FILM CLUB SCREENING - Preview of Shukno Lanka (Bengali/2010) Dir. Gaurav Pandey. Prod. Mumbai Mantra Media Limited. A journey about forgotten dreams, Shukno Lanka is a story of fears, reconciliation and finally of living the magic called life. Popular award-winning film director Joy Sundar Sen & Isabella, a young European actress from Berlin, chance upon an anthology of short stories by the Indian film maker Ritwik Ghatak. The book inspires Joy to direct his next film based on Ghatak’s Paraspathar (The Philosopher’s Stone), for which he casts middle-aged Chinu Nandy, a junior artiste who has survived an unforgiving industry. As Chinu comes to terms with the break, at the very last minute the producer of Paraspathar decides to pull off a disappearing act….Screening will be followed by an interaction with the cast and director.

MUSIC - Classical Guitar recital by the Grigoryan Brothers. Collab: Australian Embassy

TALK - Book Club meets to read from The Fourth Monkey by Sushil Gupta

DOCUMENTARY FILM - Hijras: The Third Gender (Hindi/English/29mins) Dir. Devika Urvashi Bhise A rare insight to the secret, cruel and ambiguous lives of the Hijra transgender community in India. Treated as social outcastes, they live on the fringes of Indian society. These eunuchs (originally only castrated males) were once employed by Sultans and maharajas to guard the women in their harems. Now shunned by society, they are treated with less respect than the Dalits, or untouchables. Considered neither men nor women, Hijras have no constitutional rights. The screening will be followed by an interaction with some of the characters from the film.

FILM CLUB SCREENING - Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi (Hindi/English/2005/120mins) Dir. Sudhir Mishra. The late 1960s and early 1970s were turbulent times -- angst filled and strife scarred. It was the time of Vietnam, of flower power, of the Emergency and the rise of the Naxal movement in India. And a booming population of restless youth was eager to wage war against anything that curbed idealism. The film digs into a section of this crazy chapter of history through its three protagonists who start out on the same platform but board different trains and reach a destination of their own making. Screening will be followed by an interaction with the director. Collab: Kolkata Presidency College Alumni Association

FILM CLUB SCREENING - Chariots of Fire (Eng/French/1981/123mins) Dir. Hugh Hudson. The story, told in flashback, of two young British sprinters competing for fame in the 1924 Olympics. Eric, a devout Scottish missionary runs because he knows it must please God. While, Harold, the son of a newly rich Jew runs to prove his place in Cambridge society and to defeat prejudice. Nominated for seven Academy Awards and winner of four, including Best Picture, the film ranked 19th in the British Film Institute's list of Top 100 British films. Collab: American Centre

TALK - Student First! Dialogue Series - Open Forum Discussion on School Ratings: Guide to Parental Choice? by School Choice Campaign Collab: Centre for Civil Society

THEATRE - Danza Performing Arts, Sakshi and Lakshya Foundation present the Musical, Walk Once More… (Hinglish/140mins) Dirs. & Prod. Swati Mohan, Smita Bharti.  A promising dancer, Alicetacia' meets an accident and is crippled physically and emotionally. The story explores how Chintamani her secret admirer and child hood friend along with two street dwellers - the quintessential tramp and the gypsy, both post modern fakirs on a personal journey - make it possible for Alicetaca to move without taking a step. Interspersed with music and dances, the story unfolds over one night in a park. The play is staged in Aid of Swaroop: Imaging Peace With Children Amidst Armed Conflict Zones In India. Tickets at Rs.300, Rs.200, Rs.100 & Rs.50 available at the Programme desk from July 1 for IHC members only. Open to all from July 4. An Old World Culture presentation

TALK - Around The World In 90 Minutes Celebrating 150^th Anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore, an evening of magic and entertainment by Magician NaBendu Collab: Impresario India

DANCE - DARPAN Odissi recital in group choreography by disciples of Ranjana Gauhar- Sanchita Banerjee, Swati Sharma, Vrinda Chada, Swati Sharma & Bhavya Arora. HCL Concert Series

DOC FILM  - Do Din Ka Mela (A Two Day Fair) (Kutchi and Gujarati with English Subtitles/2009/60mins) Dirs. Anjali Monteiro & K. P. Jayasankar. Mura Lala Fafal and his nephew Kanji Rana Sanjot are Meghwals, a pastoral Dalit community living on the edge of the Great Rann of Kutch, the vast salt marsh/desert that separates India and Pakistan. The film is a two-day journey into the music and everyday life of this uncle-nephew duo, who draw their inspiration from the Sufi traditions of Kabir and Abdul Lateef Bhita'I. Daily wage labourers and subsistence farmers in an arid zone, the two strive to affirm and uphold, through their music and culture, the syncretic wisdom of the marginalized communities that live in this spectacular and yet fragile area.

HABITAT CHILDRE'S BOOK FORUM - Meet two legendary figures outside your history books--in the series Puffin Lives: Ashoka and Mahatma Gandhi by well-known author Subhadra Sen Gupta. Readings and quiz. Age group 10+.
Collab. Penguin Books

THEATRE - Living Room Theatre presents Jab They Met... (Hindustani/75mins), in aid of CancerOut Foundation. Wri. & Dir. Sarita Vohra. Tickets at Rs.300, Rs.200, Rs.100 & Rs.50 available at the Programme desk from July 2 for IHC members only. Open to all from July 5

TALK - Readings and Conversations in collaboration with Penguin Books India and Yatra Books. Check with the Programme desk for details.

THEATRE  - Repeat of Jab They Met... (Hindustani/75mins), in aid of CancerOut Foundation. Wri. & Dir. Sarita Vohra. Tickets at Rs.300, Rs.200, Rs.100 & Rs.50 available at the Programme desk from July 2 for IHC members only. Open to all from July 5.

FILM CLUB SCREENING - Lagaan: Once Upon A Time In India (Hindi/Eng/Bhojpuri/Awadhi/2001/224mins) Dir. Ashutosh   Gowariker. The rains have failed, and the people of a small Indian village in Victorian India hope that they will be excused from paying the crippling land tax that their British rulers have imposed. Instead, the capricious British officer in charge challenges them to a game of cricket, a game totally alien and unknown to them. If they win then there will no taxes levied, but if they lose then they will end up thrice the amount of taxes. The people are terrified, but one man thinks the challenge is worth staking their entire future on. What follows next is faith and courage coming face to face with arrogance and ruthlessness in a spectacular climax of showdown. Collab: Directorate of Film Festivals