`Less fortunate' kids enjoy movie show

ALLAHABAD:Pinki gaped in astonishment as she entered the movie hall. We have come here towatch a movie, she gushed as her eyes roamed all over trying to imbibeeverything around. It was a big occasion for her as also the other 150 childrenfrom the orphanage and slum areas of the city who assembled at Raj Karan moviehall to watch a movie.This special show of the movie `Rab Ne Bana DiJodi' was organised by the District Aakansha Samiti with help from districtadministration. These children had come to a movie hall for the first time intheir lives. Though majority of them had seen movies on TV but none of them hadever visited a hall before. Their smiles were to be seen to bebelieved!Children reached the venue with their teachers in buses andjeeps, arranged especially for them by the district administration, and seatedthemselves well in time. They all wanted to sit up front. One child wasoverheard saying, "Jaldi chalo, aage ki seat lenge (Move fast so that we get thefront seats).'' When Abdullah was informed that the seats at the back of thebalcony would be the best, he could not understand wondering aloud "Aisa kaiseho sakta hai (how is this possible)!'' Arti, a frail 9-yr-old girland Kulsum, another little 12-yr-old from Gaughat, seated themselves on a singleseat. Even after she was told to take a separate seat, she kept coming back tosit with her friend. Numerous others did the same sharing their seats as alsothe joy of watching a movie on the big screen for the first time in their liveswith their friends.These children were assembled from BalgrihaShishu Sadan, a government orphanage at Shivkuti, as also slums areas of Kareli,Sadia, Gaughat and the city. Children from the slums mainly belong to familiesthat are involved in rag picking and work as domestic helps in houses and shops.These children are being educated at labour schools and other schools by Udaanand Kopal Welfare Trust. A movie show was an attempt to attract them furthertowards schooling!"Picture bahut acchi hai,'' said Govinda whenasked about the movie in the interval. He was delighted to be sitting in thefront row of balcony with such a big screen right in front of him. Abbas lovedthe dance sequences in the movie. Shah Rukh Khan kya dance kar raha hai, he saidabout the hero with stars glittering in his eyes.Aged between nineyears to 14 years, the boys swooned over the hero while the girls admired theheroine. Shah Rukh Khan was complimented for his body, his smartness, his dancesand his makeup. "Mujhe bhi uske jaisa dance karna hai,'' added Rahul. "Kitnisundar lagti hai,'' declared Laxmi watching the heroine. Childrenwere seen chatting happily during the interval. Aakansha Samiti had arranged forcold drinks and biscuits for them. Children were seen enjoying themselvesthoroughly throughout the movie. Ila Pant, district probation officer (DPO),Allahabad said, Children from the orphanage are ecstatic. The bus ride, themovie hall, the eatables everything has been like a dream come true for them.Tasneema Zaidi from Udaan too witnessed the same reaction from children of herschool.Rajiv Aggarwal, DM Allahabad, who arranged the show for thechildren commented, "Our aim is to instil confidence in these kids and make themfeel as much a part of society as the other more fortunate children. Theirsmiles have made this show extremely rewarding for all of us!''