Tihar inmates say found peace in music, now honing their skills for a fresh start

New Delhi: Eagerly waiting for his release from prison next month, Manish exhibited his lyrical hip-hop style by dancing to the tunes of the popular 2018 song "Kya Baat Ay".

Wearing slim-fit black pants and a light brown shrug, his moves appeared perfect and expressions adorable; he seemed poised to start his own dance academy.

His cousin, Suraj, a football enthusiast and co-inmate, is in talks with a director from the South for a career in the movie industry. The director has assured to work with him after seeing his versatility in pre-recorded videos of 'Tihar Idols', a competition organised by prison authorities for inmates.

The authorities have set up an exclusive green-walled one-room studio inside Central Jail 1 for inmates to hone their craft. It has a huge mirror and a number of music instruments like congo and speakers. Next to the studio runs the Tihar FM station.

For most, jail would be a negative space. Still, there would some who find opportunities in adverse circumstances. Manish, 32, and Suraj, 35, found dance and music and film to leave their past behind.

Before being convicted in a 2011 kidnapping case and landing up in Tihar, Suraj worked as a salesman with a consumer goods firm and Manish, who hold a bachelor's degree in Hotel Management, was a bar tender.

Being a sports enthusiast, Suraj was not only an active participant in inter-school sports competitions but also recalled playing with Indian national football team captain Sunil Chhetri in the Under-16 tournament and his practice sessions in Chhatrasal Stadium in Delhi.

"I was a very active sportsman back in school and have also played Under-16 football tournament. I was also interested in dance and acting. Back then, I did not see this as a profession. It was my passion," said Suraj.

Their passion for dance encouraged the cousins to join 'Flying Souls', a music-cum-dance group launched by Tihar inmates in 2011. Since then, they have inspired and trained other inmates to join them.

The group now has 11 active members and it performs on all major occasions inside the jail. It has won awards in in-house competitions under various style forms including Bhangra, Hip Hop and Bollywood.

The group conducts two sessions daily at the studio for those inclined to learn music and dance. Sumit, who said he had never imagined he could ever sing, is one of the exponents of Flying Souls.

After landing in the prison in 2013 as an under trial on charges of murder and attempt to murder, he was spotted by Suraj humming a song while doing "sevadari" outside ward no 4 in Central Jail No 1. Excited to have found a potential singer, Suraj encouraged Sumit to join Flying Souls.