Music, a universal language that soothes souls and entertains, has the remarkable power to unite people in their collective pursuit of a better world. If you believe in the idea of social change through art, prepare yourself for a captivating evening as Delhibased music band Anushtup is all set to come to Hyderabad for the music concert — Ummeed-eSahar ki Baat Suno.
The organiser of the event Anand tells us, “Anushtup is a revolutionary rock band dedicated to the struggles of the working people all over the world. We believe that art is never merely for art’s sake, rather art has a social role to play.”
Apart from Anushtup’s original compositions, the band, which features artistes from different cities, will be performing adaptations and cover songs by various other renowned artistes. They will be belting out melodies penned by one of the most celebrated and influential writers, Faiz Ahmed Faiz on the lines of Chalo Fir Se Muskuraayen, Hum Dekhenge, Sipahi Ka Marsiya and others. The artistes will also be crooning other songs including Dastoor by Habib Jalib, Enough is Enough by Chumbawamba, and others along with a special rendition — Ode to Hyderabad, dedicated to the City of Jewels. In light of the ongoing unrest, some of their performances will be dedicated to supporting the cause of Palestine liberation.
The lead vocalist from the band, who is a researcher at Delhi University and a political activist himself, Abhinav, share s, “Anushtup aims at contributing to the cause of liberation of the working masses, women, students, youth who are being deprived of education, and basically, the oppressed. Our music serves as a critique of the exploitation and oppression perpetuated by the prevailing system.”
According to the artiste, the representation of the oppressed is noticeably lacking within the country’s rock music scene. He says, “I believe that progressive music must step into the mainstream, modernise, and align itself with contemporary global trends. In this regard, our band stands as a unique experiment, as many progressive or revolutionary bands do not fall under the genre of hard rock and rock music.”
Anushtup performs at various movements and campaigns happening in different parts of the country. It’s also worth noting that almost every member of the group is involved with various political or social causes. This means that everything the artistes do or perform is deeply rooted in their personal commitment and dedication to serving society.
Another artiste Vrishali, who is a student activist, says, “Art is a binding force that has the power to transcend the divisions that sometimes isolate individuals within society. It’s crucial to acknowledge that numerous factors can create these divides, but our shared responsibility in a unified society is paramount.” She further says that with this concert, people will not only experience good music but also find hope for a better future.
Political activist Varuni, yet another performer, expresses, “When you introspect about the current state of society, unrest seems to prevail everywhere, which is profoundly disheartening. I believe that any young individual would aspire to contribute to the improvement of the situation, excluding those who remain oblivious to the issues at hand, obviously.” She also informs us that the team has been engaging in experimentation with various musical genres and songs. Anhad, Srijan, Shipra, Arpan, Saksham, Mira g e, Yo g esh, Avinash, Ajay and Bharat are some of the other artistes from the band who will be performing at the concert.
Free entry. October 27. 7 pm.
Sundarayya Vignana Kendram Auditorium, Bagh, Lingampally.
Mail ID: sakshisuresh.k@newindianexpress.com
Twitter: @kaithwas_sakshi