BIT-Mesra

A food festival à la Bollywood? Trust BIT-Mesra to come up with something as innovative as this.

The department of hotel management and catering technology is organising a three-day food festival, Bollywood Night, starting Thursday. The theme has been chosen to commemorate 100 years of Indian cinema. The festival will conclude on Saturday.

According to department officials, the dishes have been named either after movies or popular filmy characters.

For instance, kya kool hai hum is actually a chilled dry fruit and saffron-flavoured refreshing beverage, mogambo khush hua is a tofu and button mushroom tossed in light soy sauce. Again, when you order khatta meetha, what will be served is a delectable mix of papdis, puffed rice, sev, onions, potatoes, raw mango and chutney.

Campus couples can either order ek duje ke liye (deep-fried dumplings served with yogurt and topped with sweet tamarind sauce) or phool aur kante (sweet and sour Andhra style fish curry).

For a gang of friends, golmaal that is basically pancakes with rabri or chupa rustam (a traditional sweet that is stuffed with nuts and mawa) will be the perfect menu.

The venue — BIT campus — will replicate a film set with posters all around, while popular songs will set the ambience right. Students will host Dhating Naach (dance competition), Bhanwara Gaan (singing contest), Bol Bachchan (audition for acting) and Rock The Ramp (fashion show).

Speaking to The Telegraph, department head Praveen Srivastava said, “Our idea is basically to create an ambience like Bollywood. Moreover our students also get a hands-on experience, which helps them grow professionally.”

But, there’s more in store for BIT-Mesra students.

Later in the month, the department of creative arts will organise Bharat Mahotsav, an annual cultural programme.

But, this year’s fest has a special theme — Spiritual India. Keeping in mind the rise in juvenile delinquency, the fest will try and inculcate spiritual and moral values among students.

Programme co-ordinator Anuva Agarwal said, “From March 26 to 29, students will not only get to see performances by eminent artists from across India, they will also attend sessions on spirituality.”

While artist Pankaj Jha from Jamshedpur will depict the colours of Mithila, Chir Satya Thakur will wow the audience with his sitar, kathak and bharatnayam danseuses will present a couple of performances, while VM Group will stage a play, Krishna Leela.

Adding to the grandeur, an exhibition will be held with paintings and models of monuments made by the students. A traditional fashion show will be organised where participants will sizzle the ramp in traditional attires, depicting different zones.

The students are beaming and their only wish is the fest to be a bigger success than what it has been till date.