Exclusive: A lip-sync battle brings together India’s finest drag performers India on stage

For the last fifteen years, the light and sound of a nightclub has served as sanctuary for a community. In August 2011, Keshav Suri, Executive Director, The LaLiT Suri Hospitality Group launched Kitty Su at the hotel, naming it after a fictional drag queen—since then the space, with numerous outposts across The Lalit Hotels across the country, has become a haven for the LGBTQIA+ community. “From day one, Kitty Su has been about people owning their identity, walking into a room and simply being, without fear, without judgement, without having to explain themselves,” Suri says. “That's how it became a movement of hope for my community, one night, one performance, one person at a time.”

Kitty Su’s drag shows and balls have become popular events, as Indian cities have witnessed the emergence of drag collectives, queer nightlife events and independent spaces. Social media has further expanded drag’s reach, allowing performers to engage with followers, create digital personas and build communities. Perception about drag and queer communities are also evolving, albeit in small incremental steps. It is a sign of change that drag artists now find brand endorsements, onscreen gigs and opportunities that eschew stereotyping in favour of highlighting their authenticity and social impact.

Kitty Su has been a landmark destination in this journey and marks its 15th year this month. To celebrate the occasion, the nightclub will host The Battle Royale II—a new edition of its drag performance competition on August 22 in New Delhi. Beginning at the brand’s 14th anniversary celebrations last year, the lip-sync competition has been hosted in Mumbai and Delhi in the past, aiming to showcase drag talent across India and creating a national-level platform for queer performances. Lip-syncing is one of the most popular and well-known aspects of drag performance, serving as its own form of storytelling—a key theatrical tool for drag performers as they adopt different personas on stage.

Drag artist Betta Naan Stop will host the competition, having been a part of Battle Royale since its first edition. The judges include drag artists Zeesh and Lush Monsoon along with Rakhi Sawant while the competitors lineup features Velvet Vortex, winner of Battle Royale Mumbai, and Trixie Prema, the Battle Royale Bengaluru Champion. Also from Bengaluru are the drag artist Dark Fantasy who will make her debut at the competition, and Ms Bhenji whose performances are known for their comedic element. Other competitors include Noor Sins and Amit The Shining Star.

The competition will also be the occasion for the launch of Kitty Su Beauty, a queer-led label which marks an expansion for the brand in the fashion and beauty categories. In a booming and highly competitive beauty market, the label aims to stand out with its legacy in drag culture and performances in which makeup is a key component, its exaggerated style serving as yet another performance technique. To Suri, and Cyril Feuillebois who conceptualised the brand, with Delhi-based drag queen and makeup artist Hash Brownie involved in product development, the aim is to evoke the same joy and inclusivity as the nightclub it is named after. “For so many people, Kitty Su was the first place where they felt seen without explanation, celebrated without judgment and free to exist exactly as they are,” says Feuillebois. “If KittySu Beauty can carry even a fraction of that feeling into someone’s everyday life, then we’ve created something far more meaningful than makeup.”