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Wish to hold concert in Kashmir soon: Salim Merchant
Navneet Vyasan
In 2010, Saurashtra, Sayed Haider Raza’s exquisite work crated in the early 1980s, was sold for 16.47 Crores at an auction at Christie’s. This was just one of the many instances when artists from the iconic Bombay Progressive Artists’ Group made their mark in the international world. Of them, Raza, born in 1922, in Mandala, a small town in Madhya Pradesh, had in him, a queer assimilation of various cultures and values that he was somehow able to express in his canvas. Distinctive in his style and adaptive to the newer techniques, Raza’s work stood out among his contemporaries. Art curator Yashodhara Dalmia, who previously penned the acclaimed biography on Amrita Sher-Gil, in her latest work, Raza, uses the evocative letters he wrote and received to chart his life. Excerpts from an interview:
He was a master painter who made brilliant paintings, full of emotions and thought, which were very inspiring. Along with this was the fact that he came from humble origins and rose to great fame and made a mark internationally.
Raza was a founder member of the Progressive Artists’ Group which included artists like (FN) Souza and (MF) Husain. What is more he was in constant touch with other modernists like Tyeb Mehta, Krishen Khanna, Akbar Padamsee and others who were his friends. He not only participated in the whole group and its activities which was in the forefront of modernism, but also engaged with their works individually.
The Bindu was a pivotal moment in his work and from then onwards his art became seminal and international though rooted in Indian aesthetics and philosophy. He became secure in his art with Bindu and was in the league of artists like Souza, Husain and Gaitonde. At times he became better known than his colleagues because of his vibrant works and his articulation of their underlying meaning.
It was fascinating to delve into his life and see his development from an unknown artist who rose from very little means at his disposal to becoming one of the most sought after artists in India and also internationally. He was very articulate as a writer as well as an artist and his letters were very thoughtful and inspiring and helped understand this process.
The ’50s and ’60s was a period when a young India was rebuilding itself. Much of the formative period of art took place then and was centred in Bombay which was the city par excellence for art. Leading this movement were artists like Raza, Souza and Husain who became household names. In that period art was much more a part of everyone’s life as there was a legacy of art consciousness which had been handed down. There were also frequent lectures and exhibitions on art which created the right cultural atmosphere.
To my amazement, when I interacted with Raza, he was in his late years, but I found that his memory was intact and he remembered even the smallest detail of his life and the processes of his art. What is more he spoke with great passion and intensity which made the whole experience memorable.
Salim Merchant has travelled the world and done shows in various countries, but one place that’s definitely on his list next is Kashmir. “I have performed across the world, but Kashmir is the only place where I’ve not performed yet. It is my wish to hold a concert here in the near future. I hope it’s fulfilled soon,” says the musician, who was recently in the Valley to shoot for a music video with Indian Idol season 10 winner Salman Ali and Mateena Rajput, a young Kashmiri actor.
Impressed by the work of Kashmiris, Merchant, from the music composer duo Salim-Sulaiman, calls the place “full of talent”. “They are born actors, but what they need is the right guidance and platform,” he adds.
In fact, the music video is being directed by a Kashmiri filmmaker, and also features young talented Kashmiris.
“Some are acting on screen, some have organised our shoot and others are handling production and post-production,” shares Merchant, 45.
The video has been shot at locations including Pahalgam and Dal Lake in Srinagar, and Merchant admits being in awe of them. He also feels Kashmir serves as the “perfect location” for shooting films. “Wherever you set the camera, it makes for a perfect view. More film units need to shoot here, so as to give a boost to local tourism and the people involved in shooting,” the musician opines.
Interestingly, this was the first time he visited Kashmir. “It’s truly heaven on earth,” he exclaims, adding, “Its food, people and hospitality all are mind-blowing. I relished wazwan, harissa, kahwa and noon chai. I’m in love with the place,” ends Merchant, who has composed music for films such as Fashion (2008), Band Baaja Baaraat (2010) and Coolie No. 1 (2020), among others.