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All fired up
A bunch of inspired youngsters create an anthem to bring about change.. Nikhil Taneja reports.
The movement to bring about a change shouldn’t stop with voting,” says Manu Warrier emphatically, “We are fighting for a bigger cause here.. the cause of India.”
Warrier and his inspired group of friends, who call themselves Artistic Revelations, have come up with just the thing that will “awaken urban youngsters” –– a youth anthem called Fire still burns. Penned by Vinay Zende, sung by Vinayak Radhakrishnan and Aditi Singh Sharma and composed by Prasad Ruparel and Vinayak Radhakrishnan, the anthem urges the youth to take responsibility and be a part of the change.
Making a difference
The motley group, coming from different walks of life, has had enough of the indifference, and wants to change the “jaane de” behaviour of the junta. Says Radhakrishnan, “Till the time your closed ones aren’t affected, you don’t bother about the problems around. But when that happens, you expect the crowd to help you. That has to change.”
Adds Zende, “It’s said that one man with courage makes a majority. Through the song, we are trying to bring such single individuals together. Even if one person hears the song and doesn’t give bribe or doesn’t jump the red light, our purpose would be served”
Be the change
The song germinated after the events at the post 26/11 rally at the Gateway of India, where thousands of young Indians had gathered. “We came back from that rally, all charged up and asked ourselves the question –– how far can we take this? And that’s how the song was born,” Ruparel explains.
Zende continues, “We say that it’s crowded in the trains, but for someone else, we are the crowd. Youngsters litter roads because ‘there are no dustbins around’. But they won’t do anything to change the situation.. just because nobody else has done so far.”
That’s why the song has two distinct parts.. a rap portion by Radhakrishnan, that states the angst of the youst by blaming everything, and “the voice of reason”, a melodic rendition by Sharma, who urges everyone to be a part of the solution.
Inspired cause
While the rest of the group is made up of long-time friends, Sharma was brought in on a professional level, but she admits, “The song has the warmth of friendship coming through. And that’s only because I feel as strongly for the cause as they do – I’m part of it now.”
The bunch plan to gather support for the cause by making a “socially relevant” music video and making the song available free through their website www.firestillburns.org. They have also tied up with Agni, an NGO that creates awareness on social causes. But it’s their Facebook group, Fire still burns, that’s spreading the word thick and fast and acquainting them with people who want to make a difference too.
And as Warrier puts it, “If some good-hearted corporates help out,” also in the reckoning are T-shirts, badges, stickers and other items, aimed at making people feel responsible towards the cause of the group, and consequently, the country. Radhakrishnan adds, “If you are a member of the group, you automatically declare your will to extend yourself for the society – you are ‘on fire’.”
Creating a ripple
If all goes to plan, rock concerts may be in the offing where the entry would be free, if you have proof that you’ve done something responsible – have a voter id, or are a volunteer for an NGO, for example – so you feel that you “deserve to be part of the concert.”
“We don’t want it to start and stop with the elections,” concludes Ruparel. “We want it to last longer than just the next five years. Otherwise what’s the difference between us and the politicians who’ll probably forget the promises they made?”
