Kathmandu: Nepal's former guerrilla
commander Prachanda had an 'encounter' of a different kind
during the Maoist stir here when he shook a leg with a young
and glamorous actress to the tunes of a popular love song.
When Maoist cadres converged in front of the Singhdurbar
Secretariat in the Nepalese capital yesterday, the initial
mood was festive, with folk music bands and dancing groups
accompanying the protestors.
Rekha Thapa, in her early twenties and among the top 10
stars in Nepal's film industry, also joined in and requested
Maoist supremo Prachanda, "the fierce", to dance with her.
"I have always danced with film heroes. But now, I want
to dance with the real hero of the country. If Prachanda
agrees to dance with me, I am ready to sing," the actress,
clad in jeans and a cream-coloured jacket, said asking the
54-year-old to shake a leg with her.
Prachanda, wearing a formal black suit, climbed atop a
truck-cum-makeshift stage and swayed to the beats of a popular
love song the actress started to sing. The Maoist chief also
joined in the singing, amid cheers by thousands of supporters.
Major Nepalese dailies today published pictures of
Prachanda dancing with Rekha in the front pages.
Bureau Report
First Published: Friday, November 13, 2009, 18:47