Sonal Mansingh in Kolkata

With Anandi Ghosh, Sonal Mansingh and Bharati Ray at the Tete-a-Tea

Nov 10, 2013: The last two days were very hectic for me and with two back to back events of Padmavibhushan Sonal Mansingh ji in Kolkata. The city was also on a high hectic note with countdown for the Kolkata Film Festival 2014 later today in the evening.

On Friday (Nov 8) the third edition of Tete-a-Tea with Sonal ji was organized by Prabha Khaitan Foundation was held at The Souk, Taj Bengal, in association with t2 and Taj Bengal.

The event went off very well despite traffic problems in the city. The earlier two guests on Tete-a-Tea were Anurag Basu and Lord Swraj Paul. 
This time Ekavalli Khanna was in conversation with Sonal ji who shared interesting anecdotes from her life and illustrious career going back to her her salad days. She also expressed her views on the current state of affairs in the field of art and culture in India.

With danseuse Tanusree Shankar, Sonal Mansingh and her troupe and Sandeep Soparkar and Jesse Randhawa's troupe at the Birla Sabhaghar

On Saturday, the first of a 10-city tour of Swarnika – a celebration of 54 years of the legend, danseuse, Sonal ji’s career – was flagged off at the Birla Sabhaghar, Kolkata. The event When the Gods Meet was a presentation of Indic-Greek dance confluence on some of the popular mythologies of India and Greece. Sandeep Saporkar and Jesse Randhawa choreographed the dance re-enacting the ancient myths of Greece.

With Sonal Mansingh and Tanusree Shankar after the event

This event was organized by Prabha Khaitan Foundation and the venue provided by Sanskriti Sagar and the hospitality by Club Verde Vista. This was the first of a 10-city tour in India that took off from Kolkata. At the end of the event, danseuse Tanusree Shankar felicitated Sonal ji with a flower bouquet. This time the heavy traffic snarls had some impact on the turnout. I too got stuck in a jam and reached half an hour late. It was a very nice programme that was much appreciated by the audience.

Again on Monday I am planning to invite some of the eminent Kolkatans for a tea with another legend of Indian film industry Kamal Haasan who will be in the city for the Kolkata Film Festival 2014.

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