Mar 07 2025 to Mar 07 2025 7 p.m.

Where

Bangalore International Centre

7 4th Main Rd, Stage 2, Domlur 560071

Event Description

Step into a world of remarkable women, an era of black and white, of salons and tawaifs, of stories, riddles, anecdotes, photographs, and songs—the dawn of entertainment in the gramophone era.

Women on Record is a captivating multimedia performance that brings to life the stories of the early 20th-century Baijis—the pioneering women of India’s gramophone era. Through music, theatre, and film, this presentation celebrates the divas of their time, many of whom remain unsung beyond the well-known name of Gauhar Jaan.

Featuring a rich tapestry of folk music, thumri, geet, and early film songs, the show weaves together archival videos, rare photographs, and anecdotes, immersing audiences in a lost world of artistry and resilience.

Having toured cultural centers across India, South Asia, the USA, and England, Women on Record has received an overwhelmingly warm response.

So, sink into your seats as Vidya Shah transports you to the grandeur of the salon and the origins of the studio era.

Learn more about the project at www.womenonrecord.com.

This event marks the opening of Unheard Narratives, BIC’s programmes to commemorate Women’s Day 2025. It celebrates the power of unheard narratives—spotlighting the resilience, artistry, and impact of women whose stories have shaped India’s cultural and social fabric. Through performances, talks, and films, we bring these voices to the forefront.

In collaboration with:

Performer

Vidya Shah
Singer, Author & Project Director, Women on Record
Trained initially in Carnatic music, Vidya Shah later received guidance in in Khayal from Shubha Mudgal and thumri, dadra and ghazal gayaki from Shanti Hiranand. A popular performer, Vidya has also composed and recorded for several projects. She has to her credit releases with international and Indian labels. Her latest, Mere Paas Raho, by Time Music, celebrates the Poetry of Faiz Ahmed Faiz.

She has performed at several international forums including the Kennedy Centre in Washington DC, Humbolt Forum in Berlin, at the Kala Utsav in Singapore. She is the director of the project Women on Record, celebrating Music of women in the Gramophone era.

A prolific writer on music, she is also a member of the cultural committee of the South Asia Foundation. A recipient of the Pro Helvetia residency, she has also received the the Charles Wallace Award from the British Council and a Fellowship from Ministry of Culture.

Vidya is the Director of Programs at The Centre For Media and Alternative Communication (CMAC).