Right to be
Artists, writers, chefs and musicians, Bangaloreans from different walks of life talk about freedom in their space of work and their dream projects.
Shraddha Srinath, 26
Theatre artist turned Kannada film actor who debuted with the independent film U-Turn and received accolades for it, she works in the Kannada, Tamil and Telugu industries now.
Freedom is: Spending an entire day without having to bother about the director and banner, and being able to pick a film solely for its script and my character in it. It is also about not having to control my own decisions based on my role as a 'heroine' in the industry.
If I had complete freedom: I would love to do independent films. Even though I like the comfort of my van, independent films make me feel at home. It is here that you can spend time being an actor without worrying about anything else.
Diya Naidu, 33
Choreographer, performer, teacher and facilitator who spent many years as part of the Attakalari Centre for Movement Arts' repertoire.
Freedom to me is: Not just physical; it is conceptual and emotional as well. As artists we are severely limited by financial constraints, this affects the quality of work and the time that can be devoted to the creative. As a female dancer, it is about the ability to rehearse late into the night without having to look over my shoulder on the way back. It is also being able to talk about any subject without fear of repercussion.
On the other hand, freedom is the deep sense of feeling alive when on stage where I am free of even the thoughts in my head.
If I had complete freedom: I would be in a fully-funded long-term project that would involve a space to train and rehearse in, time and money for deep and sustained research and funds to be able to pay everybody well. It would mean not being bound by having to make enough for the rent for the month and instead be able to fully focus on the art; to have the absolute right and power to make the work one wants to make, be it political, abstract or purely aesthetic.
Abhishek Iyengar, 33
Writer, director, playwright, We Move Theatre, who spent 14 years in contemporary theatre and has to his credit productions like Namma Metro, Malgudi Express and more.
Freedom is: Being able to express myself on stage through theatre without any fear of being judged or evaluated and worrying about right and wrong. It is the ability to portray stories of the common man in a language understandable to them and not carry the burden of the perspectives which would hamper the creative process.
If I had complete freedom: I would create a performance of a collection of the common man's stories from his/her day-to-day life and take it to every city/district of our country. I would put up these performances at the grassroots level of schools, universities and at every town auditorium. I want to be able to make theatre for all.
Vikram Sridhar, 33
A storyteller who works with reviving the classical oral tradition of storytelling and bringing it back to audiences in a modern context.
Freedom is: The liberty to be able to shift the paradigm that storytelling is only for children. It is also the ability to live off art alone and travel with stories without worrying about things like GST and sales tax. Storytelling is not recognised as an art form yet and I want to be able to bring it back to many spaces without adverse impact.
If I had complete freedom: I would love to do a story from the Quran in a church, from the Bible in a temple and the Bhagawad Gita in a mosque. All these stories speak of humanity. They are all such beautiful places where humanity congregates. I want to be able to remove the walls and take storytelling to everybody.
Xerxes Bodhanwala, 27
Chef behind Red Fork, a contemporary blackboard menu concept bistro that uses seasonal produce and local ingredients, and Director and Co-founder at MVX Food and Beverages Private Limited that runs Chefkraft, an e-commerce food delivery portal.
Freedom is: To be able to 'create' without any boundaries such as finance, space, infrastructure, catering to someone else's wants or the pressures of running a business-and to be able to express that creativity in a style and manner that is bereft of judgement.
If I had complete freedom: I'd live off the grid by cultivating land to grow vegetables and herbs of different strains, breed cattle, goats and sheep, probably have a large fish pond, all the while ensuring consistent quality produce. Then I'd build a kitchen of sorts on that land and use the produce to experiment, test and innovate with food.
Arjun Chandran, 33
Composer who produces music for theatre and performance arts and is currently working with an association of artists and filmmakers.
Freedom is: The ability to be able to play an interpretation of the national anthem without the fear of being lynched. It is having the right to express myself without offending someone. I believe there is no real musical freedom in India.
If I had complete freedom: I would take Indian religious music, study the limitless musicology behind it and compose universal devotional music. I want to take the actual prayer material from various religions and use it in my compositions without worrying about the taboos.
Milan Vohra, 52
India's first Mills and Boon author, Vohra has written several titles including Tick Tock We're 30 and The Love Aasana.
Freedom is: not merely a license to do as you please. It is an appreciation of the fact that other view points and sentiments are as valid as mine. Of course, the freedom to be what you really are is important. It is as much about not succumbing to pressure in any way, as about what might sell or what is expected of me. To write any character with authenticity, you have to keep your mind open, without pandering, or even being burdened by a need to deliver a larger message.
If I had complete freedom: I would write a memoir based on my life. There is so much that I have never shared, that I know would help others facing the challenges I did. Someday, I'll give myself the freedom to do it.
Baadal Nanjundaswamy, 38
Painter and sculptor well-known for his street installations like the crocodile in the pothole on a city road that drew worldwide attention.
Freedom is: The ability to be truthful and as artists, invoke deep conversation around things that happen around us. It is the liberty to hold up a mirror to our society and raise awareness about urgent issues and argue for change. It is also the need to not have to fake anything we do as artists.
If I had complete freedom: I would love to create art related to one community in another community's place of worship and vice versa. This is to inspire people of all beliefs and faiths to come together under one roof and be able to create peace and harmony through art.
Raj B Shetty, 30
RJ-turned-actor and debutant director of the recent Ondu Motteya Kathe.
Freedom is: The right to express what I feel. The visual medium has many restrictions that we call censorship. Freedom to me means an unadulterated perspective to film making. We should not have to alter our perspective towards the story for success at the box office or on account of censorship. Art in its purest form is freedom.
If I had complete freedom: I would try to take on fundamentalism. I want to make a film on this subject.