As Mariah Carey begins her annual defrost, it’s finally safe to say: “It’s time!” Between the AQI having us in a chokehold (pun intended) and planning our next “gigcations” (experience-led micro holidays) with color-coded calendars, November comes bearing the promise of eccentric adventures. Apart from the Scorpio season in full swing, the country is gearing up for winter escapades, from UNO parties to employment-arc themed live dating shows. In the spirit of expecting the unexpected, gear up for some of the coolest detours with these Side Quests — Rolling Stone India’s series spotlighting the most offbeat, uniquely curated events around the country.
Please Touch Gently: Comic Books, Zines, And Ephemera
When: Nov. 4 to Jan. 10
Where: Kiran Nadar Museum of Art
Curated by Bharath Murthy, Aqui Thami, and Himanshu S, the exhibition celebrates the resilient spirit of all things DIY and physical media. At its core, the exhibit functions like a participatory coven, allowing visitors to not just interact with the material but also create their own along the way. With contributions from over a thousand zinesters spanning 22 languages, Please Touch Gently documents the burgeoning Indian independent self-publishing movement, entailing comic books, zines, and many more. It also encourages the audience to cross the bridge and become one with the subject. Thami and Himanshu, who are the co-founders of Fluxus Chapel, Chota Library, and Bombay Zine Library, are active pole bearers of zine culture in India, curating intersectional, community-based third spaces that also act as offline repositories.
Balasinaurus by Aashim Tyagi
When: Nov.11 to Nov.30
Where: Dilip Piramal Art Gallery, Mumbai
Prepare to embark on a typography-infused journey with “Balasinaurus,” an intricate walkthrough of urban relics nestled between Art Deco-esque Balasinor bungalows in Gujarat and hand-painted street signs of Mumbai. Combining architecture and typography, Aashim Tyagi’s photography exhibit aims to give the audience a peek into the creative subtext of these architectural legacies, which are heavily interwoven in our socio-cultural and political landscape. Coupled with a panel discussion and a zine and typography-making workshop, “Balasinaurus” goes beyond surface-level observations.
UNO Party Meetup
When: Nov. 12 to Dec. 13
Where: New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, and Pune
Do you derive some sick pleasure from piling on Draw 4 cards, while your friend crashes out over their overflowing collection? Do you enjoy gaslighting everyone with UNO rules that don’t actually exist? Then this event is right up your alley. Fashioned as a good ol’ game night, Social Sailor’s “UNO Party Meetup” promises to be everything but rage-baity — think of it as a safe space for competitive chaos, where the only thing getting flipped is the color card, not your friendships. Open to all age groups, expect surprise attacks, color changes, spirited debates, and an hour of unadulterated offline bliss.
Tech Roast Show: India Tour
When: Nov.13 to Nov.23
Where: Delhi-NCR, Hyderabad, Pune, Bengaluru, and Mumbai
Keep the burnol ready, as the three tech bros of the apocalypse are set to bring their crowdwork-comedy format show to the home front. The Tech Roast show, the brainchild of “recovering techies” Austin Nasso, Jesse Warren, and Nikita Oster, is as fun as it is brutal. With unhinged disses and unparalleled corporate tomfoolery, gear up to be unfailingly roasted as the ex-techies put you in your place. Using your money, of course.
India Cocktail Week
When: Nov. 22- Nov. 23
Where: Bhartiya Mall of Bengaluru, Bengaluru
If you’re a mixology aficionado who likes their drinks shaken, not stirred, then India Cocktail Week, one of the country’s biggest cocktail festivals, should be on your radar. Apart from live music performances and gourmet bites, the event will have over 25 homegrown and international brands, guest shifts from the global Top 50 bars, and curated mixology masterclasses. Saddle up for two days of groovy music and picking your preferred poison.
Culture Con Pop-Up: From Cultivation To Culture
When: Nov. 22
Where: Max Mueller Bhavan, Pune
Culture Con aims to bolster the creative economy by focusing on art, entrepreneurship, and creative careers through its elaborate sessions. This time, the overarching theme is food; the shared intimacy of growing, cultivating, cooking, and feeding. Shedding light on the multi-faceted culinary landscape, the convention unpacks how food, by itself, is a powerful medium of storytelling. With community potlucks, seminars, culinary panel discussions, and networking mixers, the enriching panel intends to provide food for thought. The event seeks to open pathways for a diverse audience, ranging from students to culinary creatives and media professionals.
LinkedUp: A Dating Show for The Employed
When: Nov. 28
Where: The Habitat, Mumbai
You know you’re cooked when even professional networking platforms become potential dating pools. LinkedUp, co-hosted by Srishti Sharma and Jesse Warren (co-founder of Tech Roast), the show adds a corporate spin, where you, the “job applicant”, become the romantic prospect, testing out the waters with your potential match, or “job offer.” Be it gausing compatibility through Q&As or screening résumés, the show promises a compelling “performance review.” While the onstage participants may be committing multiple HR violations, the audience gets to vote on whether they’d be endgame or not. In other news, there may still be hope for the employed.
Bar Idols by Greater Than Gin
When: Nov. 30
Where: Gurugram
As the clock ticks, bartender duos from nine cocktail bars compete for the ultimate title of Bar Idol. The best part? The deciding power lies with the audience. Organized by Greater Than Gin, the gamified format has servers and bartenders trying to win you over as they craft the most unique pitches and drinks in their attempt to convince you they deserve the title. Get ready to call the shots (quite literally).
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