With the objective of retaining the essence of traditional music alive among youngsters, composer Rudra Prasad Biswal has essayed to showcase Odia music with a contemporary touch. That’s exactly what he conveyed in his latest music video, ‘Sawariya’, a contemporary classical treat.
The project was a combination of traditional Vaishnavi literature and Hindustani classical music by synthesizing it with the western with a view to attracting the young audiences. The video delineates Radha’s unconditional and divine love towards Sri Krishna.
“I composed the song on the basis of a classical composition which combines two raags – Darbari Kanada and Todi – that recreate Raag Darbaritodi. I tried to create fusion by utilising both Indian and western instruments for the rhythm and beat. The song was rendered by Jyoti Oja, a student of classical maestro Ustad Rashid Khan. The project was developed to attract youth towards classical music by modifying it with a touch of western music,” he says.
Rudra has learnt Odissi vocal from Guru Yudhistir Lenka and classical from Subash Dash under whose tutelage he is currently doing research on raag. Hailing from Jagatsingpur, Rudra completed his intermediate from Christ College in 2013.
Talking to Orissa POST, Rurda says, “When it comes to music, I am influenced by my grandfather late Bikram Keshari Biswal from my early childhood. I started my training from Guru Yudhistir Lenka when I was six. After I shifted to Cuttack, I came across singer Subash Dash. My association with him transformed my passion for music into a serious pursuit.”
Rudra’s next project “Aajana Tum”, a soft romantic love song, was composed and rendered by the singer himself. It stars actors Vivash and Ipsita Das.
“I have given my best effort for the development of Indian classical music, traditions and literature in the initial years. In the process, I made effort to recreate fusion in a contemporary way. I tried to modify the eastern traditions by scientifically associating it with the western. We had a band comprising eight to ten members who were good at classical, modern, pop, western, Sufi and many other genres. As a team we had performed at several events. Unfortunately, it is defunct now, but I can daresay it was Odisha’s first innovative basic band,” adds Rudra. IANS