This French treat comes with assorted Indian flavours

Jean-Jacques-Mahe; Ustad Amjad Ali Khan with sons Amaan and Ayaan Ali Khan

Jean-Jacques-Mahe; Ustad Amjad Ali Khan with sons Amaan and Ayaan Ali Khan

Bonjour India is back! Riding the wave of success of the first edition of Bonjour India (2009-2010), the embassy of France in India and the Institut Français en Inde, in association with the Alliance Française India network and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), unveiled the second edition of the festival from January.

Music, dance, literature, cinema, education, sports, fashion, architecture, photography and performing arts are the focus of Bonjour India that continues till April 2013. “Bonjour India is an invitation to discover and re-discover France through its whole artistic dimension. As a real cultural dialogue between French and Indian artists, the
festival will show the sheer friendship linking France and India,” said François Richier, ambassador of France to India.
From Jaipur to Kolkata, Delhi to Trivandrum, via Mumbai, Chandigarh, Nashik and several others, a total of 15 cities will play host to about 150 cultural events. These will encompass the entire gamut of people-to-people exchanges between India and France. The best of French trends spiced up with Indian flavours will also come to India through such platforms. Namaste France, Festival of India in France, soon usually follows, enhancing the people to people contact.
“This edition is about the evolved state of cultural exchange between the two countries where eminent artists from the both sides will discover and learn from each other. Eric Vigner will cast actor Nandita Das as the chief protagonist with an all Indian cast in an adaptation, Marguerite Duras’ play Gates to India Song, Subodh Gupta will design the sets for the Ballet Preljocaj ‘and then, one thousand years of peace’, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan will play an original sarod concerto by composer Pierre Thilloy with a symphonic orchestra from Avignon, light sculptors Patrick Rimoux and Nandita Palchoudhuri shall dress up Jantar Mantar. These are the sort of immensely enriched cultural projects that arise as a consequence of such festivals and help influence and introduce novel and mutually enriching concepts to artists and experts in both countries,” says M. Thierry Robert, deputy director, Institut Francais en
Inde.
The ballet Preljocaj, a contemporary ballet, in collaboration with the Russian Bolshoi theatre and Indian artist Subodh Gupta inaugurates the mega-festival. Indo-French play Gates to India Song, which sees actor Nandita Das in the lead and introduces French author Marguerite Duras to Indian audience, is scheduled for a debut at the NCPA theatre in Mumbai, and later in Delhi and Kolkata.
“This edition centres on Indo-French collaborative projects in the cultural field. Also the events planned are unique in grandeur, originality and scale. The three of the special shows Luminocity, the ballet Preljocaj and the sarod concerto have been created especially for Bonjour India 2013. The event Flying Angels was seen at the London Olympics, and we would like Delhi to experience these amazing events. The gastronomy section of Bonjour India is also unique this time as it will tickle the foodie in all through the following ‘appetising’ segments. A unique food-art project called Déguste will bring together artists and chefs to create the most eccentric projects aimed at feeding a curious audience of tasters. Recreating the French bistro chefs coming from all over France will present to their guests this delicious food, so typical from the daily Parisian life,” says Robert.
Luminocity, a multidisciplinary show on the theme of light in an exceptional setting at Jantar Mantar, will provide the backdrop for the dresses of light created by the Franco Indian couture duo Leconaet Hemant. “This multidisciplinary show will create an impact. Placed in an exceptional setting, this amazing spectacle will mix electronic music, visual arts and fashion. Orchestrated by DJ’s of the band Scratch Bandits Crew, it will be lit by the artists Patrick Rimoux and Nandita Palchoudhuri, famous for their sculptural light work,” says Robert.
Composer Pierre Thilloy and the Avignon Symphony Orchestra will share the same stage with sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan connecting the fundamental principles of two musical cultures: sharing heritage, exploring horizons. A global platform of choreographic navigation for iPads and iPhones by French choreographers N+N Corsino with Indian dancers Revanta Sarabhai and Pooja Purohit.
“Innovation to fashion and new trends, revisiting the past (baroque music interpreted by Amaryllis Dieltiens), navigating the present and fast-forwarding to the future (Greater Paris architecture exhibition on creating sustainable futuristic cities), discovering higher education options, the eclectic offerings of Bonjour India 2013 promise something to delight everyone’s palate. Reflecting the longstanding ties of friendship between France and India, the events will express our common passion for the arts, be a rich nurturing ground for new encounters, and inscribe yet another significant chapter of the relationship of the two countries,” says Robert.
Robert went on to say that most of the shows this year are adapted to the Indian audience. “The best example is Eric Vigner’s theatre adaptation of Marguerite Duras’ texts entirely rewritten in English to fit to the Indian audience. We invite you to come and discover what magic French and Indian artists can create when they work together,” adds Robert.

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