Making Heat Visible: Climate, Cities, and the Power of Cultural Storytelling

Extreme heat is no longer a distant climate risk. It is a lived reality across Indian cities.

From outdoor workers and gig economy riders to women, children, and vulnerable communities with limited access to cooling, heat stress is emerging as one of the most pressing public health and governance challenges in urban India. As cities grow denser and hotter, the impacts of climate change are increasingly unequal, visible in everyday life yet often invisible in public discourse.

This film documents our engagement with Fever Dream, a satirical play created by Tafreehwale in collaboration with Asar and the Climate Culture Collective. Through storytelling, performance, and audience dialogue, the play translates the complex issue of heat stress into a lived, relatable experience.

Rather than relying solely on reports and data, Fever Dream explores how culture can function as climate infrastructure, helping audiences emotionally connect with the realities of rising temperatures, urban heat, and climate inequality.

The play has been staged in Bengaluru and Mumbai, with more performances planned as part of ongoing efforts to bring climate conversations into public and cultural spaces.

Audience responses highlight the impact of this approach:
“The message was not in your face.”
“It made me think and laugh at the same time.”
“You don’t feel like you’re being given a lecture.”

Because climate risks are not only technical challenges.
They are social, cultural, and human experiences.