“From very early on, I understood that design was a way of problem solving rather than just an exercise in aesthetics or personal expression. In architecture especially, it’s about organising space thoughtfully; considering how people move through it, how they use it, and how it responds to climate, site conditions, and available resources.” – Architect, educator, curator, and director of Charles Correa Foundation, Nondita Correa Mehrotra reflects on a design approach shaped by context and lived experience. She shares insights on meaningful spaces, climate responsiveness, and architecture’s evolving role
“Today our architecture is banal, partly because of contemporary existence is so, but also perhaps because we do not seek to express anything profound (or deeply felt) about ourselves, or the society in which we live,” wrote Charles Correa in an essay titled The Blessings of the Sky. This roots his entire architectural philosophy, visible across most cities of the country.
Kala Academy, Goa’s iconic cultural hub, faces significant structural challenges, warns a recent inspection led by IIT Madras. The expert team, including civil engineering professors and PWD officials, conducted a thorough visual inspection and recommended an extensive structural overhaul based on observed corrosion risks and water damage.
Venue: Maquinez Palace, Old GMC Complex, Panaji, Goa
India has a strong tradition of films that explore cities as characters in themselves — their social dynamics, architecture, chaos, and contradictions. Over three days, the Nagari Film Festival presents a curated lineup of Indian films and discussions that engage with urban life through fiction, documentary, and experimental cinema.
The festival opens with the Nagari 2025 Award Ceremony, premiering this year’s anthology of short films and initiating a dialogue on the role of the public realm in our cities. The following days feature themed screenings and conversations exploring how cinema reflects, critiques, and reimagines the urban experience.
There are multiple ways to reach Goa, with air travel being the quickest option. Goa International Airport (Dabolim, GOI) in South Goa is about 30 km from Panaji, while the newer Manohar International Airport (Mopa, GOX) in North Goa is around 35 km away.
If you’re arriving by train, the main stations are Madgaon (Margao) and Vasco-da-Gama. The Konkan Railway offers scenic routes from Mumbai and Karnataka, with direct trains also available from other major cities across India. The closest station to Panaji is Karmali Railway Station.
Goa is also well connected by road, with both Kadamba Transport Corporation (KTCL) and private operators running frequent bus services from major cities like Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, and Hyderabad.
Within Panaji, you can easily get around using the city’s EV Smart Buses, which operate across six routes and connect key parts of the city. Auto-rickshaws and pilot bikes (motorbike taxis) are also available, offering flexible and affordable ways to travel short distances. The easiest and cheapest option is to rent scooter bikes.
Nearly three months after the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras agreed to conduct the long-awaited structural audit of the Kala Academy, the Goa government is yet to begin the process to onboard the experts officially.
A section of the false ceiling in the Western Music classroom at Kala Academy, Goa, collapsed on July 26, 2025, raising serious concerns about the building’s structural safety. Fortunately, no injuries were reported. The incident occurred without warning, prompting academy officials to immediately cordon off the affected area as a precaution. Structural assessments and safety inspections are currently underway.
In the small city of Bhuj, two young Muslim women, Sherbanu and Mariya, navigate societal and familial restrictions, carving out fleeting and risky moments of joy in the neighbourhood and city. Their friendship reveals how the public realm means constraints and freedom, where small defiant acts create space for Mauj.
Valai Pinnal
The fisherfolk of Nochikuppam navigate the shifting landscape of their homes in the wake of government interventions. Through myriad acts of preservation of materials, documents and oral knowledge, the film explores the people’s resistance and their relationship to space.
Through The Dappled Light
In Chandigarh’s rigidly planned city, trees offer shade and shelter to informal workers on the margins seeking space and belonging in a city that never planned for their presence.
Fireflies in the Night
In a city where he’s used to being unseen, a trans man joins a midnight walk with queer strangers, where loitering becomes a quiet rebellion against identity erasure. On the other hand, as he rehearses his debut play ‘Beyond the Bodies’, he recollects his erasure and the moments of magic that a community brings.
Manaveeyam
‘Manaveeyam’ traces the life of a small urban street in Kerala’s capital city of Thiruvananthapuram, reclaimed by its people, where social inclusivity, civic responsibility and freedom converge, transforming into an accessible, socially just and inclusive public realm; a blueprint for the future.
Phool Gari (Scent of Nocturn Flowers)
This film aims to explore the quiet transformation of a liminal space beside Barasat railway station, from a morning auto stand to a night flower market and the resilient livelihoods that thrive within its rhythm.
Pascal Premier League
On a narrow street in Jogeshwari East, a group of young boys organise their own mini cricket league—reclaiming a congested public lane for play, joy, and community in a city starved of accessible open spaces.
Hissa
In the rapidly shrinking public spaces of South Bombay, two street barber brothers fight to preserve their dignity, legacy, and humble livelihood, operating on the edge of legality. As the city sanitises its image in the name of progress, we’re forced to ask: are we clearing mess, or erasing mobility?
