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OPEN LETTER

Arts & Entertainment Desk
Dear Fans,
It is with great pleasure we bring to you some “Open Letters”from some of the brightest potentials in our cultural world. It is our way of introducing a “new” generation of news makers in the new year. In their own words they express their highlights of the year gone by and share their expectations from the fans. Read on to find out what it is the artistes ask of you...
Sarika, model cum actress
I never had any plans of working in showbiz. When I first entered the media world through modeling, I thought that would be all. But then I started acting in TV plays as a hobby. I eventually became serious about acting a year ago and the last two Eid saw me featuring in a record number of plays. This wouldn't have been possible without the support of the audience, who enjoyed my work in both
commercials and TV plays. So all the credit for my career in the media, I owe to the viewers.
I also have some dreams and expectations from the viewers. I urge them to watch TV plays that are produced in our country. It is up to you to protect and save our coun try's culture. I'm not suggesting a boycott of foreign productions, but I would want everyone to give priority to our locally-made plays. We shouldn't forget that it represents our own lifestyle and that there was once a time when Kolkata viewers enjoyed Bangladeshi plays. Our neighbouring channels focus on glamour, adultery and gossip. Since we have a treasure trove, we should emphasise on our own cultural representation and project our culture. It is the audience who holds the power. In this "Open Letter" this is my call to all viewers.
Muhammad Mostafa Kamal Raj, director
The media audience know me as a director. It is their love that allows me to excel and dream of achieving more. It is up to the audience to judge my success as a director. Recently, my directorial debut on the silver screen — "Projapoti"— was released. The viewers appreciated per-
formances by Moushumi, Zahid Hasan and Mosharraf Karim in the film, fueling my dream to take up the next challenge: making the film “Chhaya Chhobi". I will also keep on making TV plays alongside the movie project. My wish, in this “Open Letter" is that the old heritage of our film industry returns.
Arfin Rumi, singer
I first came to be known to the audience as a music director. But in 2011, listeners “heard" another side of me.. .as a singer. As far as I know, my solo album "Bhalobashi Tomay” is one of the most commercially successful albums of 2011. So here is my "Open Letter" to the listeners. It is only your love that made me the Arfin Rumi I am today. My mixed album “Nilanjana” also came out near the year's end and was also well received by you. I want you all to continue listening to good Bangla songs and keep loving your country.
Emon, actor
As a film actor I'm making a call to all the readers. I want to say that the fate of 'healthy movies' lies in your hands. Only you can promote and nourish meaningful movies by boycotting the obscene ones that are cropping up in the movie theatres. If you look at the past, you will remember
the glorious history of our movie scenario. Going to the movies used to be a family experience. Sadly it is not anymore. We can return to the golden time once more if you start going to the cinema halls for enjoying the good movies that are being made by the talented new generation of artistes and directors. This is my only call to you in my "Open Letter".
Tamarina Rahman, dancer and choreographer Loving one’s own country is only natural. Lack of patriotism makes one incomplete. It is something we are all bom with; it is what I was born with.
Our country is phenomenal. It is probably the only country in the world with such colourful variety in all respects: the amazing combination of seasons, our unique cuisine and the rich tradition that holds Bangladesh together. Bound by a culture so rich and a nature so scenic, I always feel privileged to be a Bangladeshi. The best thing about my country would be its people. They are
helpful and always stand united. I love the people from our countryside, who never stop being so wonderfully humble and caring.
Like everyone, I also harbour dreams for our country. People power can drive a country to new heights. I believe we have one of the strongest cultural backgrounds in the world. We should have progressed further, than what we have achieved so far. Lack of support is a possible reason. I earnestly ask for more contribution to help our opulent culture reach out to the world. We have the potential; we are just not using it enough. This New Year, I would like to share one of my dreams with everyone. If only the children of Bangladesh could learn more about their own culture from a very young age, in addition to their education in schools, they can help spread our culture worldwide.
Sudip Chakroborthy, theatre director
All through last year, I took classes, conducted exams and assisted all the department's productions to be staged at home and abroad. My directorial work “Mahajoner Nao”, based on late Baul Abdul Karim's life and philosophy, was staged in Tripura, India and completed its 25th show on October 15.
