Sunday, November 16, 2008

Another Ad - Featuring a Young Folk Singer

Here is another ad I like. Actually, I don't like the ad as much as I like watching Kabir Arora shake a leg to the tunes of Ashraf Khan - a teenage Rajasthani folk singer. Both these kids were part of the Cadbury's Bournvita Confidence Academy.
Kabir Arora is part of Shiamak Davar's (a very popular dancer cum choreographer) who is also known for his summer holiday workshops) junior dance troup.
Ashraf Khan is a Rajasthani folk singer from Jaisalmer (a.k.a. The Golden City), Rajasthan. I have heard him perform on a reality TV show where he appeared as a guest along with Kabir. The TV show was a talent show for children — basically an Indian Idol for kids. (I hated the show. Too much drama and too much pressure on the children.)



If I remember correctly he even sang a song from the film Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (literal translation - I have already given my heart, my love...Blech!). It turned out to be the one I find very annoying. (It didn't surprise me one bit...almost anything annoys me.) I will not describe the song. It is titled, "Nimbooda" — go do your own search in your own time.
But Ashraf sang it so beautifully in that folksy style of his, it left me floored. This type of music is typical of wandering minstrels — a weathered look, a strong and clear voice, a bit of wanderlust, accompanied with probably just a string instrument for harmony.
There must be so many genres of music that are peculiar to only some parts of our country. Not many get to hear them or enjoy the...as people's lives urbanize their art, which is probably passed down through generations, gradually dies a slow death.
Or maybe urbanization will not kill such genres altogether. Maybe it will give birth to a new one — a fusion or a mutation of the music — combined with the same spirit, the same voice, the same weathered look...

1 comment:

Droomvla said...

I'm definitely watching this clips! :)

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