06 February,2025 08:43 AM IST | Mumbai | Shriram Iyengar
Ustad Zakir Hussain and Rakesh Chaurasia share a moment on stage
It is hard to write about him even now. That's why I asked to speak," shares trustee Kunal Kapoor, as he connects with us over a call. Kapoor's emotional distress is understandable since the subject is Ustad Zakir Hussain himself. The tabla maestro's passing in December brought the curtains down on a 40-year-long association with Prithvi Theatre. This year on February 28, the Ustad will receive a tribute, beginning with a series of concert screenings titled Guzishta Yaadein starting today.
The tradition began in 1984 after the passing of Kapoor's mother, the late Jennifer Kendal. "We approached Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, and later Zakir Bhai to be a part of the concert. On the day of the performance, I told him in passing that it was mum's birthday, and he dedicated the whole concert to her. It started a tradition," Kapoor shares.
The Ustad in conversation before the last Memorial Concert in 2024. PICS COURTESY/PRITHVI THEATRE
Since then, the Ustad made it a point to conclude his India leg on February 28 with the Memorial concert. "In fact we did not even record anything in the first years. But the names that he would attract made this a rare occurrence," the trustee adds.
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Starting from the early compilations of Kapoor's home cameras to the later sophisticated technology, the concerts feature names such as the late Pandit Shivkumar Sharma, Shobha Gurtu, Louiz Banks, among others. "Prithvi is a very unique, and really one-of-its-kind where you see the audience and the artistes in the same frame," shares Niladri Kumar, who was introduced at the concert by the Ustad, and would later collaborate with Makarand Deshpande for productions on the Prithvi stage.
(From left) Taufiq Qureshi, Sabir Khan, Ustad Zakir Hussain, Ganesh-Kumaresh and Ranjit Barot perform during the 2019 edition
For flautist Rakesh Chaurasia, the focus was always to pay tribute to the musicians who passed on. The coming concert will be in honour of Ustad himself. "The jungle will be present, without the lion," admits Chaurasia. "The 2024 concert," Kapoor points out, "It was the last time the three brothers performed together. It was not planned so, sadly."
Kunal Kapoor
Often housefull, but on invite-only, these concerts were limited to friends and artistes. The screenings, Kapoor says, offer a rare opportunity for fans to share in the joy. "If I could velcro people on the walls, they'd have been happy. These 20 screenings are a rare archive, and our tribute to not just Zakir bhai, but the many artistes who performed at Prithvi," he signs off.
FROM Today; 5 pm onwards
TILL February 23 (Friday, Saturday and Sunday)
AT Prithvi House, Juhu Church Road, Juhu.
ENTRY First-come-first-seated
