lifestyle SUNDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2015 Features Taking music to the masses ‘Sopanam’ musician on a mission to popularize the art form By Sajeev K Peter Harigovindan. “I have heard many sopanam musicians lament that people don’t listen to their music. It is because, their music was opanam musician Njeralathu Harigovindan is on a silent mis- designed as a temple art meant only for a minority,” he said. “Artistes sion. The sixth son of late Njeralathu Rama Pothuvaal, the great must become broadminded and attempt to communicate to a vast SSopanam music exponent of Kerala, Harigovindan seeks to majority of people. It is futile to complain or wail about the unpopu- redefine the concept of ‘Sopanasangeetham’ by popularizing the folk larity of their music,” he said. art form. “My mission is to make this music popular and appealing to “I could not become silent and inactive. I decided to use the tech- the masses,” says Harigovindan, who established the ‘Njeralath nology that was handed over to me traditionally from my father to Kalasramam’ after his father, who unshackled the art form from the face the modern generation and cater to their aspirations and aes- four walls of the temples in Kerala. thetic sensibilities,” he said. Harigovind debuted in 1995 inheriting “Our mission is to make ‘Sopanam’ music accessible at all places of music from his father Rama Pothuvaal. “We started the Njeralath performances, irrespective of caste, religion, politics, gender or place. Kalasramam with a view to popularizing ‘Sopanasangeetham.’ This music must emanate from the depths of the soul and the singer must be able to envision himself singing at the doorway of the Survival Almighty,” he said in an interview with Kuwait Times. Harigovindan According to Harigovindan, there are only 114 Sopanam singers in arrived in Kuwait to perform during NAFO’s Onam celebration at the Kerala today. “No temple art can survive within the walls of temples. Indian Community School, Salmiya on Friday. Many artistes live in abject poverty and lead an unhappy life. At the “Music must relate to life and its experiences no matter where you same time, those artistes who came out of temples and started per- sing,” Harigovindan, who has sung at Christian churches, Muslim forming outside are better off today,” he remarked. forums and conference venues of various political parties in Kerala, Harigovindan, who has become a well-known singer today, lend- said. “Only when my father started singing Sopanam music outside ing a new style and dimension to the Sopanam music, strongly the precincts of temples, did people begin to realize that there is a believes that instead of teaching these art forms at institutes like genre of music called ‘Sopana Sangeetham’. Although traditionalists Kalamandalam, there should be centers to train people to appreciate attacked him, a few geniuses like G Aravindan, G Shankara Pillai, art forms. “Learning is more important than performance. At Kavalam Narayana Panikkar, John Abraham and Nedumudii Venu Njeralath Kalasramam’, we are trying to do that. Popularization of any realized the aesthetic beauty of the art form and identified the great art can only done only through a step by step process as it involves talent of the singer,” he said recalling how filmmaker Aravindan cast several technical complexities. People must be led from the unknown Rama Pothuvaal in his movie ‘Thampu’ (The Tent) as a sopanam to the known,” he said. Harigovind is happy that there a growing is Even when one fails to make his art form popular in his own life, it Njeralathu singer who sings with his ‘Edakka’, a percussion instrument. acceptance for his music today with a large number of youngsters may become acceptable at least in the next generation. For that one Harigovindan being attracted towards it. may have to make sacrifices and suffer material losses. It must be a Popular Harigovindan has lent his voice to the music album titled ‘The mission. This is what we are trying to do today,” he said. “It was a realization for many when my father and his style of Soul of Anamika in Black and White’ made by Shahbaas Aman and “I don’t believe that Akademi awards are the ultimate honors an music were introduced to people through a popular medium like cin- the telefilm ‘Kaalam’ (The Time) about Pallavoor Appu Maaraar. Also artist can aspire for. To be born as Njeralathu Rama Poduvaal’s son is ema,” Harigovindan noted. He recalled how the Sopanam song an exponential singer of Jayadeva’s Ashtapathi, Harigovindan has the ultimate Padmashri and that cannot be conferred on me by any ‘Vande Mukunda Hare...’ became a hit after the Malayalam film composed many songs and enlivened ancient lyrics in addition to government,” he said. “Art or music is not meant to defeat anyone ‘Devasuram’ directed by Renjith was released. several compositions for Mohiniyattom. through competitions nor