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It was on 15th August 1947 that India was declared independent from British colonialism. The Independence Day of India, is celebrated religiously throughout the Country on the 15th of August every year. The Garden Cinema marks this day with a special screenig of AROUND INDIA WITH A MOVIE CAMERA.
The screening will be preceded by a brief talk by eminent author and Diplomat, Amish Tripathi, Minister (Culture & Education), High Commission of India & Director, The Nehru Centre.
Following this, there will be a traditional Hindustani Classical Sarod recital, accompanied by Tabla, by two young and emerging talents from the British-South Asian diaspora, Dhanraj Persaud and Shayaan Saqib.
ABOUT THE FILM:
Drawn exclusively from the BFI National Archive, Sandhya Suri's remarkable film features some of the earliest surviving film from India as well as gorgeous travelogues, intimate home movies and newsreels from British, French and Indian filmmakers.
Taking in Maharajas and Viceroys, fakirs and farmhands and personalities such as Sabu and Gandhi, Sandhya Suri's film explores not only the people and places of over 70 years ago, but asks us to engage with broader themes of a shared history, shifting perspectives in the lead up to Indian independence and the ghosts of the past.
Around India boasts a superb new score that fuses western and Indian music from composer and sarod player Soumik Datta.
Amish Tripathi
Described as “India’s Tolkien” by the BBC, Amish is an author, diplomat and TV host. His unique combination of crackling storytelling, religious symbolism and profound philosophies have turned him into an Indian publishing phenomenon. Amish's books have sold 6.5 Million Copies worldwide and have been translated into 20 languages. His 'Shiva Trilogy' is the fastest-selling book series in Indian publishing history, while his 'Ram Chandra Series' is the second fastest-selling book series in Indian publishing history. In 2019, Amish took over as the Director of The Nehru Centre (London), the cultural wing of the High Commission of India in the UK. He has been promoting Indian Arts & Culture within the diaspora and beyond. In his role as a diplomat, Amish is successfully reconnecting the Indian diaspora to their roots as well as helping enlighten the Western audiences to India and its culture.
Anupma Shanker
The film has been chosen by guest curator Anupma Shanker. Anupma is a British-Indian film curator and archives researcher, with a deep and evolving interest in colonial & post-colonial screen narratives. Her curatorial practice is focussed on researching, screening and creating conversations around heritage films, with aim of making them accessible to a wider audience, both within and outside the UK. Her other interests include, Black-British cinema, Post-war Japanese Cinema, Indian Parallel Cinema, and Iranian New-wave Cinema.
Dhanraj Persuad [Tabla]
Dhanraj began his training at the age of 14 under the tutelage of Pandit Rajkumar Misra. In keeping with the lineage of his Guru, Dhanraj follows the playing style of the Jaipur and Farukhabad Gharanas of Tabla. Not only is Dhanraj an accomplished Tabla player but also an experienced vocalist, currently receiving training from Smt. Chandrima Misra of the Kasur-Patiala Gharana. Dhanraj has performed extensively around the UK and is fast becoming a much sought after performer within the Indian Classical Music scene in this country.
Shayaan Saqib [Sarod]
Shayaan Saqib is a talented, UK-born Sarod player studying under the mentorship of Pandit Arnab Chakrabarty, one of the leading exponents of the Sarod representing the Lucknow- Shahjahanpur Gharana. His training and disciplined practice has led him to achieve a style marked by seriousness and introspection. Shayaan made his performance debut in 2020 and continues to perform at concerts in the UK and abroad. He is also learning vocal under the guidance of Ustad Ghulam Niyaz Khan of the Rampur- Sahaswan gharana.