Led by drummer Gino Banks and his ensemble of accomplished musicians, the opening act was a fitting tribute to the legendary jazz pianist and composer Louis Banks. The much-awaited Prithvi Theatre Festival opened on Sunday, on a musical high, with an electrifying jazz performance, ‘Legacy of Louis Banks’, setting the tone for the annual celebration of theatre and the performing arts.
The festival, which has been a much-loved annual fixture on Mumbai’s cultural calendar, is now in its fifth decade and will go on till Nov 16 this year. Speaking about the journey, Kunal Kapoor, trustee of Prithvi Theatre, said, “Prithvi’s first Festival was in November 1983, and since then the Prithvi Team has worked hard in keeping this tradition and annual event alive. You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Mumbai | Silver Rate in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai | Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Petrol Price in Mumbai | Diesel Price in Mumbai | CNG Price in Mumbai | LPG Price in Mumbai Stay updated with the latest Mumbai news.
The performance brought together an exciting mix of jazz rhythms, improvisations and soulful melodies. With musicians on the trumpet, saxophone, piano, keyboards and guitars, the ensemble created a rich musical tapestry, while Gino Banks kept the energy soaring with his dynamic drumming. Adding a beautiful Indian classical touch to the jazz arrangements were four vocalists, who treated the audience to some lovely sargams. The interplay between the instrumental solos and the vocal harmonies made for some memorable musical moments. It is no easy task, but with the amazing support from the Theatre fraternity and the audience The Prithvi Festival carries on in its 5th decade! So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see, So long lives this, and this gives life to thee. ” Zahan Kapoor and Shaira Kapoor played the perfect hosts to the gathering, welcoming theatre personalities, filmmakers, actors and other members of Mumbai’s cultural fraternity to this much-awaited festive evening. The opening night also saw a strong Bollywood presence, with several familiar faces from the worlds of cinema and theatre turning up to celebrate the occasion. Among those present were Imtiaz Ali, Zoya Akhtar , Vishal Bhardwaj, Naseeruddin Shah, Ratna Pathak Shah, Supriya Pathak Kapur, Sanah Kapur, Manav Kaul, Neena Gupta, Soni Razdan, Mahesh Bhatt, Pooja Bhatt, Lara Dutta, Sonali Kulkarni, Samara Tijori, Kausar Munir, Swanand Kirkire, Anup Soni, Juhi Babbar, Shweta Tripathi Sharma, Vivaan Shah, Heeba Shah, Rajit Kapur, Divya Dutta, Ali Fazal, Aanjjan Srivastav, Bhamini Oza, Sumeet Vyas, Ekta Kaul, Eden Kesang, Sheena Sippy, Dolly Thakore, Jaimini Pathak, Trishla Patel and Nivedita Bhattacharya. Download the TOI App.
