Music composer Akashdeep Sengupta joined NewsX for a candid chat as part of NewsX India A-List. In the exclusive conversation, Akashdeep opened up about composing a song for Akshay Kumar and Katrina Kaif starrer Sooryavanshi, his journey till now and much more.

Talking about composing the song, ‘Mere Yaara’ in Sooryavanshi, Akashdeep expressed, “It is a dream come true to be a part of such a big production, such a big casting, working with the likes of Karan Johar, Dharma Productions, Akshay Kumar, Rohit Shetty and such a big franchise. It is a dream come true. It is a lovely song. We always had that trust. Me, Kaushik and Guddu, they are my fellow composers in the song. It is a dream come true for me to compose such a track for them. It took some time for this song to come out but eventually it has.”

When asked how did he bag the project, Akashdeep shared, “It was something that completely happened because of Azeem Dayani. Azeem is the music supervisor for Dharma films. He supervises all the films for Dharma music. He had immense faith in the song and in us. He took this song a long time back. It was with him since 2017-18. He tried to put the best film with the best cast and the best people. He got it in Sooryavanshi.”

Talking about the response to song, Akashdeep said, “I am simply overwhelmed. It is a dream come true. Before this, it never happened but now that the song is out, people have messaged and congratulated me and my team. We have all been benefitted a lot from this song and people have really loved it. They have really welcomed us in the industry as music directors.”

On composing music for Amazon Prime’s Sherni and Modern Love, Akashdeep shared, “These projects came to me out of the blue. Aniket, who is the head of Amazon’s music studio originals, called me one day and he told me that he was interested in my profile and he wanted me to supervise music. I have been associated with Pritam Da for a long period of time as a assistant to him. I have been vocally supervising his songs, like dubbing singers and all. From there, he got to know about me and he called me up. I gave them some ideas of mine. Sherni happened. I supervised the title track of Sherni, got all the artists together like Raftaar, Utkarsh, Akasa. For Modern Love, it happened the same way. There was already a song called Setting Sail. He made the Hindi official cover for it. I got Zaedan and Lisa Mishra onboard for that song. It is pretty much like you recruit the right artist, you choose the correct melody and you try to give a superb soundtrack to the audience. That’s how supervision works.”

Daler Mehndi, the star of the original Green Screen technology revolution in Indian music back in 1998, is all set to present the nation with its first Metaverse concert on Republic Day. His fans can expect to have an unforgettable experience at PartyNite.io, where they will be able to view his avatar in a larger than life virtual concert.

While it might not seem like a big deal at first glance, it is fairly important anyone who takes part in this online concert will have the chance to be more immersed than watching a live-streamed video. Instead you will be able to attend the concert as yourself in an exotic metaverse landscape as your customized avatar so you can groove with Daler Mehndi. From your mobile or PC, you can take part in this experience at home or wherever you are, on your own terms and invite friends along too. Daler Mehndi will be performing his evergreen hit albums, like Namoh Namoh, India India & Jago India! Dedicating an exclusive and first special performance to Shri Narendra Modi on this special occasion, Mr. Mehndi is all ready for what promises to be an unforgettable experience geared up to entertain thousands of fans all eager to let loose at ‘PartyNite!’

Selected NFTs will also be dropped during this event. Daler Mehndi’s deep ties to Indian soil made it the perfect choice for PartyNite to showcase its Indian Metaverse. Gamitronics, a Hyderabad-based game studio, has created this blockchain powered Metaverse which offers playable NFTs. The Pre-Alpha version of Party Night is a 2GB game install available for download on the internet.

The core of the Metaverse is based on parties and celebrations where brands and celebrities will reach the direct audience. Life is a party, get a life here! PartyNite offers various settings like island, campfire, amphitheater, lounge, cruise ship, Dragonpur from Chhota Bheem etc where each individual can have their own avatar as per their preference. People can buy & sell exotic locations, claim and mint NFTs, play to earn while having all the fun. One of the best features of this is that it is based on a blockchain and NFT game, which means you can earn NFT while playing it, which will be credited to your ApnaDao wallet. NFTs are digital goods that can be purchased, sold or exchanged for the same value on a blockchain. In this game, the blockchain is ApnaDAo Wallet, where your NFTs are stored. “Daler Mehndi is the voice of the nation. His voice reaches the god and common man with the same intensity. We wanted to launch our Metaverse with the very same sentiment, voice of India and global icon so when the world sees him in India ka Apna Metaverse, they feel the big huge roar of Digital India that YES, WE HAVE ARRIVED,” said Rajat Ojha, CEO, Gamitronics.

Gamitronics has used state of the art AI technology to use various behaviors and patterns of Daler Mehndi using various video sources and created his virtual avatar with lifelike animations.

