A unique event this week offers a platform for women artistes in the realms of storytelling, music, theatre, and more, celebrating women in the spotlight and on the stage
Queendom band members during a performance on stage. Pic courtesy/Queendom India
Mumbai is a city brimming with talent and stories waiting to be told. An upcoming evening, organised by Veda Factory Curations, the curatorial wing of arts and entertainment platform Veda Factory, offers the stage to women on October 17, in the realm of music, poetry, theatre, film, and more. Titled Baisa Rising, the upcoming event is the first volume in a series of many more such nights to come, with every one-and-a-half month bringing a new volume. Nearly 150 people are expected to attend.
Aanchal Anita Dhara. Pic courtesy/@aanchal-anitadhara
We caught up with Hina Yadav, head of curations and programming at Veda Factory, and the panel discussion moderator. “Baisa Rising was born from a simple thought — what difference can we make with the stage we have? We wanted to create experiences that go beyond performance and spark meaningful connection. That led to the idea of curating a night [like this], celebrating women artistes across disciplines — giving them the mic, the spotlight, and the space to share their stories and art, while inviting everyone to listen and celebrate with them,” Yadav shares.
Hina Yadav. Pic courtesy/Hina Yadav
The launch night opens with a panel discussion exploring a simple but powerful question: ‘Why do we still need spaces like this for women — even in 2025?’ Apart from Yadav, the panel features six women artistes — actor and influencer Helly Shah, actor Heeba Shah, poet and storyteller Shachi Pathak, TEDx speaker Aanchal Anita Dhara, and musicians Damini Gautam and Brecilla D’Souza of the band, Queendom. We learned that Queendom will take this night a step further with the launch of their new single, Colony. Yadav explains, “Queendom channels chaos, imperfection, and resilience in adulthood into a sonic and theatrical experience. As the flagship act of [our] all-female artiste series, they continue to break stereotypes and redefine live music experiences.”
Shachi Pathak ‘Firdaus’ at a performance, Helly Shah performs at a previous monsoon line-up and Heeba Shah has acted in various theatrical productions. Pic courtesy/@firdaus.word, @hellyshah_, Heeba Shah
We are curious how the single relates to the theme of women taking the stage. Colony is a part of [Queendom’s] vision for their upcoming album, Difficult Women, Yadav tells us. Being called ‘difficult women’ lifelong is the inspiration for the title, and the nature of the songs. “[Queendom] writes about their journey as recovering people pleasers, weaving their individual experiences into this theme,” the curator says. “[They] explore dualities like vulnerability versus strength, embracing softness, while still being badass women, letters written to [their] younger selves, the confounding nature of adulting, and, of course, the overarching theme of learning [self-acceptance].”
Before we let Yadav carry on with preparations, we enquired about the choice of the event’s title. “The term ‘Baisa’ in Rajasthan is a respectful title for a young woman, daughter or sister. It’s very much a community-driven effort, and that’s exactly what we’re building — a community of women who rise together,” she signs off.
On October 17; 7 pm onwards
At Veda Kunba Theatre, Four Bungalows, Andheri West.
Log on to @vedafactory
Entry Rs 249 onwards
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