Life story of famous ragini singer Dada Lakhmi wins accolades at Haryana int’l film fest

Directed and co-written by actor Yashpal Sharma, the 2.5 hour feature film is a heartfelt tribute to famous poet and ragini singer Pandit Lakhmi Chand, who is fondly called Dada Lakhmi

Dada Lakhmi, a Haryanvi film based on the life story of state’s famous poet and ragini singer Pandit Lakhmi Chand, drew a huge crowd and dominated the concluding day of the Haryana International Film Festival.

Dada Lakhmi, a Haryanvi film based on the life story of state’s famous poet and ragini singer Pandit Lakhmi Chand, drew a huge crowd and dominated the concluding day of the Haryana International Film Festival. (HT Photo)

Directed and co-written by actor Yashpal Sharma, the 2.5 hour feature film is a heartfelt tribute to Chand, who is fondly called Dada Lakhmi. He is credited for giving an identity to the folk theatre of Haryana, generally called ‘saang’ (drama).

Sharma, who is known for his impactful acting in notable movies like Lagaan and Gangaajal, played the role of Dada Lakhmi in the film.

The theatre resonated with the cheers and applause when the movie opened, taking the viewers to the pre-independent era with Lakhmi Chand trying to meet Jawaharlal Nehru during a public meeting at an undisclosed place in Haryana. The movie is based on the life story of the legend born in 1903. It reflects his struggle with abject poverty and the fame he gained despite his death at the age of 42.

Deepti Aggarwal, a radio presenter who travelled to Kurukshetra from Chandigarh to watch the film, said, “I never expected that the movie would impress me this way. I am a keen follower of Dada Lakhmi’s work and the movie was a great opportunity to see his life story vividly.”

“There were several movies screened during the Haryana film festival, but no doubt the viewers liked Dada Lakhmi the most,” said Ashok Sharma, an assistant professor at Kurukshetra University.

“I did not expect that there would be such a huge response and great arrangement,” Sharma said while interacting with the audience after the screening.

Forty short films, 20 feature films and 15 music videos from 28 countries were screened in 24 languages during the event organised by the Haryana Kala Parishad and Society for Art and Cultural Development.