Shunyan Theatre's debut production “Lal Jamin”, which I directed was staged all across Bangladesh and UK and was staged 22 times. Theatre (Bailey Road) resurrected Syed Shamsul Haq’s "Payer Awaj Pawa Jae”. I re-designed the classic. I've designed lights for the two recent Rabindranath Tagore adaptations-"Shesher Kobita” (by Theatre Art Unit) and "Debotar Grash" (Manipuri Theatre). I have published a research paper on "Women in West- influenced Theatre Practice in Urban Dhaka" on Asiatic Society's 400 year celebration of Dhaka as a capital. I've conducted more than 20 workshops in different districts in Bangladesh as well as in Tripura, India and London.
In my "Open Letter” I want to share my plans for the new year with you all. My initial plan is to direct a musical play on Radha-Krishna, a Liberation War based play for Jiban Sanket and another for Shabdabali, BarisaL The scripts will be written by Masum Reza, Ruma Modak and Mannan Hira respectively. I will re-design the light and set of Theatre's (Bailey Road) monodrama "Kokilara'’.
I want to work more as a freelance set and light designer and want to deliver lectures at workshops. Attending national and international festivals at home and abroad would fillfill my goals in this year.
Jyoti Sinha, actor, Manipuri Theatre
I had spent last year mostly performing in my troupe's monodrama, “Kohe Birangana”. The show has been staged 27 times since its debut in December, 2010. The play has been staged in different districts including Dhaka, Chittagong, Syihet and Habiganj.
With the government grant, my troupe has produced a Tagore play, "Debotar Grash". The play premiered on December 29 last year in Dhaka. I had to spend a significant period of time for the rehearsal of the play, where I have been enacting an important role. The play is in Bishnupriya Manipuri language.
Our troupe celebrated its 15th anniversary last year. We produced a collage featuring old plays. I had to play different roles in the collage. The celebration programme was held in Kamolganj and in Dhaka. To celebrate our traditional festival Bishu as well as the Bangla New Year, Manipuri Theatre arranged a colourful programme. I had to play an important role as an organiser.
I wish to share my plans with theatre enthusiasts this year which is mainly to continue on stage performances in our ongoing productions. Moreover, I want to continue my research work on Manipur Rasa Leela that I started last year. In my "Open Letter” I want to add that we will run a camp to collect new members for the troupe. So keep in touch!!
Priyanka Gope, classical vocalist
At present I am a lecturer at the Department of Music of Dhaka University and classical music teacher at Chhayanaut Sangeet Bidyaytan. My initiation to the Bangladeshi cultural arena was through music and dance when I was in class five. Ustad Ananda Chakraborti of Tangail was my first classical guru. I was also an active member of Udichi's Tangail unit Before going to Rabindra Bharati University to study classical music, on a scholarship, I took further lessons from Dr. Asit Roy of Rajshahi University in 2002.
Apart from studying at Rabindra Bharati University (2003-2008), I took kheyal lessons exclusively from ITC Sangeet Research Academy guru Pt. Arun Bhaduri and thumri lessons from Pt. Urmi Das Gupta and Pt. Purnima Chowdhury.
I love to perform both kheyal and thumri. Kheyal recital engages the vocalist in a game of melody and notes, while thumri, with its lyrics, represents a rhythmic play. The synopsis of the lyrics is called bhao. One who masters bhao, can steal the show with thumri, though good com-mand over kheyal is a prerequisite to thumri performance.
Thumri articulates the vocalist's longing to be reunited with the beloved, often in the form of Krishna. It is rendered on a lighter note and improvisation is relaxed.
I received Uday Shankar Bhattacharya Smriti Puroshkar (2006) for attaining the highest score (first class first) in my B. Mus examination. I also came first in kheyal and thumri rendition at the All India Classical Competition (Dover Lane Conference) in 2008. At competitions arranged by West Bengal State Music Academy, I also won in Nazrul Sangeet (2004), and in kheyal and thumri (2006).
I enjoy singing evening ragas. All the ragas are time and season bound, and is also closely associated with nature. No one can describe the aesthetic essence of "Bhairav” in the evening.
Last year, three of my albums were launched which were big hits in the market.
What is heartening is that, the audience are showing more interest towards quality music especially towards classical music. The best gift of last year was my daughter "Rajanti Mitra". I want her to grow up as a well rounded individual.
I would love to feature a pure classical music album where kheyal and thumri will get predominance. I want good wishes and blessings from all. I can even play back if the artistic standard of the work is involved with.
In my "Open Letter", I wish to thank the audience who are the real source of our inspiration. I ardently wish that they continue to listen to quality music and honour accomplished artistes.
We still have a long way to go in popularising classical music. Affluent music connoisseurs have to come forward to this cause. Both print and electronic media can contribute in many ways. I'll continue practicing classical music till the end. I would like to popularise the genre through my renditions.