महाद्वार
Mahadwar – The Great Corridor
Set against the backdrop of a ₹1445 crore redevelopment plan for Kolhapur’s Mahalaxmi Temple, the film explores the emotional and economic ecosystems of Mahadwar Road — a historic market street. Through voices of traders, vendors, and residents, it questions: can public memory survive without physical continuity?
Walls of Expression
Set in Mumbai’s ever-changing urban landscape, this documentary explores how public walls become sites of resistance, memory, and expression, while also revealing the fear, erasure, and control they provoke.
Pakdam Pakdai
In Agra, seemingly designed for cars, children invent playgrounds out of footpaths, medians, and market edges. Pakdam Pakdai scales the city to a child with a child’s eye view of play, resistance, and imagination—where joy collides with heat, traffic, and exclusion, and the city is both a game and a question.
Fragmented Realities
Fragmented Realities captures Kolkata during a time of unrest, where digital and real worlds overlap, revealing collective fear, protest, memory, and quiet hope within a shifting public landscape.
Should only artists head institutions like Kala Academy and Ravindra Bhavan? It’s a question that resurfaces every few years in Goa, often sparked by controversy, corruption, or sheer frustration from the artistic community.
Image credits : Shab-Parak, Nagari Short Films 2024
As India’s national capital sleeps, night buses keep the city connected and their commuters find the true meaning of accessible and affordable public transport. Shab-Parak, a short film which won the silver at the Nagari 2024 awards, captures the story of Delhi Transport Corporation’s Bus 0543A from Anand Vihar Inter State Bus Terminal to Kapashera border, its tired but pleasant driver who commands his bus like a community, and its commuters many of whom are at their workplaces as the city awakens.
Image credits : Gomantak Times | ART OF THE MATTER : Goa’s Kala Academy is in they eye of the storm following a controversial remark by Goa’s Art and Culture Minister
‘Supari Andolan’ is a creative protest by Goan artists reclaiming a slur to defend the iconic Kala Academy and preserve Charles Correa’s legacy, demanding accountability, transparency and cultural respect.
Q. Is it mandatory to have an architect, urban designer or a social scientist in the team?
No, it’s not required, but we strongly encourage it. Including an architect, urban planner, or social scientist can greatly enrich your project’s narrative and depth. You’re welcome to apply with your existing team, and you’ll have the flexibility to add members later if needed.
Q. Can beginners/film students apply for the competition? Asking this as the form states that one of the participants has to be an experienced filmmaker.
Yes, film students and amateur filmmakers are welcome to apply. If you check the form it mentions “prior filmmaking experience”, we have permitted entries from amateur filmmakers and film students, provided they have some experience in shooting, editing and producing film.
Q. Would we have to pay or spend from our side? If yes, then how much would that be?
Nagari provides a grant of 75,000 to each selected team. The management of costs under or beyond this grant is the responsibility of the team.
Q. How many ideas can one team apply for?
Each team is encouraged to submit only one idea. If you have more than one concept, you may submit them as separate entries.
Q. Is there a suggested or ideal number of collaborators?
It’s ideal to have one primary contact person to streamline communication and logistics. We recommend 2–3 collaborators per team. Additional team members can be brought in as needed throughout the process.
Please feel free to post your queries in the comments section below or mail us at nagari@charlescorreafoundation.org.
The once regal Kala Academy, which has hosted many a celebrity and has been the venue of numerous big-ticket events, including the international Film festival of India, has now been reduced to a joke, or rather, a comedy of (contractual) errors.
Just days after the media reported that Kala Academy was likely to be closed for two whole months for ‘rectification’ work, the state government was slammed for continuing to delay the upgrade of the iconic centre of the arts. But what probably evoked widespread public ire was chief minister Pramod Sawant recently saying that the current contractor will complete repairing the rectifications themselves at no additional cost, in keeping with the Kala Academy’s task force suggestion, and complete the work by October this year, in time for IFFI. “Once that is done, the contract will be terminated and the contractor will be blacklisted,” Sawant is reported to have told the media. If this was not enough to enrage citizens, Sawant went a step further by blatantly declaring that new tenders will be floated for additional works that were not covered in the original contract.
The Goa government has blacklisted contractor Techton Buildcon Pvt Ltd due to renovation flaws at the iconic Kala Academy. Critics, including political opposition and artists, raised concerns about light and sound issues. The government canceled the contractor’s annual maintenance contract and a task force will implement remedial recommendations.
The Goa government has taken decisive action by blacklisting Techton Buildcon Pvt Ltd, the contractor responsible for renovating the iconic Kala Academy. This decision follows persistent flaws in the renovation work, which have drawn widespread criticism from opposition parties and local artists.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant announced that the contractor has until October to rectify these issues at their own expense. Furthermore, plans for a four-year annual maintenance contract with the contractor have been canceled. The decision came in response to disruptions experienced at the 1,000-seat Deenanath Mangeshkar auditorium, including light and sound problems.
