Bhopal The festivities of the Tagore International Literature and Art Festival, Vishwarang's last day, were in full swing on Sunday. Like always, the day began with an invocation. Ambreesh Kalele enthralled the audience with his performance on Mohan Veena. Later, the mega art and culture celebration saw a series of high-profile sessions where eminent personalities of the country participated and expressed their views on various subjects.
Noted Entrepreneur and Shark Ashneer Grover addressed the hall on 'Power Of Regional Languages In Building A Business.' Vishwarang's co-Director. Dr Siddharth Chaturvedi led the conversation by asking why Ashneer agreed to participate in Vishwarang, as it is not a startup or entrepreneurship platform. To which the young Entrepreneur said, "I love Bhopal. Also, I have written a book on entrepreneurship, 'Doglapan'. I am here to promote the same. Vishwarang is an apt platform to reach a wider audience."
While talking about his book 'Doglapan,' Ashneer Grover said, "Young entrepreneurs often do not have clarity on what to do and what not to do. This book talks about every aspect, from numbers to challenges. Shark Tank India has taken the startup culture home, but a lot still needs to be done. It is an attempt in that line."
Highlighting the importance of Hindi and its role in growth, Ashneer Grover commented people find English speakers more educated. I think perhaps we have given too much value to the foreign language. "Where we would need 20 minutes to explain a thing in English, Hindi can do it in two minutes. India's time has begun now. I have adopted Hindi in my life. I have also worked in MNC. So I can tell English sound like drama," said the Shark.
While responding to the question was Shark Tank scripted, Ashneer Grover said, "The first season was not scripted. I have invested in these startups with real money. And where money is real, everything is really there. Yes, it definitely seemed that the makers added startup pitches like Gol Nabhi and Sip Line for drama."
Meanwhile, Ashneer Grover commended the meme culture. He further said that films are tanking, but reels have become a hit. People do not have more than a minute and a half. The idea of content has changed. If one wants to send a message, one should send reels.
In the morning session, acclaimed actress Rasika Duggal interacted with the audience on the subject 'New Platforms for New Stories.' Dr Pallavi Rao conducted the session by asking insightful questions. During the conversation, the star said, "Makers were making short films even earlier. But they were not getting distributed. Today we have so many OTT platforms. Within a day or two, we get a million views on YouTube. Now it has become easy for films to reach the audience."
The powerhouse performer also talked about her characters in Mirzapur and Delhi Crime. Rasika Duggal confessed that Kashmir is her favourite place in the world. While further commenting, she said, "When one visits a place as a tourist, we miss many hidden gems. But when we go for a shoot, we get to know the area closely and interact with those people." While sharing her experience of shooting Hamid, the actress said that if you are unaffected by your work, then there is no point in doing it. Meanwhile, the audience asked various intriguing questions.
The session on 'Emerging New Cinema of India' featured a conversation between writer-filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj and anchor Irrfan. The renowned filmmaker claimed his love for Bhopal and said, "I often come to the city to meet senior poet Bashir Badr Sahab who lives here. I have also shot my film Maqbool. While sharing his childhood memories, he said, "My father was a poet who always used to recite poetry.
It was his blessings that I started writing poems. I find poetry in everything. So when I grew up, I got the company of many great poets. I always say that Gulzar Sahib is a banyan tree, and I am a branch of that tree. I am his bad carbon copy. I got the opportunity to work with him since childhood. There is an expression in the poems."
While talking about the changing dynamic of Indian cinema, Vishal Bhardwaj said, "When a new thing or technology comes, it has many advantages and disadvantages. I have always seen the good in OTT platforms. Changes have happened in every era. At one point, Mumbai witnessed massive recordings where more than 50 musicians sat together. But after some time, there was a change in the music industry, and new musicians emerged. Today our music has got international recognition. The arrival of OTT is a good thing. There is a time constraint in the film. OTT is directly related to commerce and the economy. We can get good content on less budget. Today filmmakers are shooting in small towns. There is no censorship on it."
He recalled his experience with the censor board during the release of Maqbool. Vishal Bhardwaj said, "A woman in the theatre asked why do I make such films? What will be the benefit of this? She barged with a series of questions. So with OTT, one does not have to go through these questions. When one achieves creative freedom, the first 90% of content will be filthy, but we will slowly have beautiful concepts on the platform. Today everyone is getting involved in OTT." Senior art critic Mr Vinay Upadhyay moderated the session.