A musical evening entitled “Music of Indian Cinema”, dedicated to the traditional festival of lights, Diwali, was held at the Palace of Mukams of the State Cultural Centre of Turkmenistan. The concert introduced residents of Ashgabat and visitors to the capital to famous melodies from Indian cinema, reports the IIC of Turkmenistan.

The musical programme was presented by the State Symphony Orchestra of Turkmenistan under the direction of Honoured Artist of Turkmenistan Rasul Klychev. Famous compositions from Indian films were performed in new orchestral arrangements.

A special place in the programme was given to melodies from famous films starring Raj Kapoor, including “My Name Is Joker”, as well as the films “Flower and Stone”, “Mother India”, “Eternal Love Story” and “The Power of Love”. The audience also heard musical themes from popular contemporary films “Life Can Be Like This” and “The Unstolen Bride”.

Turkmen performers Tachnabat Yomudova, Mansur Sharipov, Arzuv and Gulzada Gorganova, as well as Bahram Huseynov, took part in the concert. Their performances conveyed the national flavour and emotional expressiveness of Indian songs. A separate highlight was a solo performance by Honoured Artist of Turkmenistan and pianist Vladimir Mkrtumov.

The concert consisted of two parts and was held to a full house. The artists' performances were accompanied by prolonged applause.

The musical evening was another event aimed at strengthening cultural ties between Turkmenistan and India. The programme brought together works from different periods of Indian cinema and demonstrated the interest of the Turkmen audience in Bollywood's musical heritage.