Journalism of Courage
When amateur musician Sushil Kurian was studying in New York,people were astonished to find someone from Indian origin to have a liking and a passion for jazz. I grew up with this kind of music in Mumbai but was unaware of how this western genre got so popular there, says Kurian,who sought the internet for answers to his queries,and soon found himself on a journey to India discover the roots of this genre. It was only after he saw a write-up on the New York Times that suggested to its readers to check out Carlton Kitto’s jazz performance if they happen to visit Kolkata,that Kurian got his hands on Kitto’s number and telephoned him four years ago. Since the first phone call,the two had became,as Kurian terms it,phone-friends. Every call that followed included more and more stories of the jazz player that fascinated Kurian and he decided to tell all these stories through his debut directorial venture– Finding Carlton -Uncovering the Story of Jazz in India–a film based on Kitto. Released for public viewing early this year,this documentary by Kurian has touched the lives of many jazz enthusiasts as well as those who connect with the music in some way or another. The film will be screened at NFAI auditorium on October 11,6.30 pm.
Kurian sent an email to all his friends,about his plan for making such a film and asked them to help with information and any other material like photographs,audio bits that they think would help in his research. Nakul Mehta,one of his friends,forwarded my email to all the people in his network,many of whom replied with useful information,which got the ball rolling.
DCosta is not the only one who found a connection with the music through the film,says Kurian. He says,There have been many people who have come to me after the screening and told me that the film brought back many memories to them. After the screening of the film in the UN,a girl came up to me and said that the film reminded her of her father who was a jazz musician who would play covers in Mumbai. A musician came up to him after the screening in Canada and said that the film reminded him of Tony Pinto,another respected name in jazz music. There was a girl who found her half sister after many years through the film, recalls Kurian.