Aloke Kumar Sen, classical vocalist
I was baptised in music by my parents —Bhimsen and Shantana Sen- both of them are renowned jatra artistes. My father worked as an actor and singer for a number of jatra troupes including Shree Maa Opera, Monihar Opera, Jonaki Opera, Annapurna Opera, Boikali Opera and Chaitali Opera while my mother donned lead roles in many productions. She is a singer and dancer as welL
When I was three, I played kartal, an enlarged version of mondira in a Hori Bashor programme. My formal learning started at "Murchhana Sangeet Niketan", Rupganj, Narail. Aminul Islam Babu is my first music teacher. Later, I learnt classical and semi classical music under Badal Kumar Pramanik for six years.
I will be graduating (Honours) in Hindustani classical music from Shanto Mariam University of Creative Technology this year. I was impressed by the rendition style of our teacher Anil Kumar Saha. He has been my mentor since 2006.
After receiving an invitation from Sangeet Gram Musical Institute, I went to Berhumpore, Murshidabad, Paschimbanga of India in 2009 to attend a workshop on classical music under legendary classical maestro Padmashree Ustad Rashid Khan. I also performed Rabindra Sadan of Berhumpore at that time.
I generally love to perform kheyal and ghazal. For me, kheyal represents the internal aesthetes of melodious imagination. It is rather more than an imaginative song, as it necessitates full of spirituality while ghazal is the medium of expressing the best literary essence through melody. All the forms of higher love, either human or spiritual, can be articulated through the metaphors of ghazal.
I do render ghazals originally recorded by Ustad Barkat Ali Khan, Golam Mostafa Khan, Hari Haran, Anup Jalota, Jagjit Singh, Pankaj Udash and Shobha Gurtu of India; Ustad Hussain Baux, Mehedi Hassan, Ustad Ghulam Ali Khan, Farida Khanam, Begum Akhter, Ahmed Hossain and more.
I listen to Kheyal recitals by maestros such as Pt. Bhimsen Jashi, Ustad Amir Khan, Ustad Nazakat Ali Khan, Ustad Salamat Ali Khan, Pt. Yashraj, Ustad Rashid Khan and Pt. Ajoy Chakrobarty. Besides, I perform bhajon, Nazrul sangeet and adhunik songs popularized by both Bangladeshi and Indian singers.
Music is my everyday prayer. I visualize my gurus and all the music maestros while performing.
My “Open Letter” to all of you is that I strongly believe that music has such a mesmerizing power to establish world peace. I would like to play a little role in this regard. That’s why all my dedication revolves around music. I want blessings from all so that I can touch both human and spiritual souls through my musical effort.
Mohammad Eunus, artist
Going down the memory lane to the last week of the year preceeding 2011,1 recollect how i had tried to visualise what was likely to happen the following year. As a painter, I painted on a canvas in my mind a picture of our life and time in the country. The year 2011 has been a memorable one for me as I have been able to complete a number of exhibitions. This year, I enjoyed my sabbatical leave and
could concentrate more on my paintings. In 2011,1 have participated in a number of significant group exhibitions and one of my solo exhibitions was held at Dhaka Art Centre. I received a tremendous response at the exhibition
My call to the readers is that I want to work with novel themes and add some new materials and techniques to my paintings. It is likely that my exhibitions will be held ir South Korea and Dhaka in 2012.1 also intend to contemplate on some installation works in the New Year.
Maksuda Iqbal Nipa, artist
In the year 2011,1 immersed myself in painting. Besides maintaining an individual language through my works, I have always had a fascination for experimentation. I have participated in different group exhibitions in the country and abroad throughout the year. The exhibitions have given me chance to gather varied experiences. The important group exhibition included, 'Rooted Creativity-8'—the exhibition marked the 10th anniversary of Bengal Gallery; 'India-Bangladesh Art Summit 2011', held in Mumbai. It was an important event for Bangladeshi painters. A few months ago, I joined the Guwahati Art Camp along with some Bangladeshi and Assam based painters.
Shako (an association of female Bangladeshi artists) invited me to participate in a group exhibition on the occasion of International Women's Day. The exhibition highlighted women's role in our Liberation War.
My New Year resolution is to be more devoted to my work. In my "Open Letter” to all the readers is that I would try to be sincere, honest and dedicated to everything that I do. I will try to paint as much as I can. My plan is to arrange two solo exhibitions in the USA and Dhaka in 2012.