CHENNAI: Singer Chinnaponnu Kumar of “Naaku Mukka” fame hopes her little song-video will raise awareness on Covid-19 precautions and protocols, while bharatanatyam dancer Simran Siva Kumar wants her five-minute video to spread hope and positivity in this time of crisis.
The two are part of an awareness video series “Coronavai Jayippon” on You-Tube put together by Chennai UCCN, under UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network.
Chennai is one of 246 cities in the world that became part of the UCCN in 2017.
“We have brought together traditional performing artists,” says KS Natarajan of Aanmajothi, the cultural wing of Saraswathi Vidyalaya, which is curating the series.
“We used to stage performances in parks and other public spaces but because of the pandemic we are taking the series online,” he adds.
The videos to be launched in the “Coronavai Jayippon” series also feature The Casteless Collective gaana singers Isaivaani and Gana Muthu and standup comedian Abhishek Kumar, well known for his alter ego ‘Mrs.
Janaki’.
“The videos are aimed at being both uplifting and informative,” says Natarajan.
Simran for instance has chosen the song Sundari Kanaal from the 1991 film ‘Thalapathi’.
“It has soul and gives one a sense of calm,” says Simran.
“In my video I tell people that this is not a dance workshop but more a way of learning how to use music and dance to lift spirits.
I teach a few basic steps but the idea behind my video is to encourage people to calm their mind, to see the positive, to learn to let go and just feel the rhythm.
Everyone needs to incorporate a little music and dance into their lives.
It’s a great coping mechanism.”