.Multi-talented Mrinal Kanty Das has made it his life’s mission to share his passion for the creative arts with other people. He talks with Alesha Capone.
The Hoppers Crossing resident is extensively involved with the community as a volunteer and performer, plus through exhibitions of his work.
Das – who described himself as a painter, free lens photographer, singer, lyricist and composer – was born in a small riverside town in Bangladesh, Chandpur, in 1973.
“I inherited my artistic fervour from my family,” Das said.
“My grandfather was a folk singer.
“He used to sing religious songs in local religious festivals.”
Das completed a bachelor of fine arts (painting) and master of fine arts (painting) at the University of Chittagong, and went on to work at an advertising agency in Bangladesh for 15 years.
He moved to Melbourne in 2015, and works as a graphic designer at Adjust Graphix in Dandenong.
“At the very beginning, I came to Australia to accompany my wife who came here to study her second masters degree in Monash University,” he said.
“Our two kids also came with us, and they just fell in love with the lifestyle here, especially of the freedom that they enjoyed here regarding their career selection and many other issues.
“My brother and sister live in Werribee and Hoppers Crossing.
“The Wyndham people are very cultural-minded. The Bangladeshi community is quite large here and they are quite active and friendly.
“The multi-cultural environment in Australia attracts me most.”
Das is an art teacher at the Victorian Bangladeshi Community Foundation (VBCF) and Nuer Community Foundation, which works with South Sudanese-Australians.
“Painting is my academic and professional interest,” he said.
“Photography is one of my passions. I love to see the world through my lenses, which allow me to discover the multiple layers of beauty.”
Das also runs a voluntary art venture, a social platform named Colour Buds, through which he helps children from underprivileged and refugee families learn painting and drawing.
“I work with community groups who work with these children, and my focus is on the mental development of the traumatised kids who have become frustrated and desperate, as they have undergone much distress at such early stages of their lives,” he said.
“I also have a plan to establish a virtual art gallery for kids, under Colour Buds, which will showcase kid’s art work for free.”
In the musical sphere, Das is one of two founders of the Bangladeshi folk band BAULA Bangladesh and one