New Delhi, March 19 The Kiran Nadar Museum of Art (KNMA) will host "Ustad Zakir Hussain: The Way Forward" at Sunder Nursery here to reflect on the life and legacy of the renowned percussionist, who took the humble tabla to the international stage, through a series of performances, film screenings, conversations, and a photo exhibition, starting from March 27.
The three-day festival will feature performances curated by three of his closest musical collaborators – tabla player Pt Yogesh Samsi, music director Ranjit Barot, and mridangam player Anantha R Krishnan, alongside a special exhibition of photographs by Dayanita Singh, who closely documented Hussain's life on stage, in green rooms, with family, and in conversation with fellow stalwarts of Indian classical music.
Kiran Nadar, founder and chairperson - KNMA, said that the festival will reflect on the many dimensions of Hussain's legacy.
"Zakir Hussain expanded the expressive possibilities of rhythm, moving effortlessly across musical and cultural contexts. Whenever I heard him perform, what stayed with me was not only his extraordinary virtuosity, but also the warmth and generosity with which he connected with fellow musicians and audiences alike. For KNMA, the festival also reflects our ongoing effort to create deeper dialogues between the visual and performing arts as we look toward our future space," she said in a statement.
The three-day programme has been conceptualized by MT Aditya Srinivasan, who worked closely with Hussain as a recording and live sound engineer, particularly with the iconic ensembles 'Shakti' and 'Triveni'.
On the opening evening, Singh will deliver a talk on "Travelling with Zakir Hussain" and Samsi will lead a performance, "Taal Vandana".
A film screening by his daughter Anisa Qureshi will commence day two, which will also see a talk titled "Stories of Zakir" by Mujeeb Dadarkar, providing personal and historical insights into the maestro’s journey.
A music performance "Saaz" by Chitrahaar Live, led by Pavithra Chari, will highlight Hussain’s contribution to songs from the golden era of music in Indian cinema.
The festival will come to a close on March 29 with screening of a film, "The Speaking Hand", by Sumantra Ghosal and music performance titled "Mellow Rhythms" by Anantha R Krishnan.