USTAD WAJAHAT KHAN (article first published : 2006-06-12)
The 27th Durban International Film Festival, taking place at venues around Durban from June 14 to 25, will present a rare opportunity to hear one of India's foremost sarod maestros in a concert of Indian classical music.
Ustad Wajahat Khan will perform on June 22 at 20h00 at the Nu Metro Cinecentre Supernova at Suncoast Casino & Entertainment World. The performance will be followed by a screening of Satayjit Ray's The Music Room (Jalsagha).
Son and nephew of legendary sitar maestros Ustad Imrat Khan and Ustad Vilayat Khan respectively, Ustad Wajahat Khan belongs to the eighth generation of India's distinguished musical dynasty which goes back 400 years to the courts of the Moghul Emperor Akbar in the 16th century. He has performed to great acclaim in major venues and festivals in over 30 countries worldwide.
Khan will perform in conjunction with a rare screening of Saytajit Ray's magnificent The Music Room (Jalsaghar) which is the story of an aristocrat who resists the passing of time, and despite his diminished resources, bankrupts himself to host one last concert.
The Music Room is also fondly remembered for its beautiful music, as some of the greatest masters of Indian classical music have sung and played for the film. The award winning music of the film was composed by Wajahat Khan's uncle and father.
Khan, accompanied by Harendra Tanna on tabla, will perform prior to the screening of the film and will include some of the compositions from the film in his concert.
Tickets R50 include the concert and the film screening and are available at Nu Metro Cinecentre or by calling 031 328 3333/5/6 or 086 1100 220.
Programme booklets with the full screening schedule and synopses of all the films are available free at cinemas, Computicket, and other outlets. Full festival details can also be found on www.cca.ukzn.ac.za or by calling 031-2602506 or 2601650.
Organised by the Centre for Creative Arts (UKZN) the Durban International Film Festival is funded by National Film & Video Foundation, National Lottery Distribution Fund, HIVOS, Stichting Doen, and the City of Durban, with support from the Royal Netherlands Embassy, French Embassy, British Council, and a range of valued partners.