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Across continents

Music, industry, entertainment

#1 My take on arts in history and its impact today, from the lenses of Heeramandi (Netflix series)

Experience:

As a music industry professional in the US currently, and a former musical artist in the Indian industry, I have experienced immense differences in the way both countries view their classical music.

 

As a Bachelor of Indian Classical music myself, I began to understand the value of my degree much later too. The institutions where I learnt were also somehow making ends meet by teaching music and instruments.

 

Creator Sanjay Leela Bhansali:

So, I wanted to write about "Heeramandi," the Indian Netflix series by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, which has been in the top picks worldwide for the last three weeks. Mr. Bhansali is not only a storytelling genius but also a genius in Indian classical music, dance, and fashion. It's always a delight to watch his masterpieces, and he is definitely a blessing for the Indian entertainment industry.

In his movies, women generally take center stage, and it is a matter of pride for actors to be cast in his movies as they are challenging and extremely detail-oriented. After directing 10 and producing 16 films, "Heeramandi" is his first series, and it highlights the story of Indian tawaifs. 

 

Heeramandi:

Tawaifs were elite gifted female dancers, singers & poets. They were rejoiced, worshipped, and celebrated for their dedication to their skills in Indian classical music, dance, and poetry. They had a way of life where the tawaiffs used to marry their skills to maintain lifelong focus. They continued the legacy by keeping any girl children from the tawaiff and their patron. The patrons would feel fortunate to be chosen, as it was difficult to woo these exceptionally gifted women.

 

Downfall of Indian arts:

With the British Raj, these women began to be disrespected. Why? It seems that the cultural richness that the Tawaiffs possessed was not understood and valued by British soldiers. Their way of life, which did not include marriage to a man, also made it easier to attack these women's pride and respect. With the rise of the British Raj and the fall of kings and noblemen in India, these women were forced into prostitution and disrespect, dealing a blow to Indian cultural music, dance, and poetry.

 

Artists today:

The impact is so ingrained in us Indians that parents still do not approve of arts as a career for their children today. It is still looked down upon and considered a poor career choice, as it offers few real opportunities in India and not respectable enough. As a part time music teacher myself, I know that music and art are taught to children more as hobbies to enhance or activate their artistic senses. 

 

India’s pride from yesteryears till date:

But we must not forget that, apart from being a nation known for advanced medicine and engineering, India's culture is one of the richest which is clearly evident in its historical monuments. Whether it's women’s clothing, the Kamasutra, or art, it has always been unapologetically advanced.

In today’s era with the rise of the entertainment industry, there are job opportunities in cinema, music, and dance, but much of the art in Bollywood is a fusion of heavily Western-influenced pieces which is adapted to feel acceptable in society. Indians still have a sense of pride in preferring western culture over Indian. Kudos to Sanjay Leela Bhansali for being able to work on masterpieces like Heeramandi, where he has successfully outlined a thought-provoking story showcasing the downfall of Indian cultural music, poetry, and dance with the Tawaiffs. It also shows how these women were a part of the freedom fight and how women who were artists faced immense disrespect and disregard. The word Tawaiff today is a very derogatory term in India.

 

I recommend:

Having written that, I can recommend Sanjay Leela Bhansali movies and series with pride to my friends and peers in the US and around the world, to watch and experience Indian culture. It will be a feast in terms of Indian art and fashion.

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