Why do we need film songs in school events?
The time when one goes though primary and High school students is a very impressionable one. Any seed that is sown, sprouts immediately. That soft ground does not know whether the seed would grow to yield good fruit or a bad one. Their minds are like soft surfaces that hold the impression of whatever is thrown at them, without any discrimination. It is impossible to undo their memories formed during this time.
Hence the atmosphere at home and school have to be really conducive for children to grow up. They develop taste, aptitude and inclination towards good things at this age. More than annual exams shaping their personality and future, annual day organized by the school shapes their senses even better. Annual events showcase the talent of students, thus making the day extremely special for them. Their joy and happiness knows no bounds on those days. Their true interests are on display on that very special day.
Sports and extracurricular activities are also held on the day. Those who are good at scoring, need not be great sportspersons too. Someone who does not score well, may be a good player who can earn everyone’s respect and admiration on that day by winning prizes! This annual school day often showcases many talents of students such as music, singing, art etc. But a few schools conduct annual days for name sake, creating only scoring students and leaving behind the creative side of students in total darkness. Students in such schools live a creatively dead life almost.
The cultural event in the annual day gets most prominent space. Children’s talent of singing, dancing and other forms of creativity is expressed on this day. But in many schools, the dance and song routine is failing to fulfil its very objective. Teachers believe dance is about tapping foot to recorded film songs. Hence in most schools film songs make for most of the entertainment programme on the annual day.
This does not mean film songs should be dismissed completely. There are many ways in which film songs can reach students today. Children watch them on social media, on television and on phones too. They try to imitate them. But the film songs hardly have any literary significance. Film songs may have counter effect on children since most of them are written with adults in mind. Imitating this would mean children are losing their innocence at very early age.
In the past, school events would have poems and folk songs to which the students either sang together or danced. These songs that could be seen only in text books, used to be children’s favourite after they sing and dance to them at school events. Since they used to listen to them for more than two weeks in order to prepare for the school event, they would be happy listening to them without any pressure of scoring marks at the end of this. Other would join them while they learnt the dance and every one would enjoy humming along.
They would then know about the poets who wrote these songs or the meaning of the folk song. They could imagine a village when they listened to a folk song. They would become familiar with hunting songs, kolata songs, varieties of folk literature etc thus understanding the social context described by the song. Their perception of the society would be shaped through these. Even dramas should be employed to introduce history and folk literature to children. This would lead to their personality development.
Unfortunately, in the recent times school events are reduced to just shaking a leg to cinema songs and enacting scenes from films. Looks like even teachers find it easy to make children imitate cinema since they can follow without any hassles. More than this, the new generation of teachers have no clue about poems and folk songs. Most convents and English schools have this issue since remain distant from the culture of the land. Which is why they make children dance to ready cinema songs. Even parents don’t bother much about this and in fact feel proud about their children perfectly imitating the actors. How does one create a sense of pride about culture in children when this is the fact? If children appreciate double entendre at an age when they can barely understand it, how do they grow as adults?
Media reports suggest the education department has sent a circular stating no film songs should be used in school events, and this is a highly appreciable move. Let the students choose what they want to do in college events. But at a time when they are still innocent, they should not develop a taste for crass. Parents have to stand by the institutes and government in this case, for the sake of their children. They need to understand that our culture has to be safeguarded through our songs that reflect the soil. We also need to protect folk songs and poems from being lost. Else, a day may not be very far when film songs may gain an entry into Kannada text books.
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Rohit identifies Arshdeep, Hardik as key to India's chances in T20 World Cup
New Delhi (PTI): T20 World Cup-winning captain Rohit Sharma reckons all-rounder Hardik Pandya and left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh will hold the key to India's prospects in the upcoming edition of the tournament.
Defending champions India will enter the T20 showpiece as one of the overwhelming favourites due to their massive depth and quality.
Rohit highlighted Arshdeep's effectiveness with the new ball and at the death.
"It is a big positive to have both Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh together because they always attack for wickets. Arshdeep's biggest strength is swinging the new ball and taking early wickets. He mainly bowls with the new ball and at the death. Starting and finishing are the most important phases, and he is strong in both," Rohit told JioHotstar.
"With the new ball, he swings it to get left-handers caught in the slips and targets the pads of right-handers. He has also started taking the ball away from right-handers. These skills are key for a new-ball bowler. He always tries to take wickets, which is why he bowls the first over."
Rohit added, "In the 2024 T20 World Cup final against South Africa, he did a great job. I still remember he dismissed Quinton de Kock when he was set and batting well. In the 19th over, he gave away just two or three runs, which built pressure on the South Africans.
"That is his game, bowling with the new ball and at the death, and he will play a key role for India in the 2026 T20 World Cup."
India won the last edition of the tournament in the Americas under Rohit's captaincy, after which the dashing opener retired from the T20 format internationally.
Rohit also spoke about how Hardik's dual role as a finisher and multi-phase bowler provides crucial balance to the Indian team.
"Whenever Hardik Pandya is in the team, his role is huge. He bats and bowls very consistently. His batting is crucial when the team is stuck. If we have a score of 160 on the board in 15-16 overs and Hardik is batting, then he's the one who can help the team reach 210-220 from there or if we are 50 for 4, he has to build the innings.
"Batting in the middle order at 5, 6, or 7 is very tough. That is why Hardik's role is critical in any format. We know his bowling. He bowls in key phases, with the new ball, in the middle and in the death as well. His role is very important because he gives the team balance, letting us play six bowlers and keep our batting deep."
Rohit said accommodating both Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy together in the playing XI is going to be a big challenge for the Indian team management.
"The biggest challenge for captain Suryakumar Yadav and coach Gautam Gambhir will be how to play both Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakaravarthy together. If you want that combination, you can only do it if you play with two seamers, which is a big challenge.
"But honestly, I would be tempted to play both Varun and Kuldeep because they are wicket-takers and batters struggle to read them. I would surely pick them."
The former India skipper added, "Looking at the conditions in India, like in this New Zealand series, there is a lot of dew. In February and March, dew will be heavy across most parts as winter ends.
"Even in Mumbai, which doesn't get cold, there's still dew. I'd say 90-95 percent of grounds in India have dew. That's the challenge. What do the coach and captain think? Are they comfortable with three spinners? Then they can play spin, but there's no fixed rule. It depends on the team leaders' thinking."
Rohit also urged Kuldeep to stop appealing on every ball and to rely on the wicketkeeper's judgment for reviews.
"My one simple advice to Kuldeep is to just bowl quietly and go back to his mark. You can't appeal on every ball. This is basic. I keep saying it, but it still happens often. Even after telling him many times, he appeals at every chance. You have to use your head. Just because it touches the pad, it doesn't mean it's out every time. This isn't gully cricket.
"I get he is enthusiastic, but think of the team first. Each team only gets two DRS reviews. If I was the keeper, I could see where the ball pitched and if it was hitting, I could tell the bowler.
"But from covers or slip, you don't know the angle. You have to listen to what the keeper and bowler say. That's why when there's a review off Kuldeep's bowling, I don't look at him, I look at the keeper to decide."
The T20 World Cup is scheduled to be held in venues across India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8.
