This one is for music aficionados
FILM SCREENING
Music lovers can look forward to films on Hindustani Classical greats .Delhi cineastes are in for rare treats these days. If on the one hand, there have been short film screenings organised by a private organisation, the India International Centre is playing host to ‘Films on Music from India and Abroad’ from the archives of Doordarshan.
This is part of a series organised annually in June. The event which kickstarts today from 6.30 onwards, will focus on Indian classical music greats like Pt. Bhimsen Joshi, M.S.
Subbulakshmi and M.L. Vasanthakumari, Gangubai Hangal and Pt. Jasraj among others.
The focus in the earlier years has been on screening films on opera, ballet and music from abroad, in order to familiarise Indian audiences with these forms. Films on opera and ballet productions by the leading companies abroad as well as music concerts featuring some of the best international artists have been screened in the past.
But this year for the first time, the focus has shifted to the legends of India. Doordarshan has a very rich and vast repertoire of recordings of some of the best artists in Hindustani and Carnatic classical music and has now digitised many of these concerts into DVD formats.
Re-visiting these legendary figures many of whom have passed on and to watch them in a concert format either in the studio or of live recordings will be a very memorable experience.
Apart from the Centre’s members who are familiar with the work of these artists, there is encouragingly a growing audience of younger people interested in classical music, many of whom would not have had the opportunity to see these legends perform live.
These recordings would be one way for them to have an experience of watching these legends in a concert. The Centre is planning to continue with this series next year also and focus on other artists; and not just vocal but also some of the legendary instrumentalists in Indian music.
Today, the series kicks off with Swara Ganga: M.S. Subbulakshmi. This is a 58 min English film which contains recordings of devotional songs sung by Subbulakshmi in different Indian languages and will be introduced by Lakshmi Vishwanathan.
On Wednesday, June 13, Jewel of Kirana: Pandit Bhimsen Joshi will be screened. This 59 min English film is a collection of khayals, thumris and bhajans rendered by Pt. Bhimsen Joshi.
Saturday June 16 sees the screening of the 101 mins film Sangeeta Kokila: M L Vasanthakumari featuring the accomplished Carnatic vocalist.
Dharwar Jyoti: Gangubai Hangal is a 117 min film which includes ragas by Gangubai Hangal, the doyenne of Kirana Gharana.
June 26, Tuesday has a film on the renowned Hindustani vocalist Pandit Jasraj. Titled Sangeet Martand: Pandit Jasraj, this is a 122 min film made by Durga Jasraj - his daughter. The film includes renditions of Raga Jog, Malkauns, Kalavati and Miyan Malhar.
All the film screenings will be held at C D Deshmukh Auditorium at IIC. At 6.30pm. Entry is free.
