People of Kala Manch
The Kala Manch community
Performers, regulars and hosts across Bengaluru. Join our WhatsApp group for event announcements, open mic sign-ups and last-minute slots.
Ways to take part
Three ways to join in
Perform
Read a poem, tell a kahani, try five minutes of comedy or play a song at our open mic.
Open mic detailsAttend & listen
Come as an audience member. Most evenings are small, warm and easy to walk into alone.
See upcoming eventsHost or collaborate
Bring your own series, workshop or gathering into the studio, or partner with us on an evening.
Hire the venueArtists & creators
Artists who perform here
Poets, storytellers, comedians, musicians and workshop facilitators who have performed at Kala Manch.
Arif Khan
Urdu Poet · Translator
Arif writes nazms about language, belonging and the architecture of old neighbourhoods.
Kabir Malhotra
Kahani · Spoken Word
Kabir turns overheard conversations and family folklore into intimate live stories.
Meera Saxena
Poet · Storyteller
Meera writes about memory, cities and the quiet negotiations of everyday life. Her work moves between Hindi and English.
Naina Gupta
Comedian · Writer
Naina's comedy finds the absurd in work, family WhatsApp groups and trying to grow up gracefully.
Tara Biswas
Singer · Composer
Tara explores folk melodies through a sparse, contemporary acoustic sound.
Collectives we host
The groups behind our evenings
Want to be listed as an artist?
Perform at an evening and send us a short introduction with a photo. We add regular voices to this page.