Music has been in our DNA. My grandfather Ramubhaiya Date, an IAS officer, was known for his immense love for music. My father Arun Date was in the textile industry for 28 years, but his love for music compelled him to give it all up and and devote himself to singing. His musical career began in 1958 and he sang until 2013. He has been ruling the Marathi Bhavsangeet world for over half-a-century “ for 55 years, to be precise. He opted only for good poetry and good music. Nothing else mattered. That’s probably the reason why his songs are still being sung and listened to.
Maanik Entertenment has showcased around 120 themes. Shukratara has created history by crossing the 6200 show mark. Mahakavi Savarkar, based on the literature of the great freedom fighter Vinayak Damodar Sawarker, was much appreciated in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. We did over 40 shows. Abhangrang Lavanyasang has brought two culturally, poetically and musically rich rural Marathi genres together for the first time. We have done 25 programmes so far.
We also did a few shows on 3 poetic geniuses Meerabai, Sant Kabir, Sant Dnyneshwar so that the present generation can understand and enhance their knowledge on these great poets. And now we are bringing a unique concept of 11 excellent and popular poets of Maharashtra and Goa . This includes your beloved poet Balakrishna Bhagwant Borkar aka Bakibaab too.
I joined this field in 1990 as a business manager and programmer. I was associated with popular musical programmes like Antakshari, Sa Re Ga Ma and Rasna Song Tere Naam Se. I also worked as an A&R consultant to music companies like Tips, Venus, T-series and Zee Music. Some of the live events I was a part of were A R Rehman (Unity of Light) “ Malaysia/Dubai, Michael Learns to Rock (Sri Lanka), Live in Concert “ Lata Mangeskar's 75th birthday celebrations, Bryan Adams (Srilanka, 2005), Temptations 2004 (Srilanka/Dubai). It was on November 25 that I established my own music company, Maanik Entertenment (earlier Atul Theatres) to mark 25 years of my father’s musical career. My company is solely and soulfully devoted to music. We do music shows on various themes and also release CDs. We also have our own academy.
I plan to bring good and popular literature, music and thoughts to the forefront for different types of audiences. Apart from today’s audience, I also wish to cater to the requirements of elderly audiences and the bubbling youth.
Definitely, it’s a yes. If presented in the right manner and weaved well with innovative, interesting concepts and supported by excellent marketing, old music is sure to catch the attention of this generation who will joyfully lend their ears to it.
We are for any music that touches the heart of the audiences and pleases their ears. It can be any music “ classical, semi classical, light, folk, devotional, sufi, ghazals or filmy. It is in the hands of social media to promote and market the good work that we and other like-minded organizations do.
It was six years ago that we thought that if somebody needs to promote literature and music in a different style, and that should be us. We wish to present musical events with a difference, something far better than what people are offering for years. But I should admit, we still need to work a lot as we have not utilised even 10 per cent of our potential.
Any kind of music which connects you to the different world or to Godliness is 100 per cent divine. I believe no music is as poetically rich as Indian music.
