Delhi events in March

The exhibition at the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) is an ode to one of India’s most celebrated, most daring artists. The show, said to have been five years in the making, is curated by Kishore Singh in partnership with the Gujral Foundation, and spans 167 works tracing the artist’s life.

What to expect: It’s an incredibly moving show. The displays encompass his works, juxtaposed with old photographs that piece together his career as a painter, collector, artist, and cultural thinker, alongside his life with his family. Much of the work spans the horrors of Partition, but also his time in Mexico. One to watch out for is Mourning en Mass, along with gorgeous sculptures and reliefs, and some of his personal items.

When: Until March 31

Where: NGMA, Delhi

Delhi seems to have caught up with the international film festival route that's already covered most other major Indian cities. The seven-day event, put up jointly by the Delhi Tourism Ministry and Transport Development Corporation, will host more than 120 screenings spanning Hindi-language films, regional cinema, and films from abroad. There's more: gala premieres, workshops, panel discussions, masterclasses and other performances.

When: March 25-31

Where: Bharat Mandapam, Delhi

Tickets: Entry free. Registration compulsory.

A cult classic is finally getting its theatrical due. Pradip Krishen's 1989 comedy about college students and their whims, is screening in India for the first time since it aired on Doordarshan. It's written by and starring a pre-God of Small Things Arundhati Roy, with an early flash of Shah Rukh Khan. Bookings start March 8 on BookMyShow. Limited screenings.

When: March 13–15
Where: PVR Plaza Connaught Place and PVR DLF Promenade Vasant Kunj. Also at PVR Superplex Logix (Noida) and PVR Superplex Ambience (Gurgaon). 

The iconic spring garden inside the Rashtrapati Bhavan remains open to the public only on a few days a year, and it’s worth a visit in spring – meticulously groomed flower beds, terraced lawns, water channels and more, plus loads of in-season flowers.

When: Until March 31, 10am-6pm on all days, except Monday
Where: Rashtrapati Bhavan, North Avenue, New Delhi
Tickets: Free. Register online.

A full day of food, music, dance and colour to celebrate the French language and the diversity of the Francophone world. Whether you're a longtime Alliance Française regular or not, this is one of the city’s embassies with frequent cultural programming, so there’s bound to be serious thought behind the mela. Competitions, workshops and performances are planned to keep things lively from start to finish, and the crowd — typically a mix of students, expats, diplomats and curious people with Saturdays off — adds its own energy to the whole thing. 

When: March 28

Where: Alliance Française de Delhi, 72, KK Birla Ln, Lodhi Gardens, Lodhi Estate, New Delhi, Delhi 110003

The yearly food carnival inspired by the iconic phrase printed on Indian trucks is returning to Delhi in the last week of March. Expect food trucks dishing out everything from chaat to gourmet burgers. Also expect stalls selling stuff you don't need (but will buy at the inflated price anyway) and select art installations.  

When: March 28-29

Where: JLN Stadium, Gate No. 14

Tickets: ₹300

The legendary Suzuka circuit comes to South Delhi screens this Sunday, and so, it’s actually acceptable to start drinking craft beer at 10 in the morning. Effingut, known best for its marvellous selection of beers, at MGF Metropolitan Mall is screening the Japanese Grand Prix live on the big screen: it’s one of F1's most technically demanding tracks, known for its layout and high-speed corners that separate the great from the merely good. 

When: March 29, 10.30 am

Where: Ground Floor, GF 10, MGF Metropolitan Mall, Saket District Centre, District Centre, Sector 6, Saket, New Delhi, Delhi 110017

Price: ₹499 (redeemable at the bar). Book on the District or Scenes by Swiggy app.