Daler Mehndi becomes the first Indian performer to join the list of artists who have already performed in Metaverse virtual concerts, which have only occurred 4-5 times in terms of size and scale at this point in time. Other performers include Travis Scott, Justin Bieber, Marshmallow and Ariana Grande. India certainly needs more production like this. Much like augmented reality and virtual reality mediate between digital and physical realities, they are opening up new possibilities for pop music online by bridging connections between foreign artists who want to collaborate across borders or even trade show recordings of concerts with their fans all around the world. Metaverse concerts are also great because artists can perform live from anywhere in the world while audiences watch them from the comfort of their own homes. The Metaverse gives musicians a sense of creative freedom. As the creators and owners of the worlds they build, Metaverse offers users an immersive 3D experience that is shaped and transformed by their own content. The Metaverse is not owned by any one company but rather established as a peer-to-peer network where anyone can connect with one another.

Artist Shiv Kumar Soni’s exhibition, Treasure Trove of Childhood Memories, is going on at The Project Café in Goa. The exhibition is a cohesive presentation of art, food, music and design woven around the curated polychromatic artworks of the young artist. The exhibition is being curated by Kirti Parihar. It is co-hosted by Samira Sheth, an independent Art curator from Goa. The exhibition is on until 31 January. Soni spoke to The Daily Guardian.

Excerpts:

Window of my dream homeArtist Shiv Kumar Soni

Puppy on the Drive

Flying with kites

Butterflies over the face of puppy

Q: Tell us something about yourself.

A: I was born in 1992 in a goldsmith family in Churu district of Rajasthan. During my school days I used to draw on walls of my house using a chalk or pieces of bricks. Day by day that interest increased and I enjoyed the process. After my schooling I joined Rajasthan School of Arts, Jaipur and completed my Bachelors in Visual Arts in 2013. Along with my Bachelors I participated in group exhibitions in Jaipur in 2011 and 2012 organised by Jawahar Kala Kendra and Lalit Kala Academy. Since then I have done many solo and group exhibitions, some of my key shows are

Q: What made you become an artist?

A: My first choice was to draw and paint when I started to understand things around me. During my school days I would do more artwork than homework of other subjects. Doing art was like a routine for me since my early adolescent days. Eventually I bunked classes and came back home to do something creative and that would give me immense joy. So my art practice started quite early; I don’t remember how and when I chose to become an artist, I think it was my everyday ritual which is followed till now. I love working full time as an artist and would want to enjoy my time in this field.

Q: Tell us a little bit about “Treasure Trove of Childhood Memories”. What inspired you to create this work?

A: During my childhood I would stay on the terrace most of the time and while sitting there for hours I would draw/paint the birds, clouds, rainy sky, kites etc. I was mesmerised by them in my childhood so I decided to paint those things in my compositions. For my current series I worked on these compositions as I think childhood memories and dreams are no less than a treasure of life for human beings. Curator Kirti Parihar and I discussed to exhibit them and I started working on it for the exhibition.

Q: How much time did it take you to complete the art pieces for the collection?

A: It depends upon the design of the creation. Sometimes a painting finishes within one week or so and sometimes it takes two-three weeks to a month, so it totally depends on the concepts and objects in the painting.

Q: Each painting from the collection has a different story, tell us which one is closest to your heart and reminds you of your childhood.

A: Butterflies on the face of the puppy is my favourite amongst this collection. One fancies a particular thing in their childhood and wants infinites of those, for example, toys. A child would not be satisfied with one or two but would want to have a number of them. Likewise, I was enchanted by butterflies in my childhood and wanted to have a number of them around me, hence this is my favourite of all works. It truly shows the objective of my collection.

Q: Your views on the art world and the art market in India. Do you accept that art is instinctively an elitist activity or are things changing in India?

A: Yes, as we know that art market in India is very small in comparison to other developed countries. Main reason of this is that art education is not a part or a priority in the syllabus. So it should be improved, and to an extent now art is being accepted by parents as a career. However, in today’s times, through print and social media interactions people are engaging with art and artists a lot and I can see the contemporary art market gaining momentum in a few years. Also, the notion of art being an elitist object has got cracks in it and more and more millennials are buying art and showing interest in making art a part of their portfolio.

Q: Tell us about your latest exhibition at The Project Cafe? What is the one thing you want each visitor at TPC to take back with them after going through the art pieces?

A: I would like viewers to forget the hustle bustle of their metropolitan life and get back into flashbacks of their own childhood memories and start smiling and laughing, enjoying when they stand in front of my paintings. I am sure everyone who visits my show will relate to at least one of the artworks, and this has happened. During the show I got feedback from the curator that some people related to the curly hair and some to the innocent flamboyance of the protagonist “puppy”. It gives me immense joy to see that all age groups connect to my work some or the other way.

Q: Why did you choose The Project Café Goa to showcase your work? How did it help you as an artist?

A: The location of the project cafe is good and Goa is a very good place for holidays, tours and people are in a relaxed mood. Also, many people have moved to Goa post the first wave and are doing their up homes. Moreover, the curated audience in The Project Cafe is always remarkable. I have seen their past exhibitions and what I like about their presentation is that it’s an experiential space and not a regular gallery. They create multidisciplinary events around art which makes it even more interesting and engaging with the viewers, so we planned to do a show here.

