Amitabh to witness performance by blind orchestra

NAGPUR: Superstar Amitabh Bachchan will witness a performance by a Nagpur-based orchestra consisting of young blind musicians, in Mumbai on Monday.

The children, from the music group 'Swargandha,' would give a special 30-minute performance for the film star at Mehboob Studios in Bandra, Vivek Lohakare, the orchestra director, said on Sunday.

The programme would consist entirely of songs that have been picturised on Amitabh Bachchan himself, he said.

The orchestra consisted of 17 artistes - 3 girls and 14 boys - between 15 and 25 years of age, Mr Lohakare said. They were all either present or past students of a school for the visually handicapped run by the Blind Relief Association here, he said.

Mr Lohakare, who is a music teacher at the school, said he had formed the orchestra to ensure that the visually handicapped had a means of respectable livelihood.

''The group gives regular performances and gets paid for it. The money is distributed equally among the musicians,'' he said.

The group had sent a letter complimenting Amitabh on his performance in the film 'Black,' along with a compact disc (CD) of a recording of a programme by the orchestra, about two years ago, and had offered to give a performance before the star, Mr Lohakare said.

The superstar had agreed to grant an audience, but had not been able to give a specific date so far because of his busy schedule, he also said.

''Mr Bachchan's secretary sent us a fax last week, inviting us for a performance on October 1. We are leaving for Mumbai by air tomorrow. We will have a short interaction with him after the performance, and then return to Nagpur by train,'' Mr Lohakare informed.