There is no phonetic ‘f’ sound in Hindi; it’s ‘phool’, not ‘fool’,” actor and musician Namit Das sighs over a call from the Mumbai airport. Das has just wrapped up a long weekend, with performances and early morning airport check-ins. Yet his frustration isn’t so much about the gruelling schedule but rather about how the richness of the language seems to have eroded with time. This Saturday, on the occasion of Hindi Diwas, Das will take stage with artistes like Gopal Datt, Puneet Sharma, and Shachi Pathak, who, like him, hold the language dear.

Gopal Datt will join the celebration. Pics courtesy/Instagram