The Apeejay Kolkata Literary Festival 2026 was inaugurated in the presence of legendary singer Usha Uthup, acclaimed actor Madhabi Mukherjee, Festival Director Anjum Katyal, Oxford Bookstore’s CEO, Swagat Sengupta, Festival Programming Head, Neeta Sreedharan, and the Director of Alipore Museum, Jayanta Sengupta.

Usha Uthup, or Usha Di, sang a Shiv Vandana at the inaugural event.

Madhabi’s Garden, an English translation of Madhabikanon, the autobiography of Madhabi Mukherjee, which was translated by Arunava Sinha, was launched at the first session at AKLF. Through discussions with Oindrilla Dutt, Usha Uthup, Madhabi Mukherjee, and Arunava Sinha set the tone for AKLF 2026 with their thoughts on music, film, creativity, and living an artistic existence. The conversation followed Madhabi Mukherjee’s career and personal development, providing insights into her early years, her cinematic legacy, and her experiences as documented in her autobiography.

Speaking at the event, Madhabi Mukherjee talked about how she was impacted by her experiences working with industry titans like Shishir Bhaduri, Chhabi Biswas, Kanon Devi, Satyajit Ray, and Ritwik Ghatak. She especially remembered amusing stories about Ritwik Ghatak, like how she spent hours hiding in her bathroom to avoid him.

Given the cultural influence Madhabi Mukherjee has had on audiences all over the world, including himself, translator Arunava Sinha explained that it was a natural decision for him to take on the work of translating her memoirs. He also emphasized how her training in theater inspired him to translate the original memoirs.

In addition to giving Madhabi Mukherjee a moving homage, Usha Uthup highlighted the festival’s function as a convergence of music, literature, and experiential learning by drawing on her own creative path to consider the similarities between music and literature.

The event, which honored two of Kolkata’s cultural stalwarts and promoted discussions with broader resonance outside of the city, served as a fitting introduction to AKLF 2026. Oindrilla Dutt moderated it with compassion and wisdom. Usha Uthup enthralled the audience with a medley of “Shaan” and “Ramba Ho” in her trademark manner and flair as the session came to a close.

Priyanka Dutta