Pune festival begins on August 28

The 21st edition of the Pune Festival will be dedicated to late veteran Marathi actor Nilu Phule. To be held from August 28 to September 3, the festival will be inaugurated by playback singer Asha Bhosale on August 28 at Ganesh Kala Krida Rangmanch at 4.30 pm.

“Union minister Farooq Abdullah will grace the occasion as chief guest on August 28. The annual Pune Festival awards will be presented the same evening to veteran flautist Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia, singer Mubarak Begum, scientist Jayant Narlikar and industrialist Kiran Mazumdar Shaw,” said MP Suresh Kalmadi, also the chairman of the Pune Festival Committee, at a press conference on Saturday.

The Shiamak Experience,’ a dance performance by choreographer Shiamak Davar and his troupe, a presentation by actress-danseuse, Hema Malini and her daughters, Esha and Ahana, and programmes by actors Varsha Usgaonkar and Subodh Bhave, are some of the main attractions of this year’s Pune Festival. Recitals by Chaurasia himself and vocalist, Pandita Kishori Amonkar are also the highlights.

In addition, other events like Marathi dramas, kavi sammelan,’ lavani,’ Kerala Mahotsav, Mahila Mahotsav, painting exhibition, vintage car rally, musical programmes for upcoming artistes like Ugavate Taare’ and Indradhanu,’ and sports events like the roller-skating competition, roll ball competition, clycling race, a golf tournamanent and a body-building competition are in the offing.

The events will be held at Ganesh Kala Krida Rangmanch, Bal Gandharva Rangmandir and Kala Dalan, Tilak Smarak Mandir, Yashwantrao Chavan auditorium, Kothrud, Nehru Memorial Hall, Lokmanya auditorium at Kesriwada and GL Apte auditorium.

The festival’s inaugural ceremony will be broadcast live on Doordarshan’s Sahyadri channel. The installation of the Ganesh idol will be held on August 23 at Hotel Saras, Nehru Stadium at 10.30 am.

Artistic offerings are aplenty what with Tukaram Daithankar opening the festival on August 28 with a shehnai’ recital, followed by Ganesh Vandana’ by Hema Malini and Esha and Ahana Deol’s dance performances. Shivshahir Babasaheb Purandare and his troupe of 100 artistes will present Shivkalyan Raja.’

The journey of lavani’ in the last 50 years of Marathi cinema will be highlighted in Lavani Bavankhani,’ a programme by actors like Usgaonkar, Amruta Khanvilkar, Deepali Sayyed, Shruti Marathe, Aniket Vishwasrao and Mayuresh Pen. Not to forget a recital by vocalist Shrinivas Joshi, a powada’ programme by Subodh Bhave along with Shahir Hemant Mavale.

Given the golden jubilee year of Maharashtra state, a special sequence of Marathi dramas like Olakh Na Palakh,’ Kuriyat Sada Tingalam’ and Jaago Mohan Pyare,’ to name a few, will be presented at the festival. The state-level Marathi Kavi Sammelan will consist of Ramdas Phutane, FM Shinde, Vitthal Wagh and Prakash Pathare, among others, will Hasyotsav’ will have participation by Makarand Tillu, Banda Joshi, Dilip Hallyal and Sadanand Chandekar.

A Pune Festival queen competition will be organised in two age groups at Balgandharva auditorium. The vintage car rally will be flagged off from Hotel Le Meridien on August 30 at 10 am. Corporates and ambassadors of various countries residing in India will participate in the golf tournament to be held at Oxford Golf and Country Club, Bavdhan.