Nagpur: Futala Musical Fountain will glow in the colours of the tricolour this Independence Day as 250 high-performance LED lights imported from Italy are switched on alongside a specially curated ‘Patriotic Medley’ in the evening on August 15.The exercise, being undertaken while restoration of the long-defunct fountain continues, will offer a glimpse of the sophisticated light-and-sound infrastructure being installed at the site. It will, however, not be a public show. The viewing gallery will remain closed as restoration work is still underway.Cinematographer and Futala project technical director Alphonse Roy said the ‘Patriotic Medley’ will feature a curated selection of patriotic songs, with the lighting programmed around the colours of the national flag. “It will be a purely light-and-sound presentation, as the pumps are expected to arrive after August 15. We have put together a medley of Bollywood patriotic songs, including ‘Jai Ho’ and others,” he said.Achieving colour accuracy itself requires specialised technology. The fountain has been equipped with 250 custom RGBA — red, green, blue and amber — LED fixtures imported from Italy. Unlike conventional RGB lights, the additional amber channel broadens the colour spectrum and allows warmer shades to be reproduced more naturally.“The amber channel is particularly important for getting the saffron right. It also helps us achieve cleaner whites without unwanted cool or greenish shifts,” Roy explained. The system will be programmed to reproduce saffron, white, green and navy blue during the presentation.Roy, an Emmy Award-winning cinematographer, has been closely involved in ensuring colour fidelity across the fountain’s visual programming. “Light is not just about brightness. The exact shade and how it appears against water makes a huge difference to the visual experience,” he said.The audio accompanying the display has received similar attention. Futala has been equipped with an outdoor sound system from German manufacturer d&b audiotechnik, designed to deliver high-fidelity audio across the expansive lakefront while controlling how far sound travels beyond the intended audience area.“Unlike indoor venues, outdoor spaces have no walls or ceilings to contain sound, making factors such as wind, atmospheric absorption, temperature changes and noise limits critical. The key is to direct sound precisely towards the audience while minimising spill into surrounding areas,” Roy said.The Independence Day exercise coincides with another important phase of restoration. The Belgian expert is scheduled to arrive in Nagpur on August 15 and remain stationed until August 27 to undertake specialised works. Consignments of pump components sourced from France are also expected to arrive this month as installation and integration of the fountain’s remaining systems continue.While Futala will light up in national colours on Friday, the spectacle will provide a brief glimpse of the attraction taking shape ahead of its eventual return.