Bandi-Banda'r Rupkotha traveling to India

Dance-drama “BaNdi-Banda'r Rupkotha”, produced by Srishti Cultural Centre and Anisul Islam Hero, is traveling to Rabindra Sadan in India's Kolkata on the invitation of the Indian High Commission and Kolkata dance organisation Sukalyan Entourage, where it will be performed on March 18. The production, directed by noted Indian dancer-choreographer Sukalyan Bhattacharya, is based on the Arabian Nights story “Alibaba and Forty Thieves”.

The dance-drama is one of the most expensive dance productions done so far in Bangladesh, with elaborate sets, props and three-dimensional projection maps. Eminent dancers Shamim Ara Nipa, Shibli Mohammad, Anisul Islam Hero, Dolly Iqbal, Sabrina Nisa, Tapan and Tamim are playing the central characters, along with 60 artistes of Nrityanchal and Srishti Cultural Centre. The drama was first conceptualised at Santiniketan in December 2013, and premiered on December 5, 2014. Since then, 12 shows of the drama have been staged in and outside Dhaka.

The music for “BaNdi-Banda'r Rupkotha” is done by noted composer Joy Sarkar, with eminent artistes Srikant Acharya, Nachiketa, Lopamudra Mitra, Anwesha, Manomoy Bhattacharya, Jayati Chakraborty, Raghab Chatterjee and Arijit Chakraborty lending their voices in the production. Indrani Haldar will sing for the part of Mozina in the drama.