Munnabhai's Policegiri flops, but 'jailgiri' won't

Even though Sanjay Dutt’s Policegiri, released while he is in prison, may have flopped, his upcoming performance at the Yerawada Central Jail’s annual show is proving to be a big hit with tickets almost sold out.

Selling tickets of such events for the first time to cash in on the superstar’s popularity, the jail officers said that they are receiving numerous requests from people to watch the show.

Officials of Balgandharva Rangmandir, where the cultural event will be held, have said that only 30 tickets of the total 669 seats are left as the rest were sold out within a couple of days.

The jail authorities will gain Rs5 lakh from ticket sale alone, besides earning from local sponsors and television rights as the show would be telecast on Doordarshan.

The Bollywood star will perform along with 40 inmates, including 15 women, at the programme ‘From Darkness to Light’ to be organised by Maharashtra prison authority at Balgandharva Rangmandir on Thursday evening.

According to the cultural centre authorities, of the 990-seat  hall, 321 balcony seats will be reserved for police officers and tickets for the remaining 669 seats in stalls are priced at Rs1,000 each (donation passes).

Additional director general of police (prisons) Meeran Chadha Borwankar said that sponsors have also shown interest in the show. Deputy inspector general of prisons (western region) Rajendra Dhamne confirmed of getting revenue from television telecast rights and said that cellphones and cameras will be banned at the hall.

Balgandharva Rangmandir booking incharge Sunil Madavkar said that citizens made a beeline at the booking counter even before it was opened.

“After the jail authorities sold donation passes, we got 93 tickets for sale at our counter and only 30 tickets were remaining by evening. Most of the buyers were collegians,” he said.

Dhamne said, “This is the first show that we are holding on a large scale and it will have small plays, songs, dance performances and mimicry.”

A jail officer told dna that Borwankar inspected the arrangements at hall and sound system on Tuesday.

Usually the Balgandharva hall rent charges is Rs11,556 per session but the jail’s show will cost Rs17,174 per session as the event is held on a holiday. With the jail authority having booked the hall between 9 am and 8 pm, it will be paying Rs51,000 as rent that includes booking, electricity, dressing room etc. and Rs5,000 as deposit which will be refunded.

Tight security
Deputy commissioner of police (zone 1) Makarand Ranade said, “Visitors will have to undergo body scan and their bags will be checked. We appeal to people to not carry bulky bags. Cops in plain clothes will be deployed at the hall to keep a watch, especially during Sanjay Dutt’s performance.”