The Goa government on Friday said a contractor had been blacklisted for flaws in the renovation of the iconic Kala Academy building here. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said contractor Techton Buildcon Pvt Ltd has been given time till October this year to rectify the flaws at its own cost. The government has also cancelled a proposal to sign a four-year annual maintenance contract (AMC) with the contractor, Sawant told reporters. The BJP government in the state had come in for criticism from opposition parties and artistes after glitches were observed in the newly-renovated Kala Academy complex, including light and sound disruptions at the 1000-seater Deenanath Mangeshkar auditorium.
The task force constituted to assess and recommend improvements for the Kala Academy’s infrastructure has submitted its final report to Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant. A meeting with the Public Works Department (PWD) and other relevant authorities to review the findings is scheduled for Friday, May 9, 2025.
Speaking at Mantralaya in Porvorim on Thursday, CM Sawant confirmed the submission. “The Task Force on Kala Academy has submitted its report today. I will hold a meeting on this tomorrow. I haven’t gone through the report yet,” he told reporters.
The task force, chaired by renowned theatre artist Vijai Kenkre, was formed in response to mounting concerns from Goa’s arts community, who criticised the ongoing renovation work at the state’s premier cultural complex as haphazard and unstructured, despite substantial expenditure.
Delegation demands minister’s resignation over recurring technical failures and derogatory remarks
In a scathing attack on the State government, a delegation comprising Congress leaders and artistes visited the Kala Academy on Sunday, questioning the authorities over the recurring technical failures at Goa’s premier cultural institution and calling for the resignation of Art and Culture Minister Govind Gaude.
The delegation also demanded that Minister Gaude publicly apologise to veteran actor Sharad Ponkshe and the wider artistic community for derogatorily labelling Ponkshe a ‘Suparibaaz’ following the disruption of his performance last week due to lighting issues at the Academy.
They further claimed that the renovation of the iconic institution—designed by renowned architect Charles Correa—had tarnished Goa’s reputation in the cultural domain.
Minister Govind Gaude blames ‘technical glitch’, not human error
Even after a Rs 50 crore renovation, the Kala Academy — Goa’s premier cultural venue — is facing basic operational failures, with no one willing to take responsibility. The recent light malfunction during a Marathi play has exposed not only technical flaws but also the absence of accountability among the agencies involved.
Art and Culture Minister Govind Gaude on Thursday termed the incident — where stage lights flickered and halted the performance for 10 minutes — as “unfortunate,” but was quick to dismiss it as a technical fault rather than human error.
Here’s a look at how poor planning and botched renovations have plagued Goa’s premier arts institution for over half a century
February 28, 1970 – Goa govt establishes Kala Academy to promote the arts. The iconic building is designed by renowned architect Charles Correa
2004 – Upgraded to serve as a venue for International Film Festival of India
October 30, 2017 – Minister Govind Gaude announces major facelift for Kala Academy
May 23, 2021 – Techton Buildcon Pvt. Ltd. awarded contract for renovation work. Performances come to a standstill
July 17, 2023 – A large portion of open-air auditorium collapses, raising safety concerns
November 10, 2023 – Building reopens after repairs, but concerns about construction quality persist
April 22, 2024 – Part of newly-renovated false ceiling crashes due to water leakage
May 20, 2024 – Heavy downpour causes auditorium roof to leak during a performance of the Konkani tiatr ‘Girgirem’
July 8, 2024 – Heavy rains inundate Kala Academy
September 27, 2024 – State govt forms task force led by theatre artist Vijai Kenkre to assess state of building and recommend improvements
October 25, 2024 – Charles Correa Foundation withdraws from offering assistance, citing lack of structural audit
April 13, 2025 – Technical failure in stage lighting causes temporary stoppage of a Marathi play starring Sharad Ponkshe, who apologises to audience
The famed Kala Academy has faced several ignominious setbacks, including flooding from a roof collapse during rains and the partial collapse of its open-air auditorium.
Ahmedabad: Demolition work began on Monday at the Navrangpura bus stand, which was built in 1962-63. It was designed by the master architect Charles Correa. The civic body began this hectic work at what was intended by Correa to be “a prototype for other bus stain the country”.
Charles Correa Foundation prefers audit by IIT-Madras having expertise in working with and conserving old concrete.
The Charles Correa Foundation has demanded immediate audit of the iconic Kala Academy building post renovation, preferably by IIT-Madras having the expertise in working with and conserving old concrete and to ensure the building’s structural stability but also to ensure safety for the public.
The demand from the not-for-profit public charitable trust comes in view of the recent degradation and collapse of sections of the State’s premier art and cultural institution post renovation,
