Shraddha - A play that makes u think!!

I feel that a Father and son's relationship is most complex yet interesting... Many of us might feel... guys usually get along with their mothers better than their dads... in most case its true... for all of us... mother always means love and affection... and dad means respect (decision maker in the family)... love will be there somewhere for dad... but we are too shy to get it out and say it loud... I have never done that so I know how it is if you feel the same...
This past weekend... ie on 27th June 2010... I became over-whelmed with emotions to see my friend Vj (Vinayak Joshi - Radio Jockey in Radio City 91.1 FM) direct a play and dedicate to his beloved. This apparently is a national award winning drama. I could relate many things that Vj said through his play... I had taken my parents who had their own experiences played out in front of their eyes... At some point or the other everyone in the room could recognize the character played by Prabhakar Rao as themselves and Vinayak as their Dad. At one such occasion my mother had tears when she saw dad giving money to his son who would be on his way to another city... She remembered her dad giving her money when she used to go to college and I could see tears in her eyes. Since this was the first time I saw a play... I was totally blown away by the artistic thinking and different dimensions a play could give you and make u understand a concept in a simple humorous way. I also loved the video that started the play where two people speak about their beloved dad who are not in this world... very touchy... and the video in the end symbolizes how the generations before us are adjusting to the existing culture and how people are closing this generation gap!!
The song Nischinthanaagabekanthi... is one of the best tracks I have heard in recent times... The theme for the play makes you hum it for a long time... ever so much in the spirits of the message given out by the play...

My Dad always had a soft corner for my sister... Oh how MAD I used to get at that... no matter she being the culprit... I used to always be blamed for it... I grew up hating my sister for this... She had unknowingly convinced my grandparents that I was Ravan!! I somehow started liking being the demon that I was... being hated was easy... being unpredictable was fun!! But then as we grew older... I started feeling that it wasn't that way... people tend to be like that with girls because any given day.. they are not going to stay at their parent's place... they eventually will get married... Not only that we usually lack the maturity to think why people bring in discipline at an early age to children... All is well now... Personally speaking... now... dad and I... sometimes we are together when we pull someone else's leg (usually its my mom or sister)... other times having huge arguments about getting things done... It would always be his pride against my ego... or likewise... Some other times... no time to talk!! Or even if we have a chat its just to the point... and beeep... the phone is cut!! Anyways... I love my sister more than anyone in my life now... and for dad... I have my respects as he is the decision maker!! well not all the time... now that mom is equal in that position!!

Here was an attempt to say to our generation that guys... wake up... stop taking parents or any relationship for granted... well taking for granted to a certain extent symbolizes love and affection... but we do need to put a line to it... I am very thankful to Vj for bringing in this message loud and clear!!

Team - Vinayak Joshi (Dad), Prabhakar Rao (Son), Nakshatra (Prankster), Tejas (Prankster), Ajit Thandur (Teacher), Manohar Joshi (Videography), Raja (Guitarist), Varijashree, Some wonderful tracks from Varun Pradeep (Music Director), absolutely brilliant soul dancing from Umesh (Choreography), Abhishek (Lighting), Arun murthy (Lighting), Sudhee (Cameraman), Siri, Poornima sukumar, Manujunath, Ashish acharya, Pradeep, Shreedhar Rao, Shreevatsa HK, Suraj, Shadakshari, Kiran shreedhar, Bizi Kumar, Rudreshvaraiah, Uma maheshwara, Santosh, Manju, Ahmed, Adda gang, buzzin-town and Joshi Chitra productions.

PS: Please forgive me if I have missed anyone!!

Rayarannu kandaaga!! - Memorable day... (28th May 2010)

Rao actually means "Someone who is in an esteemed position... Someone called with dignity... who commands respect..." I am not saying this because my surname is Rao... Unfortunately my surname was lost when my Dad wrote his name in SSLC exam nomination forms and he became Muralidhar ever since... and my fate was sealed without the surname which I dutifully kept it myself... In-fact 'Raya' meant King... 'Rayaru'(plural form) was what they used to call people who were mostly zamindars or of higher caste!! This was 100-200 years back... now it has become Rao!! and mostly used in South India and Maharastra. For that matter an exception is... Rao Iftikar you can call him South Indian although he is a paki fast bowler... sorry for that poor joke!!

Anyways... this surname thing meant a lot when I talked to a person who was an inspiration to my Dad!! Most of you would have seen him on TV years back... He was mostly playing roles of a politician... or a villainous role mostly.. U might ask whats the difference... anyways... He is elder brother to Dattatreya ('Mayamruga' fame!!) I have never seen a person who can command that kind of respect other than my grandfather... gentle yet very much in control of what he is saying and doing... Suddenly the surname factor hit me...

My Dad used to always talk about his writings which was one of his first few works... "SomaNNana Stockninda" novel (articles) used to be published by "Karmaveera" magazine long back... my Dad being an avid reader that he is... usually would look forward for these articles... This had so much of influence on my Dad that he used to relate/read out certain instances from those articles to me... I was surprised how he could remember... Well.. last month... it was my Dad's Bday on April 23rd... I wanted to gift him something special... unusual... no flowers... no cakes... no celebration at home... nothing that would make him forget that it happened after some time... but something to cherish for a long time...

I started searching for this person back in march this year... worst part was that the publisher of the book had passed away and there was no stock at all... phew... My weekends would always be going around Bangalore searching for this book...then came facebook to the rescue... I somehow got in touch with many people who started my search again... Finally I got his residence number from a friend in facebook Beesu... one of premiere theater and film actor... now co-producer... I started talking to the one and only H G Somashekar Rao!! Such a humble person... at first he asked me many questions but I requested to meet him in person and then answer all his queries...

So on May 29th, I took my Dad who had absolutely no idea where he was going and met SomaNNa in person... Wat a feeling!! I have never seen my Dad so excited and happy... SomaNNa read out some of his newspaper columns for us... My Dad in turn stated some verses from his novel... very impressive indeed considering he never read the novel and all he read were excerpts from the magazine... SomaNNa asked me how did I come to know where he lived and I had to tell him the whole story right from the very beginning... He was over-joyed... When I told him that at one instant I went to a book store I forgot his name as well as the book's name... he couldn't stop laughing... It was an hour long meeting with many many experiences shared...

My Dad got all SomaNNa sir's works personally autographed!! Prob dated as the best gift I could ever think of giving it to him... Now Dad also has SomaNNa sir's residence number as well so that he can call him up anytime he wishes...

I would like to thank Dharmashree, Abhishek SN, Mrs. Indira Sundar (Sundara Prakashana) and finally Beesu Suresh for their help provided... invaluable indeed!!