HRD DIRECTIVE IRKS MUSIC FRATERNITY

Musicians see HRD’s ruling as unimplementable and an attack on artists’ freedom of choice

The Human Resources Development ministry’s latest diktat asking central universities and IITs across India to host “patriotic music bands” as part of a government drive to mark the 70th year of India’s independence and 75 years of the Quit India Movement, hasn’t gone down too well with musicians throughout the country. While some feel implementation is going to be a problem, some see it as an attack on creative and artistic liberty.

DON’T SHOVE PATRIOTISM DOWN OUR THROATS

“Why would you want to shove it down someone’s throat, saying that they have to perform patriotic numbers? How many bands in India genuinely compose and play patriotic numbers?” says Mahesh Tinaikar, the guitarist for Mumbai-based rock band, Indus Creed, and compares the diktat to the SC ruling on playing the national anthem before movie screenings. Bollywood singer Jubin Nautiyal says music is supposed to be liberating. “When you perform, you are free from all social rules and you are just expressing what you feel. You can’t impose things on someone saying that you have to sing this way, or that,” he says.

WHAT’S WRONG IN PLAYING A COUPLE OF PATRIOTIC NUMBERS IN A CONCERT?

However, Subir Malik, keyboard player for the Delhibased band, Parikrama, welcomes the ruling and says, “Had they said that your entire gig has to be patriotic, I would have opposed it. But, they are asking you to play only a couple of patriotic numbers. What’s wrong in that? Why can’t you play AR Rahman’s Vande Mataram or any other Bollywood patriotic number?” He thinks bands playing a few patriotic songs in their set list is a good idea.

IMPLEMENTATION WILL BE A PROBLEM:

Amit Kilam, percussionist, Indian Ocean, sees several flaws in the implementation. “How will you make sure that this trend is followed? I mean will you send someone to see if the patriotic numbers are played in the concert or not? It would have made sense had the government hosted a cultural function of their own, and asked bands to play patriotic songs there,” he says. He also cites copyright and royalty issues as problem.

MUSIC IS THE ULTIMATE FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION

Singer Kailash Kher feels music is free from all impositions. “You can’t force a musician into playing music. For a musician, a concert is where they express what they feel without any restrictions. You can’t force any musician against playing what they want,” he says.

For a musician, a concert is where they express what they feel without any restrictions KAILASH KHER, SINGER Why would you want to shove it down someone’s throat, saying they have to perform patriotic numbers? MAHESH TINAIKAR, GUITARIST I mean will you send someone to see if the patriotic numbers are played in the concert or not? AMIT KILAM, PERCUSSIONIST When you perform, you are free from all social rules and you are just expressing what you feel JUBIN NAUTIYAL, SINGER They are asking you to play only a couple of patriotic numbers. What’s wrong in that? SUBIR MALIK, KEYBOARDIST

PHOTO: RAJESH KASHYAP/HT