Stars dance for stars

THE SAME chap who brought you the star-studded `Netru Indru Nalai' show in aid of The Banyan, Harsh Bhandari, now brings you yet another show connecting the present with the past.

Simple Things Productions, his banner, will organise `Idhayathil Endrum', a tribute to four queens who have ruled Tamil filmdom - Padmini, Saroja Devi, Sreedevi and Khushboo. Not an exhaustive list though, he admits. Just those whose films have enough scope for their dancing abilities. Recreating their electrifying dance performances on stage on Friday, would be Shobana, Meena, Nagma and Monal.

While Shobana pays tribute to Padmini, in her own classical style, Meena would take off on Saroja Devi, Nagma would emulate Sreedevi and Monal would swing to Khushboo numbers.

The four actresses got together at the Film Dancer's Union Hall at Burkit Road for rehearsals on Wednesday. Shobana wasn't dressed for a photo-opportunity. She wasn't prepared for it. She was done with the rehearsals and left soon. Meena wasn't carrying her lipstick. So it was only Nagma and Monal who posed for the camera.

Nagma was excited. ``It's a great honour to perform for a versatile actress like Sreedevi, who's popular not just in India but internationally. And this is my first show in Chennai,'' she said. It is a first for Meena too. ``I usually don't do shows. But I agreed because I liked this concept. When I started rehearsing, the old songs really touched my heart. And they are all huge musical hits of Saroja Devi,'' said Meena.

Shobana has done shows before, but hardly one with a filmi theme. Newcomer Monal hasn't done shows before either. ``It's a great opportunity for me to perform for a show like this. I hope to live upto the reputation of such a popular star like Khushboo,'' she said.

So it's a first of sorts for everyone, and that is what has Harsh excited. The programme made specially for TV (it goes on air on Sun TV on August 15) would be only an hour long ground event for select invitees only. Limited passes would be available at the Image Auditorium before the show on Friday on a first-come first- served basis, the organisers say. The curtains go up at 4 p.m.

By Sudhish Kamath

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