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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2020 (PAGE 4) PERSONALITY MOVIE-REVIEW Tributes to Tabla maestro SHIKARA Ravi Rohmetra Ustad Allah Rakha A potboiler that uses KP Exodus only as a backdrop Khan, the country's Leading Tabla Exponet Ravinder Kaul refuse to show any perceptible sign of was born on 29th April aging. The only characters in the film who 1919 at Phagwal It has been 30 years since 4 lakh Kash- look quite genuine and authentic are the Village of Dist. miri Pandits were forced to leave their 4000 Kashmiri Pandit refugees, who SAMBA, Jammu in a centuries old place of habitat, in the wake form the crowds in the refugee camps in of armed Islamic insurgency, to live a mis- Punjabi Gharana. His Jammu. erable life in torn tents and ramshackle The background music has been com- mother tongue was rooms, away from their homes in the pris- posed by AR Rahman and Qutub-e-Kirpa, Dogri. He became fas- tine beautiful valley of Kashmir. The while the songs have been composed by cinated with the sound tragedy of the victims of the biggest Abhay Rustam Sopori and Sandesh and rhythm of the migration in India since independence Shandilya. The Chhakari song 'Shukrana tabla at the age of 12 got further aggravated when no main- Gul Khiley', composed by Abhay Rustam stream political party and no human years. He used to be Sopori, written by Bashir Arif and sung by rights or social organization took any fascinated by the Munir Meer, and the strains of Santoor in notice of their sufferings. Even Bolly- sound of tabla while the background, have a soothing feel and wood, which has made at least 5 films with staying with his uncle help in creating the right atmosphere in the backdrop of 2002 Gujarat Riots, that at Gurdaspur. Being the film. The compositions by Sandesh lasted only for 3 days, including 'Kai Po Shandilya are melodious. deeply influenced by Che', 'Firaaq', 'Parzania', 'Raees' and the tabla sound , he in the teen age ran away from his home and became 'Chand Bujh Gaya', just ignored them. The lyrics by Irshad Kamil are evoca- tive particularly the following poem: the disciple of Miyan Kadar Bakshi of Punjab Gharana who initiated him After 30 years someone in the Indian into music. He studied voice and Raag vidya under Ashiq Ali Khan of the film industry declared that he would make dits from the Valley. The film begins with secularism. "Aye Waadi Shehzaadi Bolo Kaisi Ho patiala gharana. He regimen of practice and dedication were legendary, a film based on the genocide of Kashmiri the two of them travelling to Agra, osten- There are a few moving sequences in Ik Din Tumse Milne Vapis Aunga... hours upon hours of hard, disciplined practice, that would later pay off Pandits. It so happens that the filmmak- sibly at the invitation of the President of the film. One of these is a young calf being Kuch Barson Se Toot Gaya Hun Khan- and started his career in as All India Radio Staffer in Mumbai in 1940 er, Vidhu Vinod Chopra, himself is a suf- United States of America, to whom Shiv unloaded and left behind at Patni Top by dit Hun and later composed music for a couple of hindi films between 1943 and ferer of the forced migration and his Kumar Dhar has been regularly writing a family, which has carried it with them Waadi Tera Beta Hun Main...Pandit 1948. In 1958, Ustad Allah Rakha Khan made his first international stage mother Shanti Devi, to whom the film is letters. Sitting in the Presidential Suite of up to that point, when they are told that Hun..." a five star hotel in Agra, the film goes into appearance in Japan along with Pandit Ravi shanker. Ustad Allah Rakha dedicated and after whom the lead char- there will not be enough space in Jammu (O Princess Valley, how are you? a flashback, which begins by showcasing for their own family and that they will not Khan on the tabla and Ravi Shanker on the sitar, the Jugalbandi created acter in the film is named, died in exile in One day, I'll return to visit you, Mumbai in 2007. Rahul Pandita, the co the beautiful life in the pristine Kashmir be able to take care of the calf. Another Broken, a little scattered I am, a rare blend of music and earned international fame. Valley. author of the film, is also a sufferer as he scene that touches one's heart is the wail- Your son still, a Pandit I am.) It was during the period when foreigners took an instant liking for had to leave the valley as a 14 year old and Soon, the situation changes and in the ing of an old man (played by veteran Kash- The