Q: Is there a subtle message for our society that you are trying to convey through your work, “Treasure Trove of Childhood Memories”? What are your future plans?

A: I just wish that during tough times people remember some good memories from their childhood days, something that can bring a smile to their face and can make them time travel to those days for a few seconds. That’s what I try to do with my work and that’s what I wish for all.

So far I haven’t planned anything in specific for myself but wish to work till the last breath of my life.

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has constituted a three-member review committee under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary, Sanjeev Kaushal aiming to expedite the execution of Rs 100 crore development projects in the state, said an official spokesperson on Wednesday.

“CM Manohar Lal Khattar would review the projects to ensure inter-departmental coordination, and would preside over one such meeting on January 24,” said the spokesperson. While stating, the official spokesperson added that the three-member committee headed by the Chief Secretary would review the development projects on a monthly basis.

An official spokesperson said that the Additional Chief Secretary and Financial Commissioner, Revenue and Disaster Management and Consolidation Departments, Additional Chief Secretary, Finance Department, and Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister are the members of the said Committee. Further, it is informed that the Chief Minister would personally review the projects to ensure immediate removal of all the problems being faced by the departments concerned if any. The Chief Minister is scheduled to chair the review meeting of the Committee on January 24, 2022, added the spokesperson. At present work to implement 82 such projects in the state is going on, which will be completed within the stipulated time period.

The projects costing worth more than Rs 100 crore are being run by 14 departments, including two of Technical Education Department, three of Home Department, three of Health Services Department, one of Transport Department, three of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Department, seven of Medical Education Department, seven projects of Town and Country Planning Department, six projects of Public Health Engineering Department, eight of Power Department, 19 of Public Works Department and Architecture Department, one of Civil Aviation Department, two projects of School Education, two projects of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department and 18 projects of Irrigation and Water Resources Department.

With inputs from ANI

SILIGURI: With many health care workers getting infected with COVID-19, the family members of the patients in North Bengal Medical College Hospital (NBMCH) on Wednesday claimed that the COVID situation has hit normal patient care services in the hospital.

According to the authorities of North Bengal Medical College and Hospital, there are around 70 nursing staff and 12 faculties including other medical students who were infected with the COVID-19. The relatives of the patients claimed that in view of the present COVID scenario, the scheduled surgeries have been postponed at NBMCH.

Sabir Alam, a family member of a patient admitted to the orthopaedic department said, “COVID infections among the NBMCH health workers has affected the services. My mother’s operation was postponed. We waited three and half hours in front of the operation theatre. They shouldn’t have done it.” According to him, the government should take alternative ways to carry on with the health service considering the present COVID-19 scenario.

Dr Sandip Sengupta, Dean, Students Affairs, NBMCH said, “There is rising COVID-19 cases for the last two weeks and it is increasing. Many were hit by the virus in our medical college.” Dr Sengupta informed that no surgeries are being cancelled and the OPD and emergency services are running.

Dr Sanjay Mallick, Medical College Superintendent and Vice Principle (MSVP) said that a good number of sergeants and anaesthetists were affected. “As some sergeants and anaesthetists were infected, we had to cancel some of the surgeries because of manpower shortage” He added that despite the shortcomings, the hospital is trying their best to give proper care to the patients.

As per hospital information, there are 40 departments functioning at the NBMCH with a workforce of hundreds of doctors, nurses, junior doctors and interns.

Continuous surge in fresh Covid-19 cases along with death toll is adding to the woes of the Haryana government and is most likely to force the health department to come up with additional arrangements so that the fatal disease can be tackled. Following the official data, what came to light is that as many as 873337 cases were reported in the state so far out of which 111053 surfaced in January. The statistics are alarming.

Besides, 59344 active cases are currently present in the state. Many patients suffering from the Covid-19 lost their lives this month. Apart from aforesaid, nearly 9000 fresh cases of the disease a day are being reported, and it has been so for many days now.

As many as 208 people have been infected with the new Omicron variant in Haryana. Before January, a total of 64 people were reported Omicron positive while 23 were under treatment as the remaining 40 patients were discharged after they recovered.

In wake of the spurt in fresh cases, experts continue to warn. Renowned scientist Prof. Kuldeep Dhindsa said that Covid-appropriate behavior is one of the crucial weapons to defeat the disease. So following the proper norms and guidelines is the need of the hour. Further, he said that although the new variant is not as fatal as the previous delta variant was, “we all are required” to come up with preventive measures. As many as 10136 patients have lost their lives in the state excluding the patients hailing from other states along with migrant labourers.

Anil Vij, the Home and Health Minister of the state said that the government is putting its best to bring down the spike in fresh cases and a string of preventive measures and steps have been ensuring the timely treatment of the patients. Further, he said, people across the state should leave a casual approach towards the deadly virus to ensure their safety.