is it a medium to make or break records. It “Unfortunately, after my father’s death, there were again attempts seeks to bring solace and happiness to people in distress,” he said. by traditionalists to take ‘Sopapasangeetham’ back to temples. At the Mission same time, I had to introspect as to why this musical form did not “I prefer to call my music Harigovinda Geetham, he said. I strongly appeal to the masses. Here is where I found a space for myself,” said believe that an artist must fundamentally be brave and not greedy. ‘Thor 3’ finds its director in Taika Waititi aika Waititi is in negotiations to direct “Thor: Ragnarok,” the third installment in TMarvel’s “Thor” franchise. The New Zealand native helmed several episodes of the TV series “Flight of the Conchords” in addition to writing and directed the vampire spoof “What We Do in the Shadows” and the indie comedy “Eagle vs Shark.” Waititi, who’s half-Maori, also penned the script for Disney’s upcoming animated movie “Moana.” Waititi also acted as the character Tom Kalmaku 2011’s “Green How much for Lantern” opposite Ryan Reynolds. Kenneth In this image released by Sony Pictures, Joseph Gordon-Levitt portrays Philippe Petite in a scene from, “The Walk.” The Branagh directed 2011’s original “Thor” and film, about high-wire artist Phillippe Petit’s cabled walk between the Twin Towers in 1974, opened the 53rd New York Alan Taylor helmed “Thor: The Dark World” in Film Festival yesterday. — AP 2013. The first film grossed $449 million world- that Nobel prize wide and the sequel took in $645 million. Chris Hemsworth will return as the titular superhero. Tom Hiddleston (Loki) and Jaimie ‘The Martian,’ ‘The Walk’ give in the window? Alexander (Lady Sif) will be back to star as well. The script for “Thor: Ragnarok” has been writ- o need to make peace in the Middle East, resolve one of ten by Christopher Yost and Craig Kyle. Yost Oscar voters feel-good options science’s great mysteries or pen a masterpiece: the easiest was a co-writer on “Thor: The Dark World. Kevin way to get yourself a Nobel prize may be to buy one. In the N Feige is the producer. “Thor: Ragnarok” hits the- oth Robert Zemeckis’ “The Walk” and Ridley Scott’s “The Hawk Down,” for which he received a best director nomina- 114 years since the Nobel prizes were first handed out, they have aters on Nov 3, 2017. Waititi is represented by Martian” made their way to theaters this week, and both tion. Add to that a sure-to-be-substantial box office take (early been awarded 889 times for pioneering work in the fields of CAA and Manage-ment. — Reuters Bhave something unique to offer in the Oscar race. No, estimates put it around $50 million this weekend) and obvi- peace, literature, medicine, physics, chemistry and, since 1969, not spectacle, though they have that in spades as well. Rather, ous appeal in below-the-line categories (the effects, editing, economics. But over the years, following reversals of fortune and in a season typically packed with deadly serious themes and sound and design elements are all outstanding, as they tend splitting of inheritances, at least a dozen Nobel gold medals and issues, these movies trade in delighting their audiences. to be even in Scott’s lesser works), then you start closing in on diplomas have ended up on the auction block. Zemeckis’ could almost be described as a family film; its a delicious recipe for awards success. Yes, it’s the easy way out, as buyers don’t have to have “con- jaunty tone and Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s bubbly persona are an One wonders, however, if Damon’s perceived press faux ferred the greatest benefit on mankind”, as stipulated by Swedish antidote to somber stories on the circuit. Meanwhile, that pas in recent weeks will be more than just grist for the short- scientist and philanthropist Alfred Nobel in his 1895 testament quality is part of the very fabric of “The Martian,” which finds sighted outrage mill. (Reaction to his somewhat benign state- when he created the prizes. But as any mediator will tell you, actor Matt Damon left behind on an unforgiving extraterres- ments have been overblown, I feel, and I say that as someone peace comes at a price. And surprisingly, it is not always as high as trial world in a story that could, for obvious reasons, have who smacked my forehead when I saw the “Project one would think for a Nobel Peace Prize. The cheapest Nobel ever been much darker. As screenwriter Drew Goddard said this Greenlight” clip.) In all likelihood, that will blow over for the sold at auction is that of France’s Aristide Briand, honored in 1926 week, “It has this optimistic soul to it, which is not something next news cycle and the actor will end up a best actor con- for his role in France and Germany’s short-lived post-war reconcili- you see a lot in science-fiction in general.” tender for holding the audience’s attention by his lonesome ation.