Aug 15, 2010
Classical Bollywood
Before reading post, you got to see this video.
At the TEDx Mumbai, Dhanashree Pandit Rai talks about how the Indian Classical Raaga form the basis of any song. I could never learn Indian classical music, but have always enjoyed it.
Any individual would appreciate the depth and beauty of these Raaga more, especially if one can get some background of the same. I do feel concerned that in few decades the Indian classical music will lose it’s charm and also the audience. May be I am wrong. However, I am not wrong in thinking that this art can be made more interesting or “understandable” for the common person. Or for the person who loves music, and especially is more connected with bollywood music and want to understand what Indian Classical Music is all about.
Look at our new generation. They would prefer going a bollywood night compared to a Indian classical concert. Well, I am not generalizing it.
As Dhanashree Tai showed us the underlying Raaga for the famous songs, atleast that can be done to all the hit numbers. Here are few things which come to my mind.
1. Build a bollypedia, where all the raaga can be described of the bollywood songs, and let this get populated by the wisdom of crowds. There is a website which tells from which original foreign song the Bollywood music directors copied it. If such a site can be there, why not put up a site while gives important information like this.
2. Music streaming sites like dhingana.com or raaga.com should integrate with the above information and show the raaga information. It can then also show other information like other songs based on similar raaga etc.
3. The music companies / producers can ask their composers to publish as much details as possible, to benefit the learners of this art.
4. Again using wisdom of crowds, creating directory of songs based on same raaga, and these songs can be from around the globe.
Feel free to add in more if you have more ideas.