Perfect rendition
FLAWLESS Vennila's grasp of the idiom is praiseworthy
Rais Khan and Azeez Khan, the two highly talented son and disciples of the noted Ustad Bale Khan of Dharwad regaled the audience at the Kalakshiti auditorium with their style of play marked by completeness, in both touch and tune creating an overall positive impact.
It was but natural, for, classical music runs in their veins. Hailing from a family of musicians, the Khan brothers have no trouble grasping the essence of classical music on their sitars. Their play adhered to the cult of pure raga, pure technique and pure perception. With an unflinching understanding and co-ordination, the sitarists delighted music lovers with their fine art. Their flawless Pooriya Dhanashri (Poorvi Kalyani of Carnatic music)endeared the rising stars of sitar to the knowledgeable audience.
Azeez Khan proved to be a melodious singer with his emotional rendition of the thumri "Yaad piya ki aaye". The concluding Bhairavi was moving. The rhythmic support on the tabla by the experienced Pandit Ravindra Yavagal had the intended effect - that of providing contrasting tone and colour to the sitar recital.
* * *
Now in her teens, Vennila Vasanthkumar, a promising Bharatanatya disciple of Guru Padmini Ramachandra brought to the fore the soft beauty and freshness of her style in her Bharatanatya recital held at the Nayana auditorium under the Every Wednesday Cultural Evening Programme series.
Her leg stretches and other features both complementary and contrasting showed a fine understanding of the stage and aesthetics in the choreography. The attractive bhangis and karanas, and the captivating sholkattus, swarakattus and mukthayis in the varna accounted for the praiseworthy hold of Vennila over her idiom. She could negotiate a number of charis and bhramaris with great self-confidence.
Though she needed profundity in abhinaya, which is the product of experience, Vennila was at home in her histrionics too.
The beauty of the angikas could be seen in the opening Mallari adorned with kaala and gathi bedhas. The sketching of "Vara Vallabharamana" was neatly followed by "Ayagiri Nandini".
The dancer brought out the feelings of the virahothkhanthita nayika through the rendition of a Navaragamalika varna ("Swamiy azhaitodiva"). The depiction of a Purandaradasa pada "Balakrishna baaro" suited her persona and acting prowess. The rendition of a Pharaz javali was admirable. The recital concluded with a tillana in Mohana Kalyani raga. Vennila's Guru Padmini Ramachandran (nattuvanga), Janaradhan (mridanga) and others in the orchestral ensemble did everything in enhancing the effulgence of Vennila's dance.
M. SURYA PRASAD
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Friday Review
Bangalore
Chennai and Tamil Nadu
Delhi
Hyderabad
Thiruvananthapuram
