The film Iconography: Mungal Patasar is an insightful look at the career of the pioneering musician, the first to merge the music of the steelpan and the sitar in Trinidad and Tobago. The documentary, created by Mikhail Gibbings, Teneka Mohammed and Aviel Scanterbury, through their production company Pomegranate Studios, premiered at Queen’s Hall, Port of Spain on March 22.
Patasar’s story is told in his own words, from growing up in a house filled with music in La Fortune Estate, learning to read and write music at St Benedict’s College, his childhood illness, falling in love with the sitar and learning to play it by watching a Ravi Shankar video and appearing on Mastana Bahar in 1978.
He spoke about the cultural differences he encountered while he was growing up, including Indians feeling non-Indians were immoral, and people telling him there was no room for Indian classical music in TT.
Patasar told how he went to India at 40 with his family to learn sitar, returning with two degrees in 1990, his meeting with pan player and arranger Harold Headley, the formation of Pantar with Headley, Marlon Charles and Earl Carnavon and his son Prashant, signing with Virgin Records, their subsequent rise to fame and tours in Europe, his further development and his plans for the future.
For those who were not aware of his story – and there were a few at the screening – the 45-minute film was eye-opening, especially the extent to which his music has spread around the world, and the obstacles in terms of acceptance he faced in TT, some of which young artists still face today.
[caption id="attachment_1077017" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Pantar Band Members. L-R: Marcus Sammy (drummer), Johnathon Agostini (guitarist), Dr Mungal Patasar, Roshni Patasar, Marlon Charles (co-founder,pannist) and Harold Headley (co-founder, pannist) at the premiere of the Iconography: Mungal Patasar film - Corri Latapy[/caption]
In addition to the interviews recorded of Patasar, his daughter Sharda, Headley and Charles and others, the film contains footage, photographs and memorabilia of Patasar’s life and performances, which had been collected and by his wife Roshni. The filmmakers were enthusiastic in their appreciation of her assistance in putting the film together.
The film was funded through the support of sponsors such as NGC, NLCB and NFM – Lion Brand.
Speaking to approximately 100 people during the question-and-answer session following the premiere, Gibbings said it was a dream to be able to stand on the Queen’s Hall stage to present the film.
“I hope you enjoyed the film the way we enjoyed watching you watch it. Thank you for what you (Patasar) and Pantar have done to lay a musical foundation for all of us who want to create things that may not feel as proven in this space. We feel it was scary in the beginning, and it doesn’t feel as scary knowing that somebody like yourself have all laid the foundation for us.”
Filmmaker and playwright Tyker Phillip said she was proud of the team for their work in chronicling TT’s st
