‘ Kala darbar’ in UP to address artistes’ grievances

In what seems to be an extension of UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav’s janata darbar, the Sangeet Natak Academy ( SNA) has decided to start a “kala darbar” in which artists from across the state can put up their grievances.

“We plan to hold a kala darbar on every Saturday from September and artists from all over the state can come and place their problems. We will try to resolve as many issues as we can. This will be a first of its kind initiative in the country,” said SNA chairman Naved Siddiqui.

Mr Siddiqui said that the idea behind the kala darbar was drawn from the janata darbar and the purpose was to help the artists in Uttar Pradesh by solving their issues and encouraging them to improve their art.

“Artists are highly creative and also sensitive people. They are not very vocal or aggressive while voicing their grievances on a public platform. Hence, we decided to give them this opportunity where they can place their problem in their own community,” he explained.

The Sangeet Natak Academy chairman said that he often read reports in newspapers about artists dying in penury, not having resources to carry on their craft and also about their inability to deal with old age and illness.

Mr Siddiqui, who has been a well known radio jockey before he took a plunge into politics before the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, said that he would also take a feedback from artists who are proficient in traditional arts and seek their opinion on preserving these arts and crafts. The Sangeet Natak Academy is also planning a series of workshops on literature for children, script writing, serial script writing, story writing, book writing, creative writing, radio play writing and stage play writing.