Club Kali celebrates its 25th Anniversary with the World Premiere of its documentary film – Discovering Kali at the prestigious British Film Institute, part of this year’s ‘Too Desi Too Queer’ programme at the London Indian Film Festival. The festival takes place from 22nd June – 29 June 2023 and there will be a second showing of Discovering Kali, at the Electric Cinema in Birmingham with both screenings featuring talent Q&A.
For the first time ever, audiences will discover the story behind the iconic club and its impact on the lives of an intergenerational, inclusive LGBTQ+ community and relationship to South Asian heritage. Told through the lens of its pioneering founders DJ Ritu and Rita Hirani, the many performers and community members over the years, the film documents the club’s 25 years of community, unity, education, and celebration. Club Kali started out as a monthly club night for the South Asian LGBTQ+ community in the mid-90s and quickly evolved to the worldwide phenomenon it is today.
Co-founder Rita Hirani shares her thoughts,
“Club Kali has finally come out. We are intergenerational, international, the stories of our community are powerful, beautiful and to be celebrated. This film shares the joy, the journey and the impact this safe space has had on the community, how what started as a club night became a global LGBTQ+ community.”
Club Kali started at the Dome, in Tufnell Park, it’s home for over two decades. Opening its doors to the sounds of the legendary DJ Ritu’s expertly mix of ‘Eastern flavours with Western classics. The music was a blend of Bhangra, Bollywood, Arabic music and Western pop appealing to the hearts and feet of an incredibly diverse community. Although Club Kali avoided mainstream media attention, people heard about it by word of mouth, supposedly the World’s best kept secret group became international, bringing the LGBTQ+ community together from all over the world.
The monthly and fortnightly club nights were celebrations of a global LGBTQ+ family; themed events marked Eid, Diwali, Christmas, Chinese New Year, Summer Solstice and united all faiths and cultures. The iconic Kali “Chutney Queens” – drag queens and trans folk dressing in elaborate and ornate saris and jewellery greeted guests, performed rituals, and took charge of the annual birthday cake on stage.
The events at the Dome were so popular that alongside these, celebrity and artist performances took place at venues such as the Barbican, Institute of Contemporary Arts, the British Film Institute, the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Co-Founder and infamous DJ Ritu, who was awarded an MBE in 2023 describes,
“The Kali dancefloor was filled with a multi-cultural following, non-Asians with Asians who yearned to hear Hindi film music mixed with RnB, Hip Hop, commercial house, but sung in Hindi, Punjabi, or Urdu, and everyone united by dancefloor beats and rhythms. This was and remains a blessing.”
In 2021 Club Kali was awarded a LGBTQ+ Heritage Plaque by Islington’s Pride describing Club Kali as a place that helped to inspire communities across the country.
Join audiences this week in London and Birmingham to take a nostalgic trip down Club Kali’s memory lane and be a part of the 25 years celebration!
For ticket booking information please visit the festival or BFI website:
Friday 23 June @BFI 6pm, South Bank, London.
Tickets: https://bit.ly/Kali25BFI
Sunday 25 June @Electric 6pm Cinema Birmingham
Tickets: https://bit.ly/3NxxmFw
