Literature Live! The Mumbai LitFest is officially returning for its 17th edition from the 23rd of October to the 25th of October, 2026. As always, it will take place at the prestigious National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) at Nariman Point in South Mumbai. It’s one of the marquee cultural events in Mumbai, alongside the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival and the Sassoon Dock Art Project. It goes on for a total of three days and features high-voltage debates, book launches, poetry performances, film screenings, and intimate conversations with global and Indian literary legends. If you’re keen on attending this festival, this unstumbled guide lays out everything you need, from the day-wise schedule to how to register for the event.
Mumbai LitFest 2026: Day-Wise Schedule And Highlight Sessions
First Day: Friday, October 23rd
The first day of the festival focuses on heritage, poetry, and the chronicles of the city. The following is the schedule for the day: –
2 PM: Opening Ceremony And Keynote Address at the Jamshed Bhabha Theatre
3 PM to 4:30 PM: Deep Routes – Unpacking Ancient Wisdom: Shashi Tharoor in conversation with Pavan K. Varma on India’s philosophical traditions.
5 PM to 6 PM: Ek Shayar Iss Sheher Mein: Gulzar and Rakhshanda Jalil present a poetic tribute to Mumbai, chaired by Kausar Munir.
Evening Performance: Live dramatic readings and music fusion at the Tata Theatre courtyard.
Second Day: Saturday, October 24th
The theme of the second day will be ‘Cinema, Fiction, and Global Geopolitics’. Here is the schedule for the day.
Morning Session at 10:30 AM: The Little Festival children’s literary showcase at Experimental Theatre.
2 PM to 3 PM: Yuri in the City: Jerry Pinto and Ratna Pathak Shah discuss city narratives and uplifting fiction.
5 PM to 6 PM: Booked for Life: Shanta Gokhale and Sonali Kulkarni break down the complexities and joys of reading.
7 PM: The Great Debate: Prominent public intellectuals engage in the signature festival debate on free speech and modern publishing.
Third Day: Sunday, October 25th
The focus on the third and final day will be on awards, screenplays, and the closing gala. The following will be the schedule:
11 AM to 12:30 PM: Book in Focus: Interactive reader circle on Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis.
1:30 AM to 2:30 PM: The Art of Performing Real Characters: Shefali Shah and Javed Akhtar discuss transforming written scripts into cinematic art.
4:30 PM to 5:30 PM: Closing Keynote And Tata Literature Live! Awards 2026: Announcing winners for First Book, Book of the Year, and the Lifetime Achievement Award.
How To Attend Mumbai LitFest: Registration And Entry Rules
Arguably the best part about the festival is that it is free and open to the public. All the general sessions are 100 percent free, and the seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Step-By-Step Registration Process
First Step: Visit the official festival website. Create a Literature Lover! account.
Second Step: Reserve session seats online to secure an M-Badge or QR Code via email or WhatsApp.
Third Step: Collect your physical badge and lanyard at the NCPA Festival Desk upon arrival.
It is important to keep in mind that the venue has an entry cut-off. Visitors who hold an online pass must reach the venue at least 15 minutes prior to the session time. Any and every unclaimed seat is released to spot-entry queues ten minutes prior to the start of the event.
Address: NCPA, NCPA Marg, Nariman Point, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400021
Date and Timings: Fri, Oct 23rd to Sun, Oct 25th, 10:30 AM onwards
Also Read: Top Concerts And Events In India To Attend In October
Summing Up
This annual literary festival in Mumbai attracts a large number of book lovers and poetry enthusiasts alike. The ambiance is quite fun, and the crowd here is very friendly and approachable, so visiting alone is not a problem either. If you do end up attending the festival, make sure you reach super early for each session, as the lines can stretch quite a distance. The smartest way would be to shortlist two or three sessions you want to see each day and then stand in line outside the venue, even if it means sacrificing attending other sessions. Since the seating is on a first-come, first-served basis, the venue gets full easily, and many people often end up being turned away.
