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Kolkata to celebrate gender-fluidity and identity through dance, drama, and more

Kolkata to celebrate gender-fluidity and identity through dance, drama, and more

Time of India24-04-2025
Kolkata is all set to host a genre-fluid performance at The
Creative Arts Academy
. Created and performed by theatremaker Ahon Gooptu,
Item
is a blend of dance, drama, and drag that explores themes of identity, queerness, and belonging through a Bollywood-inspired lens.
At the heart of the show is Zizou, who discovers parts of himself across shifting landscapes—from homes and nightclubs to the silver screens of Bollywood. Through his fierce and fabulous drag persona, Zenia Fauxbia Darling, he finds connection in memories, movement, and music. Drawing inspiration from Madhuri Dixit and Saroj Khan, the show is both a celebration of cultural memory and a journey toward selfhood.
Rooted in Ahon's academic research on performing minoritarian identities,
Item
brings theory to the stage in bold, expressive ways. Following the performance, the audience will also be engaged in a community conversation to reflect, ask questions, and take part in meaningful dialogue around gender, race, sexuality, and performance.
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