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Drag artiste Patruni Chidananda Sastry during an event
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Queerness and spirituality come together at Interfaith Pride Fest, a first-of-its-kind event in Hyderabad on June 14. Organised by DragVanti (a performing arts theatre) in collaboration with Rubaroo, Mobbera Foundation, Humans of Nirvana, and Bagh Bean Cafe, the festival aims to create a space for expression, reflection, and celebration. According to Drag artist Patruni Chidananda Sastry, the fest is a response to the rising religious intolerance faced by queer communities across the country.
Sharing experiences
The fest offers a platform for individuals to share their experiences of navigating faith while being queer. “Many LGBTQIA+ people are often told their faith and identity cannot coexist, leaving them excluded from both religious spaces and queer circles for being too much of one or the other,” says Patruni. The festival aims to create a space where both identities can be held with dignity and respect.
Line-up of events
Deepti on navigating atheism and queerness
Kiran Raj on Christianity and trans identity
Antony on yoga for queers and unchecking religion
Akki & Suprio on queer weddings across and beyond faiths
Emma on interfaith ideology and queer futurism
Panel with Kali, Jeevan, Jai & Riyaan on Gen Z and Faith
Bebo on being Muslim and trans women
Savithri on interfaith worldviews through a queer lens
Avijit, Chinmayee & Vaibhav on queering and classical dance (Odissi, Kuchipudi, Kathak)
KheMaya’s drag performance “Diva and Divine”
Aeina’s drag-Kathak storytelling “Cognitive Dissonance”
Interfaith drag music by Patruni Sastry
A closing circle of spiritual reflections with everyone
The four-hour event (5 pm to 9 pm) features live performances by queer artists from diverse faith backgrounds, along with storytelling sessions and a talk series. Speakers will explore topics such as navigating atheism and queerness, Gen Z’s relationship with religion and faith, and how same-sex married couples view marriage through the lens of faith.
Avijit during a performance
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
When Patruni first started doing drag in 2019, many saw it as an “anti-culture” art form — something hypersexual and outside traditional norms. But drawing from classical forms, Patruni realised that drag, too, can engage with questions of faith. This interest eventually led to deeper interfaith work.
Patruni was part of a team that travelled to the UK for the Interfaith Youth Leadership programme organised by NGO Rubaroo, which brought together people of all faiths — queer and LGBTQIA+ — to reclaim faith spaces. Events like the annual Interfaith Pride Fest in America and the Dragon Spirituality Summit also became sources of inspiration.
Interfaith Pride Fest at Bagh Bean Cafe in Hyderabad on June 14; Entry free
Published – June 12, 2025 11:45 am is
