This story is from January 16, 2012

Prison inmates to sing in Muktodhara

TNN / Updated: Jan 11, 2017, 19:10 IST

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Jail inmates will be lending their voice for Shiboprasad and Nandita��s ��Muktodhara��; songs scored by Surajit

Being confined within four walls �� even if they are tall enough �� doesn��t mean cutting oneself off from the world. All one needs is a chance. Shiboprasad Mukhopadhyay and Nandita Roy��s ��Muktodhara�� that focusses on life behind bars, has provided prison inmates with that chance. A number of them will be singing for the film, which has music by Surajit.
IG (Prison) Ranvir Kumar recently gave a go-ahead to the project. ��In fact, cutting an album under a music label is on the cards. And then, singing for a commercial venture only means the inmates are getting recognized for their talent. This would motivate others, making them hone their skills and come out in the open to explore such options,�� he says.
It��s called ��culture therapy�� and the trend is encouraging, he says. ��Inmates have always been encouraged to explore the hidden talents in them like painting, music or other vocational trainings. They have the time to pursue their talents and it can be of help in the long run,�� the IG says.
For Shiboprasad, the project is essentially about being honest to his own film. ��If we are focussing on transforming inmates, it also means we need to give them a platform. That��s the idea which was conceived by Nanditadi (Roy) and me, when we started work on this project. Nigel, a real-life convict, who plays the main lead, is a fantastic actor. And there are others equally good. Sanjay, who has done the choreography with Alokananda Roy, is mindblowing and so is Buka, who has danced Chhau for us. Jagat, another inmate, has a lilting voice. We are using him for quite a few tracks,�� says the director.

Even if most songs are those that are part of ��Balmiki Pratibha��, which is being performed by the prison inmates, there��s another number ��Gunti��, sung by Silajit, Raghab and Mir. ��The life of prison inmates revolves around counting. So, we have a song that gives out the same feeling. Joining in the chorus, would be the convicts.��
Former ADG (Prison) BD Sharma too will be singing a track for the film. Recording will take place after January 20, once the shoot is complete. ��The untimely rains have played a spoilsport. It took a toll on the shooting schedule. Eighty per cent of the shoot is complete. We are going ahead with guide tracks. The final songs will be recorded once we wrap up the shoot,�� the director adds. Surajit, who performed at both Presidency and Alipore jails as part of Bhoomi��s anniversary four years back, says he had wanted to work with the inmates ever since then. ��When Shiboprasad approached me with this concept, I was thrilled. The song ��Gunti��, which sums up the mood of counting in jails, deals with prisoners reacting to a new entrant and also how they become friends,�� he says.
As a parting shot Surajit adds, ��The concept of recording with prison inmates has drawn strong response from people working at the studio. But I want to break the ice. There��s no difference between them and us and for most, being behind bars is only incidental.�� Surajit and team will be visiting the jails and holding workshops, before they finally get to the task of recording. And the unit is looking forward to it.

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