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Ravi Shankar in Portrait (2 Discs)

 

 

UK 2002 / Documentary / Color / PAL / 190 min / 1.85:1 Widescreen anamorphic / Dolby 2.0 / English Language

It is almost impossible to condense anyone's life into three hours, let alone that of an iconic artist, so three cheers to BBC Opus Arte for Ravi Shankar in Portrait, a two-DVD set that explores the life and work of the man George Harrison described as "the godfather of world music".


"Between Two Worlds" is a substantial 10-part documentary, telling the sitar player's life story up to his 80th birthday celebrations in 2000. The film is littered with archive footage, including the young Shankar performing with his brother's dance troupe, an emotional reunion with his teacher and guru Baba Allauddin Khan, and his celebrated collaborations with musicians such as John Coltrane, Yehudi Menuhin and The Beatles.

The second part features Shankar performing with a group of Indian musicians, including his daughter Anoushka, herself a celebrated sitar player, at the Union Chapel in London during summer 2002. The electric atmosphere is well captured here, as is the intimacy of the performance. A 19-minute introduction to Indian music and the sitar, delivered by Shankar himself, rounds off the set.

Disc 1: Ravi Shankar: Live in Concert
Disc 2: Ravi Shankar: Between Two Worlds

 
       
Special Features: ‘Benares Ghat’ – Ravi Shankar teaches a new piece to his students
The sitar & Indian music – A personal introduction by Ravi Shankar