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| ARTS TRIBUNE | Friday, November 10, 2000, Chandigarh, India |
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Bapu’s siddhants in art form
Where are the culture specialists? |
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Shiv Batalvi Nite — a tribute to Jagmohan Kaur FOR young Gurpreet ‘‘Billy’’, the only daughter of famous Punjabi folk singer, K. Deep, holding of Shiv Batalvi Nite as a tribute to her mother, Jagmohan Kaur, the erstwhile ‘‘koel’’ of Punjab, was like ‘‘christening’’ her into the world of entertainment. The Nite organised by Jag-Deep Kala Mandir at its sprawling Aab-e-Hayat farm house on the Ludhiana-Ferozepore road not only featured some eminent singers rendering the compositions of Shiv Batalvi, a legend of the contemporary Punjabi poetry, but also the heart-throb of the youth, Jasbir ‘‘Jassi’’ of Kurhi Gujarat di... fame. Both K. Deep and his daughter, Gurpreet, ‘‘Billy’’ to her friends, want to perpetuate the memory of Jagmohan Kaur, an all-time great Punjabi folk singer, who like Shiv Batalvi died young. This was their first venture in their home town though they have had numerous successful shows to their credit in North America and other places in the world. K. Deep, besides singing, has been in production and direction of documentaries, serials and films. ‘‘Billy’’ wants to be a ‘‘promoter’’. Both K. Deep and “Billy” had settled at Burnaby in British Columbia in Canada and lived there for seven years each. There too, they tried to serve their mother tongue, Punjabi, and folklore of their state of origin. The evening at Aab-e-Hayat was nostalgic and memorable for more than one reason. Firstly, nothing, except for lip service, has been done to preserve Shiv Batalvi and his poetry. Except for a handful of his friends and followers, no one even remembers him on his birthday or death anniversary. All proposed projects in his memory have been either left incomplete or abandoned midway. But both K. Deep and ‘‘Billy’’ have different ideas. They not only approached all eminent folk singers who have sung Shiv Batalvi well at one platform but also promised to make the event a regular affair. Jagjit Zirvi, perhaps one of the most acknowledged singer of Shiv Batalvi, was the major attraction of those who wanted ‘‘solemn and sober’’ Shiv Batalvi at his pensive best. Suchet Bala, Meenu Atwal, Asha Soni and Rishpal Singh Pal were among others who sang Shiv Batalvi to enliven the proceedings. Then some of the major stars of present-day Punjabi folk — Sardool Sikander and Jasbir Jassi — had the select audience swaying to their soulful singing. Jassi also sang his famous Kurhi Gujarat di... on popular demand. Sardool Sikander had the audience with him when he sang one of Jagmohan Kaur’s popular song Asi kachya.... ‘‘I have been really delighted at the response and success of the show,’’ says Gurpreet ‘‘Billy’’ who, in consultation with her father, is now planning to organise ‘‘bigger shows’’. She has no plans to be in ‘‘singing’’ as earlier she had spurned offers to join Bollywood but plans to concentrate on production and nurturing her talent as a ‘‘promoter’’. She had a brief stint as a model. She loves painting. The Nite continued well beyond midnight. The Director-General of Punjab Police, Mr Sarabjit Singh, and his wife, Harmeet, were guests of honour. |
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Art & Culture USING the body as a medium of communication, the expression of dance is perhaps the most intricate and developed, yet easily understood art form. ‘Anokha’, a contemporary dance performance organised by the Chandigarh chapter of Alliance Francaise provided a fresh threshold for those who have a fascination for dance and music. With their maiden performance in India, these ‘Ashtadhyayi Kalakars’ from France and India brought forth the eternal relevance of a much-forgotten man called Mohan Das Karamchand Gandhi and his experiment of non-violence. Who says the icon of global peace and harmony does not figure in the art world? On the contrary, more than ever before the need to reiterate and practice the long gone ‘siddhants’ of Bapu find a necessitated emphasis in our existence and what better a manner than the medium of popular entertainment and leisure. A collaborated venture ‘Dance of the Gods and the Humans’ had the confluence of various dance forms i.e. classical and non-classical. The choreography anchored between Hip-Hop, Kathak and Bharat Natyam. The entire work’s thrust was on the ethereal notion of ‘Vasudevaya Kuthumbhukkam’ — world is a global village and therefore the fraternity of mankind needs the garb of universal oneness. The idea was brilliantly executed by the troupe at the time it recreated the historic moment of the salt satyagraha —- the Dandi March. The movements were beautifully slow motioned to the backdrop music set to the Bhajan ‘Vaishnav Java’. The stage was brought alive with a circular grid structure lit up with candles to form a swastika. The symbol projected the essence of life i.e. the well being of all life forms on this planet. The man behind the show, Atton (choreographer) confessed humbly. ‘‘My work stems from people and everything that is in their heart. My dance alone cannot denote anything, it is these fellow artistes, my dancers who bring to life my desired perceptions.’’ The eight performers did not for a second appear to have lost track of their agile and utterly flexible movements. The complete communion between the mudras of the Bharat Natyam dancer and her Western counterpart was a reflection of the established fact that love and compassion need no spoken language or coordination. It is in itself worthy of transporting to any part of the world without changing an iota in content and description. The purpose of creating a new dance form was appropriately served through this event. At least to those youngsters who thoroughly enjoyed the programme, a term like Break dance came to have a new dimension to its previous meaning of mere senseless jolting of human bones! The show succeeded in collapsing distinct barriers of separate dance forms and projected it as one entity. The production achieved an overwhelming applause and a well deserved standing ovation due to its cumulative excellence. The costumes in the performance were thematic in display and had the subtlety of colours and texture. The lighting effect was in direct relation to the concept and movement of the performers. But to top it all, it was undoubtedly the soundtrack that brought the whole show to its culminating perfection. The categories of the three dance forms were integrated rather effectively. For instance the Hip-Hop showed its cardinal movements of breaking, locking freestyle and popping. The same was the case with Kathak and its rhythmic footwork and Bharat Natyam was surely not left behind as it displayed the graceful sways and definitive body expressions. Tremendous coordination was the key to the show. |
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Sight & Sound THERE is a curious theory accepted by most TV channels operating in India that while politics, defence, legal problems, the environment medicine, women and children and even fashion need co-opted specialists to supplement the generalists who act as news anchors, any old anchor or the newest novice can tackle culture and the performing arts. The anchors on duty on a particular morning or evening grandly interview visiting film directors, stars, top musicians, theatre specialists, famous writers, legendary painters right and left with supreme aplomb. Their arrogance is as apparent as their crass ignorance. Week after week, I notice the most dreadful clangers on both Star News and Zee, which I watch more than other channels and am frequently left red in the face. Let me cite the latest example. Two Austrian musicians, a violinist and a pianist, were being interviewed on the 10 o’clock news on Star, with Arnab Goswami and Sonali Verma as anchors. It was left to the experienced and normally reliable Sonali Verma to make some astounding statements. She asked the musicians what was their reaction to the response of the audience, since Indians are not used to Western music. I happened to be present at the concert held in the gracious home of the Ambassador for Austria and can vouch for the fact that the audience included several members of the Delhi Music Society, teachers from Delhi school of Music and well-known connoisseurs of European music, including at least two well-known critics. The same would apply to Chennai, Calcutta and Mumbai, which are highly literate in European music. The second statement I would like to challenge is that Indians do not hear much European music. Ever since Independence, some of the most famous orchestras in the world, including the Vienna, the Czechoslovak, the Berlin and other Philharmonic orchestras have played to full houses. Karajan was here and Zubin Mehta more than once. Chamber groups, soloists come almost every month, the Hungarian Cultural Centre has taped concerts followed by expert discussions and so does Max Mueller Bhavan. India International Centre frequently features visiting classical musicians. True, concerts are often infested by page three type culture-vultures, more anxious to be seen and they clap between movements. But no one can say Indians are unfamiliar with European music. In any case, it was hardly the thing to say to foreign musicians on a channel that goes out to many countries. One cannot stress too often that as for other subjects, cultural experts should be inducted into the news. Some of the ignorant or half-digested statements made on many channels about the cinema also set my teeth on edge, because every anchor seems to think it is one subject on which they are experts. And of course cricket. I now come to another type of anchor. Missing Shireen and Sharad as I do on Good Morning India, I left cheered on hearing that Ruby Bhatia was coming. I first met Ruby, then the new Miss Canada-India at the launch of Channel V in Hong Kong. She bubbles on the screen, has a refreshing personality and visibly enjoys TV. But someone should tell her that first, this is not Channel V and to go off into constant giggles, jump about the studio and butt in while others speaking is not what people who have just woken up can stand. She seems to forget there is another very experienced and popular anchor in Pankaj Pachauri and she is not the sole star. At the moment, she ends up by being tiresome and should really grow up. I find Shivani Wazir has the ideal combination of cheerfulness and a certain calm control which is what a morning show requires. Ruby should watch her. It has been a wonderful media experience watching the highly professional coverage of the American elections. I found the BBC easier to follow as it allowed for non-American viewership, while CNN was very localised. Star News, carrying the Fox coverage and with special bulletins was the only channel covering extensively from India. Tailpiece: So, Homer nods. I got quite a few telephone calls from agitated women admirers of Amitabh Bachchan who were as shocked as I was surprised to hear him say to a young woman contestant on Kaun Banega Crorepati on Monday last. “Agar aap badtamizi nahin karenge to aap chaalis hazaar jeet sakte hain”. Badtamizi was a very crude, discourteous and inapt term in that context. One admirer said: “I am not going to watch Bachchan now. I even put his photo on my table, because he was so polite and civilised. And now I find there is only one gentleman left on the TV screen: Prannoy Roy. Watch out Prannoy, or your photo will be out too! |
