The festival exhibits local and international South Asia inspired talent in areas such as music, fashion, dance, theatre, film, visual arts and crafts, literary works, yoga, social issues and more.
Festival goers can enjoy colorful kiosks offering over 40 restaurant and food vendors, exotic apparel and jewelry as well as Mehndi (henna) artists.
From the Indian film industry, popularly known as Bollywood, to classical music, this culture is already making a mark on the global arts and entertainment scene.
Canadian producer Vikas Kohli of Fatlabs studios has interviewed several Bollywood celebrity singers, sat in on various panels, performed and had his own compositions performed by different artists, and films that he has scored have screened at Masala Mendi Maasti almost every year.
[1][2][3] Headline acts have included Rahul Bose, Nandita Das, Rishi Rich, Jay Sean, Juggy D, Shiamak Davar, Toronto Tabla Ensemble, Trickbaby, Indian Ocean, Lisa Ray, Shibani Kashyap and Shweta Subram.
Highlights included Pakistani rockers Kazak, Indo-Persian dance, a licensed Dhol drum circle that featured Bhangra and Desi styles, and a screening of Dileep Mehta's Cooking with Stella, starring Don McKellar.