Three city-based performing art troupes will join hands to kick off the New Year with an eye-opening showcase that gives timely, urgent social issues an urban stage
YSM performs shahiri in the foreground of a statue of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar
At one point during the anti-CAA NRC protests in Mumbai’s Nagpada in 2020, uniformed policemen stopped Dhammarakshit Randive and his cultural collective Yalgaar Sanskrutik Manch (YSM) in their tracks. ‘No dafs (handheld drums) allowed’, was the diktat. “That day, we thumped beats on our own bodies, some of us tried to mimic the beats with our mouths [beatboxing]. The protest songs never stopped,” he recalls. Six years from this tryst, the group will recreate the atmosphere at a Lower Parel venue for Mumbaikars willing to lend an ear.
A moment from a previous edition of Amhi Kon. PICS COURTESY/AKLESH SUTAR, YSM
Amhi Kon, a showcase of protest poetry, socially aware hip-hop, and folk traditions will pan the spotlight onto pressing matters — deforestation, caste-based violence, class divide, tribal rights. Led by city-based collective Swadesi Movement, recognised for spearheading the cause of deforestation and tribal displacement in Aarey Forest through their song The Warli Revolt in 2019, the showcase is a “bridge between the urban Mumbaikar and the voices of people who have a different culture and lived experiences to share,” says rapper Aklesh Sutar of Swadesi Movement.
Loud and clear
On stage this weekend will be members of Swadesi Movement, YSM, and Tappori’s Paradise, a collective of rappers, b-boys, graffiti artists, and DJs from across the city. Attendees can also expect to hear two unreleased tracks from Swadesi’s repertoire: Luxury, a reminder for Mumbaikars that the most prized luxury is the green cover that is slowly diminishing; and Waqt, a reflection on the relentless march of time.
A b-boying act from hip-hop crew Tappori’s Paradise. PIC COURTESY/Gaurav Trivedi, @TAPPORIsPARADISE on Instagram
The YSM troupe will present the folk tradition of Ambedkarite jalsa shahiri, a celebration of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar’s teachings through the popular folk music of Maharashtra. We’re told that the group is now experimenting to include the electric guitar and give the folk tradition a rock twist. “Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar was clear in his belief that social and cultural reform will precede economic and political reform. Our songs also draw inspiration from the poems of late Namdeo Dhasal, who led the Dalit Panther movement from the chawls of this city,” Randive reveals.
Personal, political, and poignant
Namdeo Dhasal. PIC COURTESY/NAMDEO DHASAL FOUNDATION (right) Narendra Dabholkar. PIC COURTESY/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Keeping the fire of cultural revolt burning is equally personal for the activist. Growing up in Satara district, Randive crossed paths with Devdatta Dabholkar, who would go on to introduce the young activist to his brother, and late social activist and rationalist Narendra Dabholkar. “I worked closely with rationalists like the Dabholkars and Govind Pansare, who was killed in 2015. The truth that the Indian Constitution is paramount is ingrained deep in my mind. Wherever the Constitution is under threat, we [YSM] will be ready to voice its dissent,” he says.
Aklesh Sutar
Will there be takers for these strong words at the Lower Parel venue that is known for its eclectic gigs and late-night parties that trickle into the wee hours? “It might make some Mumbaikars uncomfortable; the great part is, that’s exactly what we want. Then again, you can’t really blame the Mumbaikar — after an unforgiving workday and long commutes, he wants something easy on the senses. Perhaps that is why Mumbai loves to let loose and dance,” he says. With the dafs in hand this time, we’re sure they’ll make you dance alright.
ON January 4; 9 pm
AT antiSocial, Mathuradas Mill Compound, Lower Parel.
LOG ON TO skillboxes.com
ENTRY Rs 499
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
