“GLS PARAMPARA” by Devesh Mirchandani organised by Art Atelier, a cultural hub at EZCC to an overflowing audience.
on 9th April evening, titled, ‘GLS Parampara’ organised by Art Atelier, a premier cultural hub of New Town, headed by Kathak-dancer Mallika Sarkar, it’s creative director and Sandeep Sarkar, at EZCC, saw the ‘Ghoomar boy’ disciple of Pt. Birju Maharaj, Mumbai-based Kathak dancer, Devesh Mirchandani perform in Calcutta for the very first time, to an overflowing audience.
The show began with a Ganesh Vandana / Sri Krishna invocation which saw some of the dancers shimmer down the aisles, while Devesh Mirchandani flocked while the rest of the students were on the stage. Incidentally, he had conducted a one-week workshop along with remotely teaching students for almost a year, all of whom were part of the show as well.
Post a brief felicitation, he performed three group items to the songs: ‘Baiga/ Chandra’, ‘Bhai Bhari’ / ‘Bolna Halke Halke’ / ‘Taal’ and ‘Sajda’ / ‘Mammlmohini’ .
Up next, Soumen Kundu paired up with Mallika Sarkar, the creative director of Art striker who herself is a Kathak dancer, to ‘Khoya Hai’, backgrounded by a silver of a moon as a prop.
In between dancing to ‘In Ankhon ke’ / ‘Salaam e ishq’ / ‘Ja re hat’ and ‘Deewani Mastani’, again alongside his students, Anupurba Dutta paired up with Souvik Chakraborty in Kathak Recital.
Tanima Bardhan paired up with Soumen kundu in ‘Mere Dholna’ which was truly electrifying performance.
Mirchandani then donned a multi coloured lehenga, and then a jacket to match steps to ‘Titli’, and ‘Ghoomar / Mohe rang do’. Before drawing curtains with a Rajasthani folk ( ‘Rangilo Maro’ / ‘Dholida’ / ‘Nagada’), he paid a fitting tribute to his guru through ‘Taal Pancham sawari’, whose theka was modified by Pt. Maharaj, for dancing.
When asked
About Calcutta and its cultural entity and its student :
Mirchandani said, “Calcutta is a lovely city to teach classical dance because in Bengal they are aware of art from an early age and are already knowledgeable about the ‘laay’ and ‘taal’. Here, students, I can understand really loving and respecting an artist & that is very important. In many cities where I do workshops in, not many have great respect for the classical artists and the journey of a teacher. So teaching here is fulfilling.”
About his Kolkata stay:
Mirchandani said “Kolkata is an art and cultural hub, the stay has always been very comfortable. For me the stay and food is very important and it should be pleasant, relaxed and satisfying as it brings out the best in me creatively. “
About his workshop & students here:
Mirchandani said “I have been teaching here for almost a year now, the students have great potential, they are so talented and I see an immense scope to make my dance company here in future. They understand the music easily, they are acquainted with the Taal & Laya concept. Students here are more inclined towards classical forms and I can feel that they truly respect artists and teachers, unlike cities where I’ve workshopped.
Many students who started loving Kathak from my workshops went on to learn pure Kathak. And here I am in Kolkata. We started with 30 students and now we have 120 students. It takes time to spread the word and win the trust of people when you come to a new city. Kolkata is one of my favourite cities to teach classical dance.”
