AAW #205

People across the globe have always presumed citizens of Ahmedabad as passionate business minded personalities. But it’s the Ahmedabad Art Weekly which is breaking the archetypical mindsets and screaming out loud on how culturally rich and creative this city can be. The 205th edition has a wonderful dose that will satiate a creative soul’s curiosity

Based on Padma Shree Gyan Chaturvedi’s stirring novel ‘Narak Yatra’, Dastan-E-Narak is a play directed by Dushyant Malik, it reflects the atrocities of an Indian poor man’s life. The show is reasonably ticketed and it features various emerging artists of Aapnu Amdavad. The comic women of Ahmedabad are back with freshly brewing content. Mahila Manch with journalist and stand-up comedian Priti Das have organised yet again a humour filled evening as part of their monthly Period show series! Architects by vocation yet musicians by passion, locally dwelling Hrushikesh and Sukrit are learned Indian Classical musicians who will collaboratively deliver an aesthetically rich performance at ‘Mohana’.

An all-night musical ensemble featuring reputed artists of the Indian classical music are going to be a part of ‘Yamini’. Vocalist Shrimati Shruti Sadolikar, The Manganiyars of Barmer and Veena player Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt are only amongst a few of them. Get mesmerised in the tuneful melodies of singer Nirali Kartik, while she performs at ‘Bhor Bhayee’ with Tabla player Sapan Anjaria and Harmonium player Akash Joshi at Natarani Amphitheatre. A lecture that will delve deeper into relationships, but not just of family! તબીબ અને દર્દી : માંઝી અને મુસાફર talk is meant to focus on relationships between a student and a teacher and also between a doctor and patient. The talk will be conducted by author Jay Vasavada, Dr Chintan Patel and Dr Vismit Joshipura.

Visual art adorers, attention! Ahmedabad is hosting an exhibition of India’s only artist who paints with flames. Kamal Rana calls his technique of painting FI’RANA:ISM, which he is planning to demonstrate during this almost one-week long exhibition. Literature lovers can relish a pleasant evening discussing Jhumpa Lahiri’s book ‘Interpreter of Maladies’. Photographer Bindi Sheth who closely observes various NGOs through her lens comes up with another exhibition in the city. The lens woman has yet again sensitively captured the stirring stories of children with special needs in a visual form.

The inspiration of our 205th Ahmedabad Art Weekly is National Award winning Indian film actor Sanjeev Kumar. Born in Surat, in 1938, Kumar started his acting career at the age of 22 with Indian People’s Theatre Association (IPTA) and gave fantastic performances in movies like Dastak (1971) and Koshish (1973) The versatile actor performed flawless comedy as well as dramatic scenes and his role in film ‘Angoor’ was rated as the 25 best acting performances ever in Indian Cinema by Forbes. The multi accolade winning recitalist was highly respected amongst his contemporaries and other fellow actors and actresses. The Govt of India released a postal stamp dedicated to Sanjeev Kumar in 2013 to recognise his contributions to the Indian film industry.