SHRUTI AND AKRITI SUPPORT HTKGAF
Music is one of the most engaging forms of performing arts. The artiste manages to create a special connection with the audience and can not only influence their mood but also make them more receptive and open to communication. This is why the Jaslok Hospital & Research Centre associated with the Hindustan Times Kala Ghoda Arts Festival to present a music concert that featured amazing performances by Shruti Pathak and Akriti Kakar at the iconic steps of the Asiatic Society Library.
Shruti started the evening with her own brand of ‘Guzzlar’ music where she displayed her classical music training with aplomb. A true performer, she had the audience hooked from her very first song, ‘Naina lagiya baarisha’. She then moved on to her famous Bollywood debut song, ‘Marjawan’ from the movie Fashion (2008). Accompanied by the melodious strains of the saarangi, she sang the ‘Guzzlar’ version of ‘Aaj Jaane ki zid na karo’. She also decided to be a bit experimental and sang a song for the first time on stage in tribute to the poet, Amir Khusro – a composition in praise of his master, Nizamuddin Auliya. She was overwhelmed by the audience’s response and thanked them profusely. “It really touches my heart that such music is still being appreciated. This has been one of my finest experiences at such a lovely venue at the HTKGAF and I thank you for making it so special for me,” she said.
In support of the Lighthouse initiative by Jaslok Hospital & Research Centre, she said, “I have done my masters in psychology, and I completely support such initiatives. I feel that not only teenagers, but anyone who is facing issues should seek help. There should not be any stigma attached to it.”
After Shruti’s heartwarming performance, Akriti Kakar took to the stage and started off with a medley of songs to pay tribute to the great singers and composers of Indian music such as Mukesh, Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and AR Rehman. After an inspiring set that had most of the audience singing along, Akriti decided to pick it up a notch and got DJ Dawgeek on board to get the dance beat going with songs like ‘Tamma tamma’, ‘Ishq tera tadpawe’, ‘Laila mein laila’ and ‘Saturday, Saturday’.
Describing her HTKGAF experience, Akriti said, “It was incredible! I am really thankful that I got to perform on this lovely stage; I don’t think you can get such a venue or such an audience anywhere else. I dropped everything to be here. I can sing what my heart wants.”
Akriti admired the work done by the Jaslok Hospital through their Lighthouse initiative, “It’s amazing. While people speak about being liberal, we see that usually one would not have the courage to talk about personal issues and problems even with parents or a friend. I think this initiative is beautiful and will give a lot of youngsters out there the strength to address their problems.” Lighthouse Health Centre is a first-of-its-kind clinic that looks into treating young adults and helping them solve the problems they face. Lighthouse Health Centre is set to bridge the gap between parents and teens. India has 253 million people who are on the cusp of adolescence, making it largest adolescent population in the world. Adolescence is a phase of transition filled with questions and challenges. Focusing on concerns about the physical, mental and emotional health of the young ones, this clinic aims to spread awareness about the changes the body and mind goes through. This knowledge is important for handling changes and adolescents should know how to communicate in case of health issues. There is a solution for every problem and the best way to tackle issues is to raise awareness by talking about the changes people face at every stage. The clinic provides counselling to both parents and adolescents. Jaslok Hospital and Research Center encourages preteens, teens, young adults and parents to visit the clinic and get their questions answered.