Cultural feast to remember Pu La

<div class="section1"><div class="Normal">PUNE: A cultural feast befitting the multi-dimensional personality of late Pu La Deshpande has been laid out by city-based Aashay Sanskritik from December 25 to remember Pu La - the great humorist.<br /><br />The 15-day festival offers everything that was dear to Pu La - right from films, music, books, plays and food, said Virendra Chitrav, secretary Aashay while addressing a news conference here on Thursday.Titled as ''Pulotsav'', the event will be inaugurated by noted Marathi poet Vinda Karandikar at Balgandharva at 9 am on December 25, in the presence of poets Narayan Surve and Mangesh Padgaonkar.<br /><br />Noted music director Bhaskar Chandavarkar will inaugurate the short film festival at the National Film Archive of India (NFAI) on December 26 where 40 short films will be screened. "Short films on renowned personalities like Zubin Mehta, Pandit Jasraj, Tijanbai, M S Subalaxmi, Smita Patil, Girija Devi, Raj Kapoor, Gurudatta, Making of <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Lagaan </span>(Chale Chalo) and Tarana will be shown", Chitrao stated.<br /><br />Also on cards is a children''s film festival that will feature films like <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Jajantaram</span>, <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">School</span>, <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Heda Hoda</span>, <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Chhakkad Bakkad</span> and <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Child and Soldier</span> and <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Dahavi Pha</span>. The festival will be held at Neelayam theatre during Dec 26 to 31 at 9 am.<br /><br />The Pathfinder katta, next to Neelayam theatre will hold open in-terviews and discussions with authors and artists at 11 am. A seminar on ''Stories 150'', open interaction with painter Subhash Awchat, hotelier Vitthal Kamat, author Pravin Davane and team of artists from serial ''Gangadhar Tipare'' are the main attractions of the katta.<br /><br />Chitrav stated that a special programme on vocalist Kumar Gand-harva and open interview of photographer Gautam Rajadhyaksha will be among the cultural programmes to be held at Balgandharva Rang Mandir and Yashwantrao Chavan auditorium. "A review of Marathi films tracing the journey from <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Shyamchi Aai</span> to <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Shwaas</span> has been planned to mark <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Shwaas</span>''s entry for an Oscar", he added.<br /><br />Traditional Maharashtrian dishes and fish delicacies of the Saraswat community which were Pu La''s favourites will be available at the ''Aapulki'' food festival to be held at Jatra in Balgandharva Cafeteria during Dec 25 to Jan 8. Another food festival will be held at Kaapi Corner at Pathfinder to offer pizzas, parathas, chhat, salads, milkshakes and ice creams.<br /><br />Chitrav added that season tickets (priced at Rs 500 each) of the festival will be on sale at Pathfinder near Neelayam talkies from December 18.</div> </div>