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HomeNewsCarnatic Musician in Filmi Ishtyle

Carnatic Musician in Filmi Ishtyle

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sid sriram

— Narasimhan Vijayaraghavan

Who is this ‘Sid’ Sriram? Sidharth “Sid” Sriram is a Carnatic musician, music producer, playback singer, and songwriter. He has been working in the Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Hindi, Marathi and English music industry. His foundational training is in Carnatic music. He dresses differently. Sports distinct hairstyles. He is anything but traditional. He has his ‘fan’ following. But the ‘pure Carnatic music rasika’ is not in attendance. His ‘pronunciation goes awry and jars’ they complain. At the NGS today. Lots more empty chairs than rasikas. Why?

Is he ‘tainted’ by his looks? Or his huge foray into film music, always a bugbear for a traditionalist.Bishen Singh Bedi, the classic left armer with a slow, silken run up to the crease and a perfect high arm delivery with subtle and magical variations, despised one day cricket and T20 and called them ‘pyjama cricket’. Paaji was a purist. He called Sri Lankan unorthodox offie- ‘a charlatan and a chucker’. But Murali, Warne and Kumble vied with each other to be ‘tops’ in their field. They reigned supreme in their respective arts.

The same with Carnatic music v. Film music. Can we forget that MS Amma was Meera and sang such flawless mellifluous ‘filmi’ songs. And was followed by DKP and MLV- Pattamnal and Vasanthakumari as ‘playback singers’. MS- MLV and DLP were the ‘Carnatic music trinity’ and reigned supreme on their platforms. They were far ahead of their times to pave the way for more and more women to ‘make the grade’ as TJS George wrote. Were they ‘tainted’ by filmi music? Did the rasika not throng their concerts (despite, in spite of or who knows, because of their acquired ‘fame’ with the popular filmi connect).

Of course, the present lot- be it Yesudas, Bombay Jaishree or Nithyashree or P Unnikrishnan – they were ‘bigly’ ( favourite expression of the bigly Trump) into ‘other music’. Did they gain or lose? Gained a lot of moolah and fame. Lost out on ‘purity’? Can’t say for sure.

Classical artistes do not belong ‘there’? Imagine Sir Isaac Vivian Alexander. He has an enviable record in Tests and onedayers. He sang the same in any format. Thrust his leg out towards mid off, at times, covers, and plucked the ball to flick or heave it over square leg. Who can forget his last ball six in a World Cup final, against an English speedster. Viv did it in Tests too. That was the difference. The format made no difference. He played ‘pyjama cricket’ with the same ‘flair and finesse’ of traditional test cricket.

Why this fuss that a Carnatic musician must retain his ‘traditional purity’, by sticking to his trained art and not traverse into’ masala music’. Just different art forms? A Sabha secretary messaged,“ Yes, we are entitled to our freaky fastidiousness. If we accept and move on, you will next want Tyagaraja to be replaced by a film song writer? And the performers pander to the popular beats from ‘’that’ terrain. Just check out the pronunciation of Sid, you will know. It may be tuneful but is not soulful to the classicist”. Furious, he was.

One can understand why Yesudas  had but one appearance on the Academy platform. (Were there other reasons too?). His appearances on other Sabha platforms are commercial successes and sabhas are more than willing , as his concert collections, ‘subsidize’ a lot of their expenses, to offer opportunities to the young and upcoming. Logical?

Extend this theme to the canteen. Why not burgers and pizzas? And Nachos? Black Forest and truffles to vie with Kasi halwas and Vanila cake? Butter naans and Chole Baturas are already there. Idlis and dosas are now passé for the younger generation, who too throng the sabhas and canteens. We have to evolve and morph with the moving times, right.

One is reminded of Kalki’s song “Poonkuyil koovum” which became such a raving hit when D K Pattammal sang it that she came to be called “Poonkuyil” Pattammal. “Katrinile varum geetam”, the plaintive song Kalki composed for the film ‘Meera’ (1944) became a signature song for M S Subbulakshmi. In concerts, audiences welcomed it with applause whenever she started the song.

Who knows? Sid’s ‘Kalavathi’ may be next in demand or in line. Sorry, not for me. My ear may not hear. However liberal I may sound , even at the cost of being ‘cancelled’ m, I would stage a ‘principled’ walk out. There is  sure, a limit  even to my liberal remit.

MS and DKP and MLV would never have mouthed them ‘there’ or ‘here’.

( Author is practicing advocate in the Madras High Court)

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