Sanjith Hegde’s ‘Taare Bindigeya’ Video Pays Homage to Legendary Mime Artist Jogesh Dutta

Bengaluru artist Sanjith Hegde’s latest song “Taare Bindigeya” draws from Kannada saint-poet Purandaradasa’s “Tarakka Bindige” and comes with an evocative tribute to mime artist and dramatist Jogesh Dutta, directed by filmmaker Bijoy Shetty.

The traditional Kannada song has been interpreted by artists over the years, and Hegde’s atmospheric soul-pop composition retains the philosophical edge of the original song. With production credits shared between Hegde, Sunny M.R., Zafar and Gautham Hebbar, the music video features licensed footage from a 1983 documentary, A Silent Art, on Dutta’s life and craft. It comes to a close with more recent footage of Dutta’s final show on stage, as he is feted by a full house.

Hegde says about the track, “‘Taare Bindigeya’ is my way of paying homage to Kannada folk and its timeless spirituality. It is a reminder that divine connections, no matter how brief, can transform us forever.” The song is out via Warner Music India.

Shetty and Hegde have previously worked together on the video for his Hindi single “Gulaabo,” but “Taare Bindigeya” marks a thoughtful story about Dutta’s Mukabhinay [a term he coined] framed using old footage, all in monochrome. Hegde said in a post, “I’m a little nervous to put this video out there. Biju and I made something we really wanted to make without worrying about what happens once it’s out in the world. To everyone who spends time watching this, watch till the end.” The pop artist described Dutta as a “man who gave his life to an art form the country almost forgot.” Dutta has, in the past, been feted with honors including the Shiromani Puraskar (1985) and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1993).