Keeping it main ‘stream’

BENGALURU : The year started off like any other, with the Chitra Sante and Bengaluru Film Festival launching the cultural calendar of the city. But the pandemic changed the course, with major events getting a revamp:

1. Bangalore Lit Fest: BLF took a hybrid route, with small offline gatherings, and live-streamed discussions. The event saw prominent authors such as Hamid Ansari and Jeffrey Archer. 
2. Ranga Shankara Theatre Fest: Watching a play on the screen was better than not having access to anything at all. This time, plays by winners of Shankar Nag Award were showcased. 
3. Marathons: This pandemic did the unthinkable, with even the marathons in New York, Boston and London going virtual. Most races required runners to cover a certain distance, which had to be recorded on GPS watches and uploaded on the website.
4. Fashion shows: The ramp moved online. Lakme Fashion Week had shows shot in real locations, which were later played at a scheduled time. It premiered with Kartik Aaryan oozing glam in Manish Malhotra’s collection. 
5. Music gigs: Musicians took the online route as well. One of the biggest year-ending music festival, NH7 Weekender, went entirely digital. Its line-up included The Lumineers, Raja Kumari and Prateek Kuhad. Viewers hosted virtual parties where they played games, and interacted with artistes through a chat feature.