A tribute to a Genius musician

PTISunday, July 26, 2009 12:34 IST
Pune: Eminent music director and sitarist Bhaskar Chandavarkar died of cancer here early this morning. He was 73.

Chandavarkar, a reputed academician who blended Indian classical and Western music in his work, was a disciple of Pandit Ravi Shankar.

He composed the musical scores for about 40 films in Hindi, Marathi, and Malayalam. He won acclaim for the innovative music he composed for the landmark Marathi play Ghashiram Kotwal, written by Vijay Tendulkar and directed by Jabbar Patel in the early 1970s.

Known for his academic proficiency, Chandavarkar taught music at the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) here for 15 years and was a popular teacher for his insightful sessions that unfolded the intricate nuances of both Indian classical and Western music.

A recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1988, Chandavarkar also scored the music in many offbeat films like Amol Palekar's Aakrit and Jabbar Patel's Saamna and Sinhasan. His other films include Thodasa Rumaani Ho Jaye, Kairi, Raosaheb, and Mati Mai.

The music he scored for PL Deshpande's Marathi play Teen Paishacha Tamasha won him kudos for his experimental yet pleasing compositions.

Jabbar Patel paid tribute to Chandavarkar saying the world of music had lost an exceptionally creative artist who was known for his profound study of various domains.

Chandavarkar, who was ailing for the last couple of years, is survived by his wife and son.