepak Singh, is a choreographic presentation of a legend riddled with mythology and adulation, and one that has been awe-inspiring for people for over three thousand years.
Where: Kamani Auditorium, Mandi House, New Delhi
When: 6.30 pm onwards (Additional matinee shows on August 17 and 18 at 3 pm)
Info: Tickets, priced between Rs 200 and Rs 500, are available at the venue

Good versus evil: The Shri Ram Centre presents Ramkali, a Hindi adaptation of Bertolt Brecht 's play, The Good Person of Szechwan. Directed by Arvind Gaur, the play revolves around a prostitute called Ramkali, who is blessed by god to remain ‘pure’ and ‘good’ all her life. It raises core issues that a woman faces in today's world, of greed versus common good, of the value of right and wrong, of the pressures society puts on people which drive them to wrongdoings to keep up with expectations.
Where: Shri Ram Centre, Mandi House, New Delhi
When: August 17, 7:30 pm

MUMBAI

Film

Lost and found: As part of its weekly film club screenings, the Russian Centre for Science & Culture will show White Bim Black Ear, a 1977 drama directed by Stanislav Rostotsky. It is the story of a dog that becomes homeless when the man who adopted him develops a heart condition. He sets out to look for his master and the story traces his adventures and meetings with kind and cruel people along the way. The Friday showcase also includes First Time For Everything, directed by Leonid Fomin, which tells the story of young Kolya who accidently encounters his father for the first time in his life. The two rediscover each other, rising above misunderstandings and other obstacles in their path.
Where: Russian Centre for Science & Culture, Pedder Road, Mumbai
When: Aug 19 and 22, 6 pm

Memories of war: Catch a screening of French Filmmaker Jean Renoir’s most celebrated work, La Grande Illusion (Grand Illusion, 1937). The film is seen as one of the classic anti-war films, which, interestingly, features negligible combat. Set mainly in the World War I prisoner-of-war camps in Germany, it portrays the escape efforts of French officers trapped in the camps. This screening is part of the World War I commemoration showcase.
Where: Alliance Francaise de Bombay, Theosophy Hall, Marine Lines, Mumbai
When: August 19, 6.30 pm onwards

Theatre

In the middle of nowhere: As part of its theatre screenings, NCPA will show Adhe Adhure. The play is about Savitri, a middle-aged woman who is upset with her circumstances -- an unemployed son, a promiscuous teenage daughter and a husband who cannot provide emotional and financial security. She looks for an escape through extra-marital relationships. It is not clear if the playwright admires her fervour to get a hold on her life, or if he suggests that she is a woman caught in her destiny much like a tragic Greek heroine. Written by Mohan Rakesh and directed by Lillete Dubey, the play stars Lillete Dubey, Mohan Agashe, Ira Dubey, Rajeev Siddhartha and Anuschka Sawhney. It is open for audiences above 15 years of age.
Where: Godrej Dance Theatre, NCPA, Nariman Point, Mumbai
When: August 16, 6.30 pm
Tickets: Rs 300

Belief and unbelief: Namaste (Jai Shree Krishna) is a Hindi comedy play about belief, non-belief and miracles. US-based Mohan visits his parents in Delhi on the eve of Janmashtami with his so-called friend’s sister, Krishna. As the plot unfolds, his lie is exposed and a debate rages about old and new values, belief and non-belief. Adapted in Hindi by Ila Arun from Tom Dudzik’s Greetings, the play is directed by K K Raina. It features Ila Arun, K K Raina, Abhishek Pandey and Ashish Chawla.
Where: Experimental Theatre, NCPA, Nariman Point, Mumbai
When: Aug 17, 7 pm
Tickets: Rs 300-500

KOLKATA

Art

Cartoons through the ages: Maya Art Space presents the 'Bangla Cartoon Exhibtion', an exhibition that will showcase characters and cartoons made between the years 1872 and 2014. Some of the well-known artists whose works will be on display include names like Asit Kumar Halder, Rabindranath Tagore, Amiya Ghosh, Sukumar Ray, Dinesh Ranjan Das, Debabrata Mukhopadhyay and Satish Chandra Sinha among others. The show is curated by Debdutta Gupta.
Where: Maya Art Space, Shanti Pally, Rajdanga, Kolkata
When: Till August 16

Theatre

Love, loss and motherhood: Kolkata Rangeela presents Maa Aak Nirvik Soinik, a Bengali play that highlights the status and stature of woman in the real world. A woman is someone who gives birth to a new life and hence it is difficult to think of her as someone who take away a life. The story revolves around a tumultuous mother-son relationship. Towards the end of the story, love and honesty win over evil, but the mother loses her son in the process.
Where: Academy Of Fine Arts, Cathedral Road, Kolkata
When: August 17, 10 am