SONA MOHAPATRA PENS AN ODE TO HER HOMELAND, ODISHA

Artiste Sona Mohapatra isn’t one to remain silent on pressing issues, and once again, she has sprung into action to raise awareness on Covid-19 and the recent cyclone Amphan, which ravaged her hometown, Odisha, and neighbouring West Bengal. She says, “I use social media to shed light on issues that matter to me. I decided to record a song — Nilamani — with Ram Sampath (partner, music composer) overnight at home. I got my band mates to record their parts at home and also did a do-it-yourself (DIY) edit of a music video for it from (previously shot) footage of travelling in the glorious countryside of Odisha.”

The artiste, who has family and friends in Odisha, says the positivity in their voice is heartening, and penning an ode to her motherland is her way of celebrating their spirit while bringing folk art to the fore. “Odisha’s folk art and artists are looking at very bleak times, with all sources of earning taken away in the foreseeable future. There is no such help in India for the creative community even in good times, let alone now,” she says, adding that we, as a country, need to propagate a culture where artistes are paid their dues, monetarily.

Mohapatra is involved in various fundraisers for the underprivileged and daily wage earners. She even held a webinar to help boost the morale of our country’s frontline warriors. “As responsible citizens, we can contribute to the state CM funds both in Odisha and West Bengal for cyclone relief,” she asserts.

Amid reports of many artistes and yesteryear actors running out of funds and supplies, Mohapatra feels people should help out in whatever way they can. “My personal appeal is to look out for any musician or artiste in our vicinity who’ll never ask for help, but desperately needs it,” she concludes.