Rekhta Foundation, in collaboration with the Harish & Bina Shah Foundation, brought Shaam-e-Rekhta to Bengaluru for the first time, presenting an evening of Urdu poetry, music and theatre at the Prestige Centre for Performing Arts on August 9, 2026.
Conceived as an intimate extension of Rekhta Foundation’s flagship Jashn-e-Rekhta festival, the Bengaluru edition drew a houseful audience, bringing together theatre, poetry and music around the enduring cultural legacy of Urdu.
The evening featured two productions that explored Urdu literature and its influence on Indian culture through different forms of performance.
The first production, Ek Mulaqat, directed by Saif Hyder Hasan, explored the relationship between literary figures Sahir Ludhianvi and Amrita Pritam. The production featured Shekhar Suman as Sahir and Geetika Tyagi as Amrita, examining their emotional relationship, creative companionship and unfulfilled longing through theatre and storytelling.
The second production, Rang Aur Noor – Urdu Shairo’n Ke Filmi Shahkaar, written and directed by Huma Khalil, explored the contribution of Urdu poetry to Indian cinema. The two-hour musical production combined live music, dance, narration and visuals to revisit verses by Urdu poets whose work has continued to resonate across generations.
The evening was attended by Justice Vibhu Bakhru and R. Roshan Baig, former MLA, among other guests.
Sanjiv Saraf, Founder, Rekhta Foundation, said, “The organisation’s objective with Shaam-e-Rekhta was to bring Urdu’s cultural heritage closer to audiences through poetry, music and performance.”
The houseful gathering in Bengaluru also highlighted the continued audience interest in live cultural programming that brings literature and performing arts together. Through its combination of theatre, music and poetry, Shaam-e-Rekhta positioned Urdu not only as a literary tradition but also as part of India’s wider shared cultural heritage.
