Avakai Festival To Transform Vijayawada’s Riverfront With A Landmark Cultural Celebration

The Government of Andhra Pradesh is presenting Avakai: Amaravati Festival of Cinema, Culture and Literature, a three-day public cultural celebration. It will be held from January 8-10, 2026, at Punnami Ghat and Bhavani Island, Vijayawada.

Conceived as an open, inclusive riverfront festival, Avakai brings cinema, literature and the performing arts into public spaces, creating direct engagement between artists and audiences, while transforming the banks of the River Krishna into a vibrant site of cultural exchange and creative dialogue.

Envisioned under the leadership of Hon’ble Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Shri N. Chandrababu Naidu, Avakai foregrounds Telugu cinema and literature, while presenting a multidisciplinary programme spanning music, dance, theatre, poetry, storytelling, workshops and cultural conversations.

It is organised by the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Authority, powered by KIA and produced by Teamwork Arts. The festival introduces a format new to the state, combining artistic excellence with public participation and immersive riverfront experiences. The festival is free and open to the public, and audiences are encouraged to register online at www.avakaifestival.com.

There will be an opening procession featuring giant puppets, Teen Maar drummers and bagpipers, followed by evening music by Jammers, Aarti by the Ghat & Inauguration of the House Boat followed by the Sacred Opening with Shankh, Nagada & Drums ensemble.

The ceremonial Prārambhōtsavam will be graced by Shri N. Chandrababu Naidu, Hon'ble Deputy Chief Minister, Shri Pawan Kalyan, Hon'ble Minister of Health, Family Welfare & Medical Education - Shri Satya Kumar YadavHon'ble Minister for Tourism & Culture, Shri Kandula Durgesh, Ambassador of the European Union, H.E.Hervé Delphin, Managing Director - Teamwork Arts, Mr. Sanjoy K. Roy.

Opening performances include Her Frames, Her Fire by Omaggio Performing Company, followed by Love Story – A Musical, created especially for Avakai.

On Friday, the daytime programme at Bhavani Island features conversations and workshops, including Pure Evil: Anti-Heroes of Cinema with S. Hussain Zaidi, Yandamuri Veerendranath and Sudhir Mishra in conversation with Balaji Vittal, followed by a discussion on Evolving Storytelling: The Journey of Indian Mythology, BNIM, Kasturi Muralikrishna, Sanjeev Pasricha and Anuradha Mothali in conversation.

The programme also features another performative act, Katha Kalakshepam: Timeless Tales through Music and Word by StoryHour UK; Engaging with storytelling across screen and text, Cinema in the Age of OTT reflects on how streaming platforms have reshaped filmmaking, distribution and audience engagement, with Leena Yadav (Director–Producer), Sunil Chainani (Applause Entertainment), Shibasish Sarkar (Reliance Entertainment; Producers Guild of India), Saugata Mukherjee (SonyLIV), Shreerupa Mitra, and Supriya Yarlagadda (Annapurna Studios) in conversation, followed by Abhilasha: From Novel to Screen, which traces the journey of a beloved literary work to cinema, with Yandamuri Veerendranath and A. Kodandarami Reddy in conversation with Valli Padmanjali.Parallel hands-on workshops include Martial Arts with Tuhon Aditya Roy, Nagada with Nathoo Lal Solanki, Puppet-making with Shameem, and Dance with French choreographer Gilles Chuyen.

The evenings unfold into a rich celebration of music, movement and poetic expression. The programme features Carnatic Music by Chandana Bala Kalyan, followed by Dramatic Tales- Rasa United, a powerful Kuchipudi dance-theatre presentation by Vanashree Rao, and The Sound of Stories: Music & Poetry in Cinema, with Shekhar Ravjiani, Priya Saraiya and Kasarla Shyam in conversation with Rakhshanda Jalil, exploring the lyrical soul of Indian cinema.

At night, there is Mehfil-e-Sukhan: A Mushaira Experience, featuring Aditya Singh ‘Aadi’, Azhar Iqbal, Iqbal Ashhar, Khushbir Singh Shaad, Dr Nusrat Mehdi, Payala Murali Krishna, Popular Meeruthi, Saif Nizami and Sardar Saleem, followed by Aaj Rang Hai—a transcendent collaboration between the Anirudh Varma Collective and Nizami Bandhu, blending contemporary classical with the timeless spirit of Qawwali.

On Saturday, the Bhavani Island day programme includes Words on Water, Katha Itranagalu: Art of Telugu Storytelling, Friday Release: Cinema & Journalism, Sundaramaina Telugu: Glory of Telugu Literature & Cinema, and The Art of Translation: Words Without Borders, alongside continued workshops. The closing evening at Punnami Ghat features Chowraasta Live, Natasarvabhowma NTR – Homage to the Vishwaroopam of Acting, Love Story – A Musical, the Festival Closing Ceremony, and a grand finale concert by Javed Ali.

Beyond performances and conversations, Avakai offers immersive festival experiences including interactive installations and curated culinary experiences, inviting audiences to engage deeply with the region’s cultural and artistic heritage.