5 events to liven up your week

American pop art comes to town
The Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC) is presenting Pop: Fame, Love And Power, which is being hailed as the first-ever museum exhibition of American pop art in India. The show features works created in the 1960s onwards by artists like Andy Warhol, Robert Rauschenberg and Tom Wesselmann. Pop art as a genre flourished in the US during the late 1950s as a response to rapid changes in the media, culture and consumer habits. The show spans three floors of Art House at the NMACC; the fourth floor is dedicated to an immersive installation by Andy Warhol. At Art House, NMACC, Mumbai, till 11 February, 11am and 8pm. 

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A still from Murina by Antoneta Alamat Kusijanovic’

The best of European cinema
The annual European Union Film Festival returns for its 28th edition. Twenty-eight films, one from each EU member country, in 25 languages are being screened across three venues in Delhi: India Habitat Centre, Instituto Cervantes and Max Mueller Bhavan. Some of the notable titles include the Dardenne brothers’ Tori And Lokita (Belgium), Alice Diop’s Saint Omer (France), Antoneta Alamat Kusijanovic’s bruising Murina (Croatia), Lili Horvát’s Preparations To Be Together For An Unknown Period Of Time (Hungary), and Felix van Groeningen and Charlotte Vandermeersch’s The Eight Mountains (Italy). The screenings are free. On till 10 December. Visit euffindia.com for details. 

The second edition of India Cocktail Week in Mumbai has over 25+ leading beverage brands taking part.

Stirring up a cocktail culture
After a successful first edition, the India Cocktail Week is set to return to celebrate mixology and a brewing cocktail culture in the country. Guided by a mission to elevate the appreciation of cocktails and foster a sense of community, the festival aims to bring together cocktail enthusiasts, spirits industry professionals, tastemakers, lifestyle and beverage writers, music enthusiasts and curious consumers. The second edition to be held next weekend has over 25+ leading beverage brands taking part and features everything from guest shifts by award-winning bartenders to masterclasses, food and retail pop ups and more. The festival also has live music performance by Prateek Kuhad, Sickflip, Tech Panda x Kenzani, Kayan, DJ Kan-i and more. At Jio World Garden, BKC, Mumbai, on 2-3 December, 3pm onwards. Book tickets on Insider and @indiacocktailweek on Instagram. 

Also read: Madras Art Weekend returns in a bigger, bolder avatar this year

A still from the play, This I Know to be True by Ruchika Theatre Group

This weekend, Ruchika Theatre Group from Delhi will be staging two plays in Ranga Shankara, Bengaluru. The plays: Things I Know to be True, and After Dark, have both been directed by seasoned theatre professional, Feisal Alkazi. Written by acclaimed Australian playwright Andrew Bovell, Things I Know to be True (being staged this evening), delves into the lives of a seemingly perfect family whose façade crumbles as each member grapples with life-altering circumstances. The play touches on the importance of life choices, the challenges of letting children grow, the monotony in marriage, and societal expectations surrounding sexuality and gender. After Dark (being staged on Sunday) is a compelling exploration of the stories witnessed in the bustling Delhi metro – a microcosm of diverse lives and relationships. The play challenges traditional norms and explores the evolving landscape of sensuality and sexuality in a rapidly changing city. At Ranga Shankara, Bengaluru, 2-3 December, 3.30pm and 7.30 pm. Tickets available at the venue.

American blue grass music band, Blue Grass Journeymen

World music in an exclusive speakeasy
ZLB23, the clandestine gem of The Leela Palace Bengaluru, announces the launch of Magnetic Music Season 01. With a lineup of nine bands from around the world, the 10-day long programme brings a handpicked selection of some of the finest musicians across nine genres. Beginning on Tuesday with Indo-Jazz fusion band from Germany, Essence of Duality, other featured bands include renowned band Los Rolling Ruanas from Colombia and American blue grass music band, Blue Grass Journeymen. There are performances by Indian bands MoonArra World Fusion, Gerard Machado Quartet and MaMoGi among others too. At ZLB23, A Kyoto Speakeasy, The Leela Palace, Old Airport Road, Bengaluru, 5-15 December, 8pm onwards. For reservations, WhatsApp
+ 919632060433.

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