JLF In Adelaide Announces Updated Speakers

Famed author and outspoken social commentator Shobhaa De and Bollywood Queen Zeenat Aman will feature in Adelaide's first satellite of the iconic Jaipur Literature Festival from 9 - 11 November.

Celebrating the stories, history and rich culture of India and the connections between broader Asia and Australia, this free event is part of Adelaide Festival Centre's OzAsia Festival 2018. This is the first time the festival will be hosted in Adelaide, after having travelled to New York, Houston, Boulder and London.

JLF in Adelaide will feature a program of fascinating, insightful and sometimes provocative panels showcasing 54 international and local authors, journalists, thinkers and activists.

With more than 80 films to her name, Zeenat Aman is revered in India as an actress who shook up the stereotypes of traditional movie heroines and worked with some of Hindi cinema's most iconic directors and actors. This will be her first visit to Australia. Zeenat Aman replaces Rishi Kapoor who is unable to travel due to health concerns. Shobhaa De is a prolific writer, columnist, blogger and opinion shaper with a Twitter following of close to three million.

Also heading to Adelaide: popular Indian author Devdutt Pattanaik, Singaporean spoken word poet Pooja Nansi, multi award-winning writer and comedian Sami Shah and the festival's Artistic Directors and celebrated writers William Dalrymple and Namita Gokhale.

The 27 international writers come from India, China, Singapore, Canada, Indonesia, New Zealand and the UK. There are 27 Australian speakers, including nine from South Australia.

Panels will discuss, debate and reflect on a range of topics, from politics and economics to travel and the arts.

OzAsia Festival Artistic Director Joseph Mitchell said the addition of JLF in Adelaide ensures literature becomes a core part of the annual OzAsia Festival program. "With more than 30 panels to choose from, it's a wonderful opportunity to hear different perspectives about fiction, culture, social ideas and regional politics from many influential literary and cultural figures across India, Australia and the broader region. It's also a great excuse to have fun and celebrate all things Indo-Pacific, with food, live music and workshops."

Founded in 2006, Jaipur Literature Festival is an annual event held in Rajasthan. In the past decade the world's largest free event of its kind has hosted more than 1,600 speakers and welcomed more than 1.2 million participants.

A free outdoor music series forms part of the JLF in Adelaide program and will feature popular fusion band Kabir Cafe as well as performances by the revered and Grammy Award-winning percussionist Vikku Vinayakram and the extraordinarily talented drummer Selvaganesh. All music performances take place in OzAsia Festival's outdoor hub, the Lucky Dumpling Market.

Sanjoy K. Roy, Managing Director of Teamwork Arts, which produces the ZEE Jaipur Literature Festival, said, "Teamwork Arts is delighted to bring JLF to Adelaide as its future home in Australia. With an array of writers from across the world we hope to continue to build on platforms which are rich in content and allow for discussion, debate and dissent!"

Please note: Unfortunately Bollywood star Rishi Kapoor will no longer be attending JLF in Adelaide. He is unable to travel due to health concerns and very much regrets not being able to participate in the Festival.