Venkat Raman
Music is an important ingredient for the success of most films made in India and over the years, hundreds of music directors and composers have not only steered the fate of films at the box office but also helped in the success of careers of actors and directors.
Shankar & Jaikishan were among the foremost of such music directors whose magic spell continues to entrance millions of Hindi films worldwide. Their 22-year partnership (1949-1971) produced hundreds of hits, many of them known for innovative composition, orchestral arrangement and execution of raag and taal.
Unique Opportunity
While their musical compositions have adorned several albums, New Zealanders would have a unique opportunity of enjoying some of these at a musical evening scheduled to be held in Auckland in March.
Mt Roskill based Swar Sadhana Academy of Indian Music is organising the programme titled, ‘Zindagi Ik Safar Hai Suhana’ on Saturday, March 28, 2015 at Dorothy Winstone Centre, Auckland Girls Grammar School.
Singers and musicians from our community will present many of the immortal songs of Shankar & Jaikishan, the likes of who, the Hindi film industry is yet to see.
Most of the singers at the forthcoming show are students of Swar Sadhana Academy of Music but its Director and Principal Sandhya Badakere has enlisted the participation of Ashish Ramakrishnan and Shweta Divekar Shirsat, two upcoming singers.
Ashish Ramakrishnan
Ashish Ramakrishnan, well known on both sides of the Tasman, India and several other places and Shweta Divekar, another singer of name and fame in Mumbai and Auckland will be among the ‘star’ performers’ at the event.
Ashish, winner of the ‘Zee TV Sa Re Ga Ma’ Competition and ‘Close-up Antakshari’ and 500 music concerts to his credit, described the prospect of his participation in the forthcoming tribute to Shankar Jaikishan as ‘a great blessing.’
“They have composed songs for every mood, genre and taste. I have grown up listening to their melodies. Although not trained in classical music formally. I have always practised their songs such as ‘Ajuhun Aaye Balma’ (from the Hindi film, ‘Sanjh Aur Savera’) and ‘Jhanak Jhanak’ (‘Mere Huzoor’). Most of the songs that I rendered at ‘Sa Re Ga Ma Pa’ were that of Shankar Jaikishan,” he said.
Shweta Divekar Shirsat
Shweta also feels privileged to perform at the special show.
“I look forward to presenting ‘Rey Man Sur Mein Gaa’ (‘Lal Patthar’) a pure classical song based in ‘Yaman,’ my favourite raag and ‘Pan Khayo Saiyan Hamaro (‘Teesri Kasam’),” she said.
Born in a family of music lovers, Shweta began her training in Indian classical music when she was five years of age under Krishnarao Karekar of Kirana Gharana.
Achieving expertise in various forms of Indian classical and light classical music, she won top prizes in a number of music competitions.
As well as music, her proficiency extends to Sanskrit, India’s oldest language.
