Lavani, drag and drama: Pune Satrang Fest celebrates queer stories

PUNE: For six days this June, Shreeram Lagoo Rang-Avakash will become a space for queer storytelling, performance and dialogue as Satrang Mahotsav 2026 brings together theatre-makers, dancers, drag performers and writers from across India.Scheduled from June 16 to 21, the festival presents a packed programme of plays, workshops, panel discussions and performances exploring queer lives and experiences.Productions range from traditional Lavani and contemporary dance to drag, devised theatre and experimental performance, reflecting the breadth of artistic practices within India's LGBT community.According to festival director Deepa Dharmadhikari, every playwright, director and choreographer participating in the festival identifies as queer, representing a wide spectrum of gender identities and sexual orientations."The festival has been built without institutional or corporate sponsorship. We are crowdfunding through the community because we wanted this to be a festival that is by, for and with the queer community," said Dharmadhikari.The schedule includes productions such as "Romeo Ranjha", "Jismaan Ton Paar", "Where is SSS?" , "Rang Birangi Lavani", alongside workshops, drag performance, and Lavani traditions.The play "Dirty Laundry 2.0", directed and co-written by Gurleen Arora, was created in response to an art exhibition featuring queer artists, and has now been reimagined for the stage with a new cast that includes transgender and non-binary performers."We wanted to examine what home means for queer people and how they navigate relationships within domestic spaces. The play asks how much has changed in the queer experience over the last 100 years, and how much remains surprisingly familiar. While today's queer communities have greater visibility and access to resources, there can also be a profound sense of isolation," said Arora."Item", directed by Ahon Gooptu, combines theatre, drag, dance, music and audience interaction. The production traces the journey of a drag artist as she reflects on identity, belonging and self-discovery."The show moves between different moments in a person's life. Every performance has ended with conversations with the audience because asking questions and creating a safe space for dialogue is central to the project," Gooptu said.