The evening’s event, ‘Sonia Gandhi: In a New Light’, was the launch of Rani Singh’s book, Sonia Gandhi: An Extraordinary Life, An Indian Destiny, which tells the transformational story of Sonia’s life: a woman who fell in love with the young Rajiv Gandhi and became the dutiful wife and daughter-in-law of the First Family of India, was propelled by tragedy into the public eye and into a playing field where she has gained personal and political strength while ignoring the below-the-belt tactics of her detractors.

The discussion panel featured Rani Singh, journalist, actor and BBC presenter, Suhel Seth a columnist, actor and advertising professional, and Virendra Sharma, MP of Ealing-Southall, and was chaired by William Alden who is Chief Executive of the Worshipful Company of Stationers and Newspaper Makers.

Singh’s sympathetic portrayal of Sonia Gandhi is not necessarily the feeling on the ground in India; the question of her nationality and her lack of political background are frequently called into question. But Suhel Seth countered Singh’s portrayal, albeit for different reasons, with his characteristically irascible flair.

Seth – a favourite go-to person for television panels in India – has participated in discussions on a variety of subjects and always brings wit and fire to the table. He was quick to point out how the family has leveraged the Gandhi name, and stated that India’s “feudal mindset” and the Indian people are to be given credit for Sonia’s rise. “She has all the power and no accountability,” he said; all the more reason for the Indian public’s ire and distrust.

The panel’s range of political leanings is what really made this discussion engaging. MP Virendra Sharma’s pro-Indira Gandhi stance came up against Suhel Seth’s anti-Nehru-Gandhi-family position and provided the meat for the night’s discussions. Sharma believes that Sonia Gandhi has the capacity to initiate change, mainly in the form of electoral reforms; Sonia’s practice of keeping silent (her strength and her weakness, according to Singh) and not committing to any issue one way or the other means, however, that the world has no idea if she intends to.

Throughout the debate there ran the theme of stories; the South Asian region has exploded in recent years, and a Festival such as this aims to give a voice to all – from marginalised communities in strife-filled areas, to world leaders struggling with the responsibilities of power. If you missed the opening night, there is still a lot to look forward to: 18 more days of stories, authors, artists, debate and discussion at venues across the UK.

And if this rambunctious evening – a healthy mix of laugh-out loud moments, quiet contemplative ones and heated political debate that that had the audience completely engaged and wanting more – is anything to go by, you’re guaranteed to be informed, provoked and titillated to your heart’s content.