What I've liked

Radio zindabad!

This column is totally dedicated to the renewed surge of creativity wafting on our airways. I wonder if it is a coincidence, but just as creativity is blossoming on radio, it seems to be waning on television and even in print. Thank god that at least one medium is filling our lives with cheer.

I wonder if the excellent radio programming is a fallout of Mumbai's endless traffic jams as radio is the only sweetener in the long crawl in the city.

Let me begin with programming. It is innovative and creative, right down to their titles, across channels. Their method of evoking listener participation has an amazing power to connect the entire city in one macro conversation.

Even if you don't actively call in, you are so much a part of the conversation that you find yourself agreeing to, laughing at, or sometimes just being surprised at the many points of view expressed. What a wonderful way of using the medium to bring people together on the same platform!

My second area of praise is the quality of the anchors: what wit and presence of mind. Not only are all of them equally well-informed and articulate, they also have an undeniable gift of the gab. They are never boring or patronising -- how did radio attract so much talent?

And now for the advertising. Most of the ads are pretty humorous and it is evident that advertisers are finally giving the medium the respect it deserved. Buckets of creativity are now being poured into crafting each spot, be they jingles or dialogue sketches.

It's wonderful to watch radio come alive and even more charming to see it being brought to life by generation next.

What I've learned

The show must go on…

I have always believed in the system of the <i>guru-shishya parampara</i>. Simply because, to my mind, continuity is the cement of institution building.

Whether it is between father and son/daughter or between creative director and a team member. The handing down of skills is the only way to ensure that a successful creative temper, be it in business or in any other field, lives and grows through time.

For instance, take a look at the truly brilliant director and creative genius, K Vishwanath. The creator of masterpieces such as Shankarabharanam, Swati Mutyam, Sagara Sangamam (all in Telugu) and the like.

It's a pity the next generation will not be able to savour the genius of such a filmmaker. Isn't it sad that the legendary Raj Kapoor's exceptional mastery over his films' songs has not been passed on or taught to anyone in the generation that followed?

If only all communities in India adopted the practices of the phenomenally successful Gujarati and Marwari clans. Despite the innovations they are exposed to, they have realised that the secret of their success lies in their ability to further their father's business. Many others prefer to begin from ground zero.

Continuity does not mean stagnation. On the contrary, it means evolution. A new generation always looks at the same tradition with new eyes.

It is able improvise on an existing grid and thus share with the world the beauty of infinite variations. It is 10 times more rewarding and pleasurable to take a thought further than to start experimenting with a new one altogether.

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