Varanasi ghats now play host to Maya146;s ad shoot

Two of the five songs for the film will be shot on the riverfront between November 7 and 9, a key member of the shooting crew told The Indian Express in Varanasi on Thursday evening.

All the five songs in the 80-minute docu-drama have been sung by top Bollywood singers, including Sadhna Sargam, Udit Narayan, Vinod Rathod and Kavita Krishnamurthy.

On Thursday, Rajesh, an artiste from Mumbai, led a contingent of local dancers to shoot the song 8220;Ab To Bhaiya Bahujan Ka Raaj Hai, Ab To Bhaiya Jan Jan Ka Raaj Hai8230;. Goonj Rahi Hai Disha Disha Mein Apni Jaykar, Pehli Baar Mila Hai Bahumat Ka Raaj.8221;

The docu-drama deals with every important aspect of Mayawati8217;s life, starting from her first major public speech at the Constitution Club in New Delhi in 1978 that laid the foundation of her association with BSP founder Kanshiram, to her ascendancy to the throne of UP CM with an unprecedented majority in May 2006, sources in the shooting crew said.

The docu-drama, which will further be shot during a soon-to-be-held programme of the BSP in Azamgarh, besides Jaunpur, Lucknow and areas near Mayawati8217;s birthplace Badalpur, also covers other epoch-making events dotting the progressive political chart of the BSP and Mayawati.

Being directed by Prem Singh, a nondescript talent hailing from Hajipur Bihar, the film8217;s script has been written by Akhilesh Sinha 8216;Gaib Takkaloof8217;, from Siwan district of Bihar.

The docu-drama which is also likely to feature Mayawati herself will have a low-rung Mumbai actor Archita Arora playing the role of Mayawati and P D Verma in the role of mentor Kanshiram.

The project has been produced by one K D Agrawal, but one of Mayawati8217;s six brothers is also actively mediating in the project, sources said.

The entire project which is likely to cost between Rs 15 to Rs 25 lakh is being produced under the banner of Vishwanath Films International, Goregaon Mumbai and its VCD is likely to be released by Mayawati herself during the Lucknow Mahotsava on November 27 next.

Once the CD is released, the docu-drama could be given a form of a two-and-a-half-hour film for 35-mm screen with the permission of UP Government. The plan is to then exempt it from entertainment tax in UP and later release throughout the country to spread the message 8220;Bahujan Hitai, Sarvajan Sukhai8221;, the eternal philosophy of the BSP, sources claimed.

Director of the docu-drama Prem Singh, confirming the shooting of Atulya Mayawati going on in Varanasi, but refused to disclose further.