Beyond the Stage - Anecdotes of Indian Maestros in everday life

Beyond the Stage

Anecdotes from Indian Maestros of Performing Art in Every Day Life

Directed by Shyam Benegal

India's rich cultural heritage has evolved through the creative expressions of maestros who have over time memorial practiced, performed and excelled in their forms. Even today each district, state in India even today have their traditional art forms for individual and community expressions.

Indian Art Music is one such art from that has seen artistic and creative exposition of the highest order and caliber.

As in any field and domain, what endures and piques human interest are anecdotes which becomes myths that over time legends. Every field has its share and so does Indian Art. Anecdotes tend to give an insight into the times, lives and philosophy of major artistes. There are also amusing, beautiful and aesthetic expressions that are found in the stores of maestros of India. Where their artistic exposition blends with day to day living and normal activities.

Shyam Benegal and Soulitudes ( for now) has conceived the concept that explores how great musicians, dancers of India lived, breathed and showered on music through the idiom of what is regarded as mundane activity and moment. The aim is to make a series of short films (30 mts) that explores different maestros integration of their art form beyond the performance stage.

Pilot Proiect 1: Alaap in the Shower

One of the greatest exponent of this art form in the last 100 years has been an humble man called Pandit Mallikarjun Mansur. The life that he led was marked by an astonishing level of commitment to the music, almost unnatural. The ability to become one with music in its entirety was the hallmark of the man. Literally to his last breadth he remained involved with music. The anecdote is that half an hour before he breathed his last, he asked his son to sing. As Rajashekar began the alaap, Mansur saab beckoned him lightly and whispered into his ear, that he could try it another way.

Another fascinating anecdote which is the plot for the short film is the one recounted in PL Deshpande book which poignantly, gently and with a touch of humor illustrates Mallikarjun Mansur love and commitment to music.

Mansur Saab utter simplicity made him travel by third class coach for concerts and one such invitation brought him to Bombay. During his visits to Bombay, he would typically stay with his friend PL Deshpande who lived in the chawl settlements in Matunga. In a chawl people it is not the habit to lock the doors, so Mansur saab opened the door and trudged and was ready for shower. In chawls, each individual room has a tap and there was steady rhythm in water leaking on to the basin. Mansur saab began his alaap while having a shower with water tapping on the sink as the taal. As he immersed himself in the music bathing, PL Deshpande entered the room and quietly removed the tabla and the jugalbandi began. As the vocal, table interplay continued, the Sarangi player also entered a little later and while Mansur saab was bathing and singing, an entire alaap played and Mansur walked out fresh and showered.

The entire anecdote provides such a light and moving account of Mansur Saab life. Shyam Benegal's vision is to bring this story to life through a short film whose duration will as long as an Alaap ( max 30 mts). It will end with shower coming to an end.

Shyam babu has spoken to Rajashekhar ( Mansur saab's son) to play his father.

Other Potential films in the series:

Bhriju Maharaj, Amjad Ali Khan, Shyam Benegal in a taxi ride through Hyderabad in summer

Like when Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, Bhrija Maharaj and Shyam Benegal had received an award and after the ceremony the organizers left them high and dry to fend for themselves so the three of them took a taxi to the city and during the ride, Bhriju Maharaj showcased one of the most expressive abhinaya Shyam Benegal had seen as the taxi hurtled through Hyderabad traffic in the peak of summer.

Bala Saraswathi singing Hindustani music over breakfast in Mumbai: Very few people know that the legendary dancer Bala Saraswathi was fine hindustani vocalists

Other artistes could includ Bala Saraswati, Ustad Faiyazz Khan, T R Mahalingam, Kesarbai Kerkar, Bhriju Maharaj. The over arching theme is to set music and art forms in the context of ordinary life, not performance.

Funding:

Each episode will be shot in Film and the cost of the pilot project would be 80 lacs.