(Left-right) Mustansir Dalvi, Hemant Divate, Sachin Ketkar, Jerry Pinto and Laxman Gaikwad at a session on Marathi Literature at last year's edition. 

Two years ago, Mohan Kakanadan felt a sense of pure joy as he put up a houseful board outside the Little Theatre at NCPA. It was the debut year of the Gateway LitFest that celebrates regional writing, and even having the Little Theatre filled to capacity gave the organisers a sense of achievement. In 2016, the festival shifted to the Experimental Theatre where it will be held this year as well. Kakanadan, editor of Mumbai-based Malayalam magazine Kaakka, and director of the fest, feels the number of attendees has increased: "So far, nearly 600 people have registered this year."