Besides Khan and Big B, others from Bollywood like Katrina Kaif, Anushka Sharma and Mithun Chakraborty are also expected
Kolkata:
A group of 48 inmates serving lifesentences at Kolkata's Presidency and Alipore jail will get aonce-in-a-lifetime opportunity to entertain Bollywoodsuperstars Amitabh Bachchan and Shahrukh Khan on Saturday bygroup dancing.
At the inauguration ceremony of the Kolkata InternationalFilm Festival (KIFF) here at the Netaji Indoor Stadium, theprisoners will present four group dances which includestraditional folk dance 'Chhau', a peacock-style dance and aninvocation to the Goddess Kali.
Besides Khan and Big B, others from Bollywood likeKatrina Kaif, Anushka Sharma and Mithun Chakraborty are alsoexpected to be present at the inauguration along with WestBengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
The eight-minute performance by the troupe will be anexcerpt from Rabindranath Tagore's dance drama ValmikiPratibha and would be directed by dancer and choreographerAlakananda Roy who has trained the inmates in a process oftheir gradual return to the mainstream.
"All of them are very excited and feel honoured to beinvited for this show. Although they have performed on stageearlier, this one is going to be more special given thehigh-profile audience. They could never dream of somethinglike this," Roy told PTI.
Tagore's Valmiki Pratibha is an inspirational storyof the transformation of the dacoit Ratnakara into saintValmiki.
Amidst security, these inmates were today brought fromthe jail to the stadium where they rehearsed.
Besides opening a new window of creative expression forthem, Roy is also teaching them on how to conduct themselvesif Big B or SRK talks to them after the show.
"They want to make a comeback in the mainstream. Anddance is my way of giving them a second chance in life," saidthe choreographer who has been conducting workshops with themsince 2005.
"When they perform on stage not only they reform byimmersing their soul in art but also the perception of thepeople about prisoners change," Roy said.
At the inauguration ceremony of the Kolkata InternationalFilm Festival (KIFF) here at the Netaji Indoor Stadium, theprisoners will present four group dances which includestraditional folk dance 'Chhau', a peacock-style dance and aninvocation to the Goddess Kali.
Besides Khan and Big B, others from Bollywood likeKatrina Kaif, Anushka Sharma and Mithun Chakraborty are alsoexpected to be present at the inauguration along with WestBengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
The eight-minute performance by the troupe will be anexcerpt from Rabindranath Tagore's dance drama ValmikiPratibha and would be directed by dancer and choreographerAlakananda Roy who has trained the inmates in a process oftheir gradual return to the mainstream.
"All of them are very excited and feel honoured to beinvited for this show. Although they have performed on stageearlier, this one is going to be more special given thehigh-profile audience. They could never dream of somethinglike this," Roy told PTI.
Tagore's Valmiki Pratibha is an inspirational storyof the transformation of the dacoit Ratnakara into saintValmiki.
Amidst security, these inmates were today brought fromthe jail to the stadium where they rehearsed.
Besides opening a new window of creative expression forthem, Roy is also teaching them on how to conduct themselvesif Big B or SRK talks to them after the show.
"They want to make a comeback in the mainstream. Anddance is my way of giving them a second chance in life," saidthe choreographer who has been conducting workshops with themsince 2005.
"When they perform on stage not only they reform byimmersing their soul in art but also the perception of thepeople about prisoners change," Roy said.
