National award winning actress Priyamani will reportedly feature in an ‘item number’ song in director Boyapati Srinu’s next film, starring Allu Arjun, Rakul Preet Singh, and Catherine Tresa. The film is currently being shot in Hyderabad. Priyamani, who is not in the country, is expected to join the sets shortly. Produced by Geetha Arts, the film features Tamil actor Aadi Pinisetty as the antagonist and is scheduled to release next year. SS Thaman has composed the music for the film.
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‘Item numbers’ are traditionally catchy, upbeat, and usually sexually provocative songs which have no significant relationship with the plot. The term is primarily used in Indian cinema industries. ‘Item numbers’ arguably enhance the marketability of the film through a colourful and festive song and dance sequence. Until the 1970s, Indian films maintained a clear separation between the ‘vamp’ character and the ‘heroine’ character such that the ‘vamp’ character could be depicted in item numbers, without compromising on the purity and innocence of the ‘heroine’ character. ‘Item numbers’ have also allowed for explorations of other song and dance forms (such as folk dances and lyrics). In the last decade, male actors have also performed item numbers on occasion, including Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan, who performed ‘Dard-e-Disco‘ in Om Shanti Om (2007).
Image Courtesy: Priyamani’s Official Facebook Page