JOIN USAre Bollywood films influential enough to change the course of your life? Do they have the driving force to turn your life upside down? For Vivek Mehra, the answer is ‘yes’. And why not, he left engineering – a prestigious course that comes with the certainity of placement and good package, to pursue his passion of ‘Fine Art’. But what made Vivek come in direct confrontation with the life he was living and go for something that was hidden within him?
“It was 3 Idiots,” says 23-year-old Vivek. “I was very influenced by the film – especially when Aamir asks R Madhavan to fulfil his dream of becoming a wildlife photographer. I realised that I was in a similar situation. I was doing engineering for the sake of a safe future and killing my passion for colours and painting.”
He is now happy with the decision he took three years back when he left his engineering course from Jamia Milia Islamia and joined Anitoons, the School of Arts and Animation.
Giving himself a new lease of life, today, he is happy to see his artwork on big canvases displayed at the third annual art function of his institute ‘Artifest’. “I think I will never regret giving priority to my creative side,” says Vivek, the second year topper at Anitoons.
Fortunately, Vivek is not the only one. Mridul Sharma, a third-year student at the institute is also in the same league. “I was not inspired by any film,” laughs Mridul. “I loved water colours since my childhood but never had the courage to get something out of it. But while studying commerce I realised I was not happy. Meanwhile paintings and animation used to bring a smile on my face. It was a tough decision to change the course of your life but I don’t know how I did it,” reminisces Mridul, who explores the artist in him every day by playing with watercolours, acrylics and oils on canvas.
For these students, Artifest is one occasion where they get to showcase the hard work they put in through the year. Interestingly, there creative side is not restricted to drawing landscapes and portraits. The work displayed included photos, CD covers, book jackets, cover pictures for a children’s magazine and miniature display of a shop window.
Divided into three segments, the exhibition has works by first year students which includes copies of paintings by masters like Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Mary Cassatt.
Second year students came up with portraits, pencil sketches and book covers while III year students showed their finesse in village views and landscapes.
“Today art is not restricted to paintings,” says Megha Kapur, an art teacher. “If we make students learn to work in different mediums then we also give them an idea how art is evolving commercially. So, we make them work both on canvas and computer, give them assignments to design their own comic book page, ads and book covers.