Leicester’s Curve has been awarded Arts Council England funding to adapt Amana Fontanella-Khan’s documentary novel Pink Sari Revolution for the stage.
The £100,000 award is part of Art Council England’s Reimagine India programme that aims to develop new work and collaborations between arts and cultural organisations in England and India. The project marks the 70th anniversary of the partition of India and Pakistan.
Pink Sari Revolution: A Tale of Women and Power in the Badlands of India recounts the story of India’s Pink Sari Gang, a mass movement of more than 20,000 pink sari-wearing women across Northern India to fight the oppression of women.
The story centres on leader Sampat Pal and the 2010 campaign to free falsely imprisoned teenager Sheelu Nishad after she was raped by a prominent politician.
Pink Sari Revolution will première at Curve in 2017 before going on a UK tour. It will also be performed in parts of India.
Curve chief executive Chris Stafford and artistic director Nikolai Foster said in a joint statement, “we’re truly honoured to be given the opportunity to bring this remarkable story to our stage and share it with audiences across our region and beyond.”
Arts Council England area director Peter Knott said, “our Reimagine India funding is all about helping cultural organisations strengthen their international connections by developing creative exchanges between the UK and India.
“With our support for this new production and tour, we hope Curve continues to attract, entertain and inspire more people at home and internationally.”