Lovers of Bengali culture will be able to soak up Bengali literature, music, dance and theater along with Bengali films and film music at the fourth North American Bengali Conference (NABC) July 2, 3 and 4 at the Westchester Country Center, White Plains, NY, organized by the Cultural Association of Bengal.
The Conference will feature an array of pop and classical music, theater, dance, food, fashion, shopping, and socializing. Cultural program will showcase specially curated group productions, including daily performances from US artists, theatrical productions from Kolkata, special programs, a pre-NABC musical night, and a Bollywood music concert finale.
Pre-Conference – A Kumar Sanu music concert, The Magical 90s, will kick off the three day celebration of Bengali culture with popular film songs by the singer.
Opening Day – The Opening Ceremony will feature a multimedia extravaganza titled Ekatvam, presenting India’s traditional dance forms and classical music.
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Kathak Rockers of Kumar Sharma will be part of the opening day, presenting a fusion of classical Kathak and Bollywood dance. Kathak Rockers is an internationally acclaimed pioneer in Kathak fusion.
Tributes to Legendary Personalities – The three day Conference will pay tributes to two legendary Bengali film personalities, Uttam Kumar and Rahul Dev Burman or Pancham. Tributes will take the form of music and dance and theater presentations. Tribute will also be paid to Bengals philosopher poet Rabindranath Tagore.
100 Years of Mahanayak Uttam Kumar will pay tribute to the legendary actor of Bengali cinema. A music and dance tribute to the actor will be paid by his grandson Gaurab Chatterjee and grand daughter-in-law Devlina Kumar. Artists and dignitaries will talk about Uttam Kumar’s legacy, his life and films. Attendees will also participate. The tribute will also feature an exhibition of the actor’s photographs, memorabilia and artifacts at an exhibition.
Magic of Pancham will pay a musical tribute to the pioneer of fusion of Indian classical, folk and western music, R.D. Burman. Vocalists including Aneek Dhar, Chandrika Bhattacharya, Manasi Ghosh, Trisha Chatterjee will present Pancham Da’s songs. The concert will also feature saxophone player Kishore Sodha who played with Pancham.
Pujarini, a dance drama inspired by Rabindranath Tagore’s works Pujarini and Natir Puja, will present a timeless story of devotion.
Plays – Daybaddha – The Conference program will include the poignant and thought provoking play, Daybaddha, directed by Aritra Bannerjee and written by Chandan Sen. The play incorporates the meaning of fatherhood, parenthood and human bonds beyond blood.
Pankh, a music and dance production, will be part of the Conference program. Conceptualized and composed by the renowned Shantanu Moitra, Pankh is a group of special stories from everyday life, rendered by Kaushiki Chakraborty.
Yodhini, a performance featuring a fusion of music and classical, folk and contemporary dance theater, will present a musical play. With concept and choreography by Sanchita Bhattacharya and music by Pt. Tarun Bhattacharya, Yodhini will celebrate India’s fearless women freedom fighters.
Conference Finale – Bollywood Sunday Dhamaka, a music concert will be the finale of the three day cultural programs, featuring music composers Vishal and Shekhar with their select compositions.
NABC International Film Festival and Awards – A very special feature of the Conference will be the NABC International Film Festival featuring screenings of films inspired by Bengali tradition, culture, literature, and history. Films will include full length features, shorts, documentaries and OTT releases. This year’s Brand Ambassador will be famous actor Rituparna Sengupta.
The NABC film festival offers a platform for filmmakers, producers, directors, actors, writers, and technicians from across the globe, especially for Bengali films. Film makers desiring screenings and entries can contact special representatives listed at https://nabcapp.com/film_festival.
The NABC IFFA Awards, the Golden Eagle Film Awards, will be presented in a special star studded award show.
Closing Ceremony – The Conference closing ceremony will feature a presentation of An Awakened World: United in Love and Peace by Bikram Ghosh. Directed and choreographed by Sunrita Kainth, this powerful musical dance form will explore humanity’s shared spiritual roots and binding harmony.
Registration for the convention is open online at https://nabcapp.com/online_registration. Hotels can be booked directly. A shuttle bus will be provided to transport to the venue from the hotels.