Pop icon Usha Uthup and superstar Prosenjit Chatterjee today joined hands to encourage the technicians in Bengali entertainment industry and announced the StageCraft Award 2017.
"We need to appreciate the work of the technicians who make a scene look so real in a film or serial. They are the real heroes behind any stage show.
"While those facing the audience get noticed and receive the laurels, those who work for hours to set up the props are not recognised. Hence we felt the need to institute award function for these people in 2014, " Uthup said.
Uthup is the founder trustee of StageCraft Foundation, while Chatterjee is the face of StageCraft.
Chatterjee said, "I have always enjoyed excellent rapport with the technicians who work for hours to perfect our looks, make the scenes believable or a stage show presentable. So when Ushadi broached the issue of honouring the technicians I immediately agreed to be part of the initiative."
He also paid tribute to stuntmen and fight masters of the film industry describing them as "an intrinsic part of Bengali mainstream films of the '70s and '80s who made action scenes look so real."
A special StageCraft award named after late fightmaster of Bengali cinema Santanu Paul will be instituted from this year besides the other nomination categories, he said.
In a video clip shown at the announcement press meet, Amitabh Bachchan said, "I support the initiative to honour back stage heroes of entertainment world."
Chatterjee, who will be with StageCraft Foundation in the endeavour for the fourth year, said it will be appropriate if the award could include technicians from all over the country in future.
This year there will be 13 award categories - three special awards and one Hall Of Fame award.
The nomination categories include best choreographer, best stage props supplier, best makeup artist, best costume designer, best light designer, best sound engineer(stage), best recording engineer studio (non film /film) and best theatre production.
Besides these, the foundation will confer 'Spirit of StageCraft' award to honour an artist for his/her zeal to make a come back.
The award function will take place on October 14.
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