Bazm-e-Virasat: A star-studded tribute to art and culture of Prayagraj
Director-actor Tigmanshu Dhulia is set to bring musicians, actors, authors and filmmakers at the Bazm-e-Virasat festival to held in Parayagraj from December 20.
With less than a month to go for the Mahakumbh in Prayagraj, the city is gearing up to host a grand congregation of music legends, filmmakers, actors, poets and authors ahead of the mega event.
Padma Vibhusha Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia, singer Shubha Mudgal, writer Vikas Swarup, filmmakers Anurag Kashyap, Sudhir Mishra and Nandita Das, lyricist Kausar Munir, actor Sanjay Mishra, Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Ali Fazal and others will gather for the three-day Bazm-e-Virasat even. Scheduled to begin on December 20 at Bishop Johnson School in Prayagraj, the event promises a vibrant celebration of art and culture.
National award-winning director and actor Tigmanshu Dhulia has curated an annual celebration to honour and nurture the rich cultural and literary heritage of Prayagraj, his hometown and the backdrop of his debut feature film Haasil (2003).
“I was born and raised in this city, which has given the country seven prime ministers, legendary authors, musicians like Panditji and Shubhaji, and remarkable bureaucrats. During my childhood, Prayagraj was culturally vibrant. Over the years, I watched that richness fade away, which inspired me to make a documentary on the Allahabad that we have lost. However, during my research I realised that much of it still exists-- it just needs to be revived. That’s how my friends Zafar Bakhat, Ram Chari, and I came together to start this foundation,” says Tigmanshu Dhulia.
The event will feature a variety of performances, including actor-director Sumeet Vyas’s play Purane Chawal starring actor Kumud Mishra and Shubhrajyoti Barat, an RD Burman Night, a presentation by the Anirudh Varma Collective, a Mushaira-Kavi Sammelan, stand-up comedy by Sundeep Sharma and much more.
“Author Vikas Swaroop, whose books inspired the Hollywood film Slumdog Millionaire and my OTT series The Great Indian Murder, is also from the city. We are trying to bring together people from Prayagraj who have achieved great success. The event will feature sessions like Puraane Shehar Ki Baatein Aur Kisse, Allahabad in Literature, a tribute to Fareed and Nikhat Kazmi, discussions on Firaq Gorakhpuri, music veterans' reunion, Zikr-e-Firaq and dastaangoi performance Dastaan-e-Mir by Mahmood Farooqui and Darain Shahidi will be held,” shares Dhulia.
The filmmaker adds that he is looking forward to making it an annual event and do theatre and film festivals in between.
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