Sakshi Presents: Ctrl + Alt + Dlt – Rewriting the Narrative
A Transformative Confluence of Art, Dialogue, and Action
Dates: March 13th, 15th & 16th, 2025
Venue: Veda Kunba, Versova, Mumbai, Maharashtra
Mumbai, March 11, 2025: Ctrl + Alt + Dlt – Rewriting the Narrative is a powerful three-day confluence designed to do the latter. Organized by Sakshi, this movement harnesses the power of storytelling, art, and advocacy to dismantle harmful norms, amplify survivor voices, and reimagine a more just and equitable world.
The event will bring together artists, activists, and change-makers to explore the intersections of gender justice, child protection, and creative advocacy. Through immersive theatre, spoken word performances, and critical panel discussions, Ctrl + Alt + Dlt– Rewriting the Narrative will create space for necessary conversations on gender-based violence and the societal structures that enable it.
The confluence opens on March 13 with Bekhauf Baatein 5.0 – Apologetic Expressions, an evening where artists take the stage to reclaim narratives and challenge deeply entrenched stereotypes. Through poetry, monologues, and performance art, the event amplifies voices that transform pain into progress. Featuring Nivedita Chandra, Parth Vasani, Aditi Surana, Harsha Agrawal, Vidushi Chadha, and more.
On March 15, the focus shifts to Art That Dares to Speak, a day dedicated to exploring child sexual abuse through theatre, immersive installations, and expert-led panel discussions. The day begins with a thought-provoking installation खिलौना by Padma Damodaran that reveals the long-term impact of trauma across generations. The first panel, Layers of Harm: Unpacking the Impact of Child Sexual Abuse, brings together leading voices in child safety, mental health, and legal advocacy to discuss the structural barriers that perpetuate abuse.
Theatre becomes a vehicle for change in the afternoon with Ghat Ghat Mein Panchi Bolta Hai, written and directed by Smita Bharti. The play navigates the unraveling of two families grappling with a triggering event that forces them to confront buried truths. The themes of silence and survival continue in Paperwalls, written and directed by Sharodiya Chowdhury, which follows a daughter’s unsettling journey through her mother’s past, uncovering painful revelations about intergenerational trauma. In between these performances, the panel Framing the Unspoken: Portrayal of Child Sexual Abuse in Film, Theatre, and Art will examine how storytelling shapes public perception and policy.
March 16 concludes the confluence with Tedhi Lakir, Light in My Eyes, and Kamini, three short plays written and directed by Smita Bharti. These performances unravel hidden truths, defy societal norms, and explore love, loss, and resilience. They expose the invisible ties that shape our lives through raw storytelling and haunting beauty. Witness the fragile dance between vulnerability and strength as narratives are rewritten.
Smita Bharti, Executive Director of Sakshi NGO, believes, “Theatre and art possess the unique ability to not only engage the conscious mind but also to deeply impact the subconscious, reaching far beyond the surface. Sakshi presents *Alt, Cltr, Del*, a powerful three-day event that challenges audiences to question their everyday perceptions. Let these transformative days be a journey of introspection, where art becomes a mirror to our deeper truths.”
Ctrl + Alt + Dlt is a call to action. Sakshi invites individuals, artists, and organizations to be part of this movement—whether by attending, amplifying conversations, or collaborating on sustained interventions.
Silence enables violence. Every story told chips away at stigma. Every conversation plants the seeds of change. Through this confluence, Sakshi reaffirms that art is a tool to reshape it.