LALU KE BAAP KI RAILGAADI

Dil Se...Lalu ban gaya Shah RukhAdd to Clippings
[ 12 Dec, 2006 0121hrs ISTTIMES NEWS NETWORK ]
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SASARAM: Few would have thought of enacting the reel-life scene of Shah Rukh Khan and Malaika Arora’s chartbuster Chal chhaiyyan chhaiyyan ... in Dil Se . But then railway minister Lalu Prasad is no ordinary mortal. On Sunday morning, he flagged off and travelled on a train while dancers pranced on, not quite the roof, but a flatbed coach. The 41-km song-and-dance was watched by Lalu from his see-through inspection coach.

"The sight was no less exciting than a film shoot," said an audience member at Sasaram, who was there to greet the 745 Up Bikramganj-Sasaram passenger. Wearing cream kurta-pyjama and pullover, Lalu remained ensconced in the sofa throughout, sipping tea and clapping to encourage the artistes.

The performers also regaled the crowds that had gathered at different halts. The programme stopped only for Lalu to address the gathering through a megaphone. It took three hours to cover the 41-km distance.

For the artistes, it was a dream come true to perform on a running train. "Real thrill... I had never thought of myself doing a Malaika," cooed Soma Chakravorty of the troupe. Her male colleague added, "Lalu's a real raja; he can get anything done in real life."

There were reasons for the dancers, from a Patna-based theatre troupe, Prangan, to be pleased. Before boarding the MR Special train for his journey back to Patna, Lalu announced a cash bonus of Rs 1 lakh for them.

Never before in the annals of Indian railways has a passenger — artiste or whoever — been allowed to travel by an open freight wagon. And, of course, never before was a cultural programme organised on a running train to mark its inauguration.
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