September 04, 2023
It’s no secret that TriHealth team members are great at what they do, but it’s not as often that we get to see the things they’re passionate about outside of work. Kanniks Kannikeswaran, TriHealth Business Intelligence Analyst Lead, has an affinity for music. Coming from a family of musicians, he was trained in Indian classical music as a child and has carried that passion with him through the years.
In 2007, Kanniks began working on a music recording, passion project that became "Colonial Interlude", a documentary he wrote, directed and produced. The film features performances and interviews with musicians here in Cincinnati, as well as a breathtaking visual journey through parts of India.
“The story narrated in the documentary is one close to my heart and to my family,” said Kanniks. “It is a story about innovation and what is possible even during adversity.”
Colonial Interlude explores the story of the fascinating encounter between two diverse musical traditions in colonial India, when southern Indian composer Muthuswami Dikshitar (1775–1835) wrote lyrics in Sanskrit to tunes that came to India with the British East India Company.
“To me, it is a mind blowing fact that tunes that originated in Europe took on lives of their own in diverse places such as Southern India and the United States, totally independently,” said Kanniks. “It was a totally new experience expressing it using this medium. Artistic expression apart, it is just a labor of love; a story that I always wanted to narrate.”
Colonial Interlude first premiered at the Cincinnati Art Museum on Thursday, March 9, 2023. It was next featured as the closing film of the Indian Film Festival of Cincinnati on Sunday, August 20, 2023, where it won the award for Best Short Documentary.
Another screening will be held on Sunday, September 10, 2023 at 2 p.m. at the Dayton Art Institute. The screening is free with museum admission.
View the trailer for Colonial Interlude here!
Wow, just the trailer is interesting and amazing! Congratulations!
Posted by: Beverly Rechtin on September 06, 2023
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Congratulations Kanniks..
Posted by: Pauline Cook on September 06, 2023
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