cinematography by Rangarajan Indian music. In Mumbai he used to teach the students on the finger live in shabby shanties in Jammu along election related violence, father of Latif, miri actor Bansi Mattoo, who passed away Ramabadran is impeccable. He showcas- aspects of tabla at his "Ustad Allah Rakha Khan Institute of Music" at with his sister and parents. His much Shiv Kumar's childhood friend, is killed by recently) imploring passersby to take him es Kashmir in all its beautiful hues and Shiva Ji park. He was married to Bavi Begum, and had three sons Tabla acclaimed book 'Our Moon has Blood police. Latif joins militancy to avenge his back to his home in Kashmir. The contrast also highlights the dark imagery of the wizard Zakir Hussain,Fazal Qureshi and Taufiq Qureshi, a daughter, Clots' is a faithful narrative incorporating father's killing. The entire valley becomes between the wedding festivities in Kash- troubled times with dexterity and finesse. Razia, whose death preceded his by less than 24 hours. However, he still the exile and the sufferings of Kashmiri a hotbed of militancy and Kashmiri Pan- mir, with soothing live Kashmiri music, He lends a painter's touch to his camera- Pandits. dits are forced to flee the valley. Life in the and the one in Jammu, with Punjabi songs played as an accompanist, for soloists like Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, work. Allauddin khan, Vilayat Khan, Vasant Rai, Ali Akbar Khan and most All these factors put together gave Refugee camps in Muthi in Jammu too is playing on loudspeakers, is stark and real. In conclusion it must be said that Vid- hope to the Kashmiri Pandit community not easy. Shiv Kumar begins teaching stu- A few incidents like distribution of toma- notably Ravi shankar. The venerable master achieved world renown Ravi hu Vinod Chopra is no David Lean and that their story will finally be told. The dents living in the refugee camps. In the toes in a migrant camp in Jammu and an Shanker's chief accompanist during his apex days in the 1960s, delight- 'Shikara' is not a 'Dr. Zhivago', which too repeated statements by Vidhu Vinod last scene of the film Shiv Kumar Dhar apple tree in the garden of protagonist's ing audiences in the west with his percussive wizardry, not only as was a story of love in the times of turmoil. Chopra during press interviews and on returns to Kashmir with the ashes of his house in Srinagar have been taken from uncanny accompanist with flawless timing and sensitivity but also as a He is also not a Roman Polanski and this the social media further strengthened the wife and decides to teach Muslim children Rahul Pandita's book. But these fail to soloist where he was a master of improvisation, a prolific composer and film is not 'The Pianist'. Steven Spielberg expectation that he would be truthful in in his ancestral village. make any impact because of being brutal- an electric showman. The partnership was particularly successful, and made 'Shindler's List' nearly half a centu- his film. In one of the interviews he said The argument forwarded in the film to ly massacred at the editing table. If only his Legendary and spellbinding performances with Shankar at Monterey ry after the holocaust. We may have to "It's a tribute to the Pandit community, to shift the entire blame of terrorism in the the director would have cut a few of the 7 wait for a few decades more for our own pop Festival in1967 and the Woodstock festival in 1969 served to intro- us, to our mothers. Nobody listened to us Valley on the USA is fake. The laboured songs in the film, taking up 24 minutes of Spielberg to tell the tragic tale of Kashmiri duce classical Indian music to general western audiences. He became for 30 years. Our story was hidden for the attempt made to do a balancing act does screen time, such sequences could have Pandits in the manner in which it deserves Guru to Sankha Chatterjee (in 1962). Yogesh Samsi, Prafulla Athalye, past 30 years. This is not a movie but a not do credit to anyone involved in mak- been taken to logical conclusion as narrat- to be told. Aditya kalyanpur, Anuradha pal, Nishikant Barodekar, Uday Ramdas, movement and the movement is that ing of the film. In his letters written by ed in the book. Shyam Kane, and his sons Taufiq Qureshi and Fazal Qureshi. His eldest entire India should see our story now." Shiv Kumar Dhar to successive Presidents The lead actors Sadia in the role of While concluding the Review of 'Mis- sion Kashmir', the earlier film made by son, Zakir Hussain is also an accomplished tabla virtuoso.