A programme dedicated to the memory of Debabrata Biswas, presented by Lahari on September 19 at Sisir Mancha, dutifully rustled up a trio of young and aspiring Rabindrasangeet singers ? Sutapa Chowdhury, Sanjay De and Manoj Duttagupta ? who did little to enliven the unique and exclusive musical heritage established by the late maestro. Chowdhury has her limitations, primarily of range, but presents fairly fine-tuned music that speaks of carefully-sustained training and the ability to carry off Baul and kirtan-style numbers with a warm, lilting touch. Dujoney dekha holo, Aami hridayer katha, Na chahiley jaarey and Aamar nai ba holo paarey were representative of a repertoire dwelling on the simplicity of notes and a play of rhythms.
Mohua Mitra
Kaushik Raha?s earlier solo exhibitions, also at the Academy of Fine Arts, convinced many critics that this budding artist was meant to accomplish greater things. Confined to cityscape painting with an uncommon power to portray the natural play of sunlight through the urban clusters, Kaushik surely enthrals his viewers. That faculty of the young painter is impressive as far as it goes, but the full spectacle of the nearly unvarying display also has its own aesthetic limitations. It tends to lead ultimately to a visual monopoly which few of the artist?s admirers may be in a mood to suffer. Kaushik has the amazing ability to elicit a kind of magical light suffusing the nooks and corners of the gloomy man-made structures.
Samir Dasgupta
Vyjayanti Kashi showed a rare proficiency in her Kuchipudi recital at the Padatik Little Theatre, jointly organised by Padatik and Anamika Kala Sangam on September 14. Trained by stalwarts like Vempathi Chinna Satyam and Vedantham Prahlada Sarma, she skilfully combined the ancient dance-drama technique of Kuchipudi with the sophisticated style of the present. Exuberance and grace dominated her initial number Mohini avatar. An unwavering adherence to purity of form marked her performance, exemplifying the aesthetics and strength of Kuchipudi. Tarangam, the most popular item of the Kuchipudi repertoire, in which the dancer performs on the rim of a brass plate, was really enjoyable. Repeated interruptions of the taped music, however, ruined the mood of the artiste as well as the audience.
Sharmila Basu Thakur