Thoughts on his first performance in Kolkata:
Mirchandani said “ This is the first time I have danced here on a grand stage, I have brought my Show PARAMPARA here, all courtesy Art Atelier with whom I’ve also been doing the week-long workshop in their Newtown dance-studio and training remotely for eleven months. It’s a student show and it gives an opportunity, a platform to the aspiring dancers as well as those who are dancing for pleasure. We have students from 8 years old to 60 years, they are all having the best time of their life. I started PARAMPARA in Mumbai 2020 and students came from Hong Kong, Greece, China & Italy. It was a super hit show. “
About his genre:
Mirchandani said “My style is Semi-Classical and Bollywood, I also incorporate folk dances with Kathak moves and choreograph it on popular Bollywood songs which are classical based. My concept is to reach Kathak to the whole world, so I package my workshops in a way where participants learn Kathak dance movements but on popular tracks. This attracts not only Indians but also foreigners. This time in Kolkata I have taught songs like Kaahe Chedh, Mohe Rang Do Laal, Ghoomar, Shri Krishna Govind, and have also taught the folk form of Maharashtra, Lavni. “
About Not being interested in Bollywood choreography yet:
Mirchandani said “I am interested in Choreographing Bollywood songs, and I know I will be in Bollywood some day, but I don’t want to do vulgar songs. I am inspired by Saroj Khan ji and I want to do something similar, But my focus is to highlight Kathak in Bollywood films. I am not against the current trend and scenario but I want today’s generation to see various Indian classical forms on a bigger screen. “
About dance reality shows:
Mirchandani said “Winners from dance reality shows think that they are superstars and they feel that everyone else is below them. But soon the tables turn around and they find themselves jobless. The only way to get success in any art field is by daily practice or Riyaz. Reality shows are there to do business, they are interested in TRP’s they don’t care about the training or development of an artist. “
About his future plans:
Mirchandani said “My future plan is to teach dance to many more people, continue with my PARAMPARA shows in Mumbai, Kolkata and hopefully Pune and to choreograph Bollywood film songs. Also I want to make my own dance company and school someday. I want Indian classical forms to become a compulsory subject in our educational system. “
Mallika Sarkar, Creative Director of Art Atelier and a Kathak dancer herself, explained, “A Mirchandani workshop is very different because he’s very serious about Kathak teaching. It’s been known that many participants started loving Kathak from his workshop and have eventually even begun training in pure Kathak.”
Sandeep Sarkar, the MD added, “People have not only come from West Bengal districts but also from Jharkhand and Pune as well. We’re overwhelmed.”
About Shri Mirchandani –
Known as the ‘Ghoomar Boy’, aptly because his own interpretive choreography set to the song ‘Ghoomar’ from the film Padmaavat became more viral than the original, Shri Devesh Mirchandani, had started a bit late – around 11 or 12 years of age to learn Kathak from workshops of Padma Vibhushan Birju Maharaj ji and as he puts it “like an Eklavya”.
His genre is classical, semi-classical and folk , especially application of traditional Kathak & folk idiom to Bollywood songs. (I think he also learned jazz dancing.)
Owing to his idiosyncratic style, he has been teaching Kathak since the age of 15! simply because he had been getting offers to do so.
He’s not keen on choreographing Bollywood songs yet because he does not find it too palatable. His ultimate aim is to ‘Indiananise’ Bollywood choreography. He is preparing himself and bidding his time to one day “become big enough to impact Bollywood choreography”
(He, though, towards the beginning was involved in the sequencing of ‘Aaj Blue hai Pani’ by Honey Singh.)
Since and due to that ‘Ghoomar’ explosion, he is in great demand in holding Kathak workshops not only in India but also in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Peru, Colombia, Polland, Spain, Russia, Germany, Georgia, Chile, Bolivia, Nepal etc. and judging many international dance festivals and competitions held in Russia & China.
He will be having his first recital in Kolkata this Wednesday April 9 comprising ‘Kahe Chere’ originally choreographed by Pt Birju Maharaj for the film Devdas; Dewani Mastani from Baji Rao Mastani, a Lavni interpretation of Chandra from Chandramukhi, a Ghoomar & Shree Krishna Govind number, and other classical traditional devotional and folk dances for a thoroughly entertaining evening.
This evening titled ‘Parampara’ is also a culmination of his workshop that he’s been conducting from April 1 to 8. Participants have come during officers like Jharkhand and Pune to take part in his Kolkata workshop!
(This story has not been edited by News Mania staff and is published from a Media Release)
