MLA calls for overall development of Music University

Mysuru :

“Dr. Gangubai Hangal’s birth anniversary celebrations will become meaningful only when the Music University established in her name achieves targeted heights and it is the duty of each and every one to ensure that the Varsity which came into existence five years ago grows in stature,” said MLA Vasu here this morning.

Delivering the inaugural address at a function organised by Srimathi Vaishnavi Hangal Talkad Music Foundation at Veene Seshanna Bhavan in Kuvempunagar here to mark the 102 birth anniversary of Padma Vibhushana Dr. Gangubai Hangal, he called for overall development of the Music Varsity to accommodate thousands of students.

Renowned Sarod artiste Pt. Rajiv Taranath, in his presidential address, said that though music cannot provide livelihood to all, it should be propagated throughout the country and the world to ensure that music is preserved and protected as it reflected the rich culture of our country.

Stating that mere passing certificate courses cannot ensure proper music education, he added that successful learning of music requires many hours of hard and dedicated learning and practice each day. He further noted that Gurukulas had performed better than Varsities in producing quality musicians while Varsities have not been able to produce at least a few quality musicians.

Sarod Maestro Pt. Rajiv Taranath, KSGH Music and Performing Arts University Vice-Chancellor Dr. Sarvamangala Shankar, Registrar Prof. Y.S. Siddegowda, Hindustani Musician Gana Tapaswi Mani Prasad, Vaishnavi Hangal and others were present.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / March 01st, 2015

Anup Bhandari directed Rangitaranga Kannada movie to release soon

Joining the list of young movie directors in the country is our city’s own Anup Bhandari. Having graduated in Information Science from Vidya Vikas College of Engineering in city, Anup has been successful in fulfilling his dream of directing a full-fledged Kannada movie.

A resident of Siddarthanagar in Mysuru, Anup has drawn inspiration from his father Sudhakar Saaja (Sudhakar Bhandari), who is involved in the industry for more than 30 years. Anup developed his interest in music at a young age. In fact, Anup is also gifted with a good voice.

Speaking to Star of Mysore, Anup said that his interest to direct a movie developed when he was working on a movie script written by his father.

On getting a nod from his father, Anup engrossed himself in the movies and directed short films while working for a software company in the US. In fact, one of his short films, ‘Words,’ starring Oscar-nominee Russel Harvard of ‘There Will Be Blood’ fame has been screened in many International Film Festivals.

Anup said that Sudhakar Saaja, his father, helped him in handling the production department so that he could concentrate on the creative part of the movie more efficiently. Another specialty of the movie is that Nirup Bhandari, Anup’s younger brother, is being launched as the lead actor.

Nirup Bhandari, who is also a software engineer by profession, has undergone rigorous training in acting from MISFIT, a Bengaluru-based acting school and has also learnt hip-hop from Sridharan Pillai. After having done theatre for about three years, Nirup is being launched through Rangitaranga directed by Anup Bhandari.

Anup said that Nirup was not the first choice for the movie and that he had approached actor Rakshith Shetty for the role. As Rakshith was not available for the next three months, H.K. Prakash, producer of the movie, decided to launch Nirup as the lead character. Prakash had also seen Nirup’s acting skills in a tele-serial ‘Advocate Arjun’ directed by Sudhakar Saaja where he played a character of a psychopathic killer.

Any new director would have chosen a mass-movie subject, mixed with commercial elements, but Anup has preferred to launch himself with a movie filled with mystery and commercial elements. On asking the reason for choosing mystery as the subject, Anup said that he was always interested in mysteries and wanted to bring a new dimension to Kannada movies.

For Anup, it has not been easy working for a movie over the past one-and-a-half years. Neetha, his wife and Nishka, his three-year-old daughter, have been living in the US and Neetha continues to work in a software firm.

Anup added that he travelled to the US once in every 3-4 months to meet his wife and daughter or they would come down to India to visit him. Anup’s mother Rathna Bhandari has also been supporting him in all his endeavours.

Sudhakar Bhandari, who has been looking into the production of ‘Rangitaranga,’ said that initially he never wanted his sons to enter the film industry. In his words, “I never wanted to put all the eggs in the same basket.”

Sudhakar added that though he gave his approval for Anup’s entry into the film industry, he had apprehensions over Nirup’s entry into films. “Before deciding on Nirup, we consulted many seniors in the industry to seek their opinion and guidance. Only when we received a positive opinion to cast a new face in the movie, we decided on launching Nirup in the lead role. Moreover, it was producer H.K. Prakash who wanted to launch Nirup,” he added. Sudhakar also remembered the support extended by Sai Kumar, who is popularly known as ‘Dialogue King’ in Kannada Film Industry. With the trio, father and sons, having worked hard to bring a new dimension into the movie, we hope Rangitaranga is received well by the audience.

