Vibrant discussions, performances bring curtains down on Hyderabad lit fest

A dance theatre performance centred on preserving Hyderabad’s iconic rock formations, with a spotlight on the Khajaguda rocks.

The Hyderabad Literary Festival (HLF)-2025 wrapped up on Sunday with a dynamic array of sessions and performances that drew enthusiastic crowds to Sattva Knowledge City and T-Hub here. The final day was marked by engaging discussions, creative showcases, and thought-provoking performances that celebrated literature, art, and culture.

The day commenced with a session titled Slow Stories for a Fast World, featuring journalist and author Neelesh Misra. He delved into the evolution of storytelling in cinema, contrasting the 1990s with the present day. He highlighted the nuanced approaches of independent cinema compared to the broader strokes of commercial films.

At T-Hub, a dance theatre performance centred on preserving Hyderabad’s iconic rock formations, with a spotlight on the Khajaguda rocks. Led by dance activist Nayantara Nanda Kumar, the performance drew parallels between UNESCO heritage sites worldwide and the challenges of local conservation efforts.

The bookstall at the festival arena buzzed with activity, as visitors browsed through an extensive collection of titles, while the Youngistan Nukkad stage hosted performances by the Nations Rock Beat (NRB) band and open mic events that resonated with the younger crowd.

Post-lunch sessions included one on Poets of Hyderabadi Inquilab, featuring journalist Yunus Lasania and Hindustani classical singer Harini Rao. The latter recited poems by two poets of Hyderabad, Mah Laqa Bai Chanda and Makhdoom Mohiuddin, in a session that paid tribute to the city’s rich literary heritage.

Meanwhile, actor Siddharth joined Vidya Rao for an insightful discussion on Cinema and Social Change, examining the transformative potential of films in addressing societal issues.

The Ajay Gandhi Memorial Valedictory session, titled Values of the Indian Constitution, saw former Rajya Sabha MP Rajmohan Gandhi and author Harsh Mander engage the audience in a dialogue on historical and contemporary constitutional values. Gandhi dispelled myths surrounding the 1947 Partition, underscoring that the Indian Independence Act mentioned the creation of two dominions, without citing religion as the basis.