— S.N. Venkatnag Sobers

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles / Friday – February 27th, 2015

by Dr. K. Javeed Nayeem, MD

Although we proudly proclaim that we live in a city with a heritage of art and culture, it is only very rarely that we at Mysuru get a chance to savour some soulful film music from the yesteryears. The occasions where we are able to listen, entranced to some foot-tapping numbers, either in Kannada or Hindi, are painfully few and far between although there is no paucity of lovers of vintage music in our city. This is largely because there has not been much success in getting these music lovers which include me, to understand the need to pool their resources to form a club to promote vintage music and have some concerts on a regular basis.

Many cities like Mumbai and Chennai have such music clubs that are doing a great job of entertaining their members round the year. Though efforts have been made in this direction a few times in the past, they have all somehow lost direction very quickly and have never really taken off. F. K. Irani, the most well-known industrialist from the yesteryears who put good old Mysore on the industry map with his manufacturing facility for the legendary Jawa motorcycles, made some efforts to start a music club in the city. But sadly, with his passing away, the club never saw the light of day.

But all that now seems set to change with a new venture called the ‘Sunehri Yaadein Music Club’ set for a launch. It is the brain child of a music-loving Mysurean, Venkatesh who is himself a very talented singer. A former employee of the CFTRI, supported by his wife Veena, who is also a very able singer herself, he has been striving very hard over the past few years to get music lovers to form a club through which he plans to hold at least three concerts of vintage film music in our city every year. With a very nominal fee in the form of an annual subscription he is looking at a membership of at least five hundred which he feels is the minimum that is necessary to sustain the club.

While he wants to showcase Hindi film music through one of them, he wants to present Kannada film hits through an event timed to coincide with our Rajyotsava Day. He wants to keep the third event as an occasion that offers an open platform for club members and their families to showcase their own talents before an audience of admirers in a decent auditorium, supported by a proper orchestra. While it is certainly an onerous task to float a music club and keep it going, it should not be too difficult a venture if only the music-lovers in our city decide to recognise its importance in our happiness and pitch in to keep it afloat.

Last Sunday evening, with the sponsorship of a few fellow citizens who had faith in his abilities, Venkatesh had organised a show of the legendary singer Mukesh’s songs at the Mysore Medical College Platinum Jubilee Hall which was very well-attended. Although Venkatesh and his wife Veena too sang some numbers, the star performer at the show was Mukhtar Shah, the noted singer from Ahmedabad, who has been acknowledged all over the music-lovers’ fraternity as the man who is keeping Mukesh alive all over the world today. This is the second time that he has performed in our city, with his first show, again organised by Venkatesh, at Kalamandira on 10th November, 2013 drawing a full house.

My wife and I had an occasion to attend both his shows here and I can say with confidence that he is really Mukesh, re-incarnated! Nothing less. He sings with an ease and élan that has to be experienced to be believed. The most amazing part of his performance is that he effortlessly sings all the numbers including the impromptu ones requested by the audience, without as much as a peep into their lyrics. It seems he performed in a whopping 178 shows all over the world last year and also has the reputation of having sung 121 songs of Mukesh over eleven hours in a single day!

The most touching part of both these shows presented by Venkatesh in our city was that a significant part of the proceeds from both of them went to help poor kidney failure patients on dialysis at the Holdsworth Memorial Mission Hospital. From his first show he was able to give Rs. 25,000 and from the second he intends to give Rs. 50,000. Now that is what we can call ‘A musical calling for a social cause!’

Venkatesh can be contacted on Ph: 9448474224 or 8762854751.

A holiday to contain Swine Flu

These days I have been seeing many patients who come to my clinic with minor symptoms of an upper respiratory infection who are very anxious that they may be heading for Swine Flu, the most dreaded malady that is now doing the rounds in the country. While I tell them the truth that it is very difficult to say with any degree of certainty whether they are its potential victims, I always reassure them that it is unlikely unless the symptoms have been persistent with an aggravating severity.

But to prevent the spread of their infection to others when I tell them to stay away from their classes or work for a couple of days, most of them say that getting leave for minor ailments is not an easy task unless their applications for leave are supported by sufficiently potent medical certificates. Office going people, especially those working in the private sector, say that they have deadlines and steep targets to meet because of which they are denied leave. Many students say that if they miss their internal assessment sessions they will lose their grades as they will not be given a second chance to take them even if they produce medical certificates.

It may be interesting though not the least bit surprising to note here that it is always those in government service who say “No problem” happily whenever I tell them to apply for leave and stay off their work! But as a doctor I would like to suggest to all educational institutions and other organisations that as a contributory measure to contain the spread of Swine Flu they should adopt a more lenient policy in sanctioning leave to all their students or employees with suspicious symptoms. In this case, prevention is perhaps the best and the most certain cure!

e-mail: kjnmysore@rediffmail.com

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles / Friday – February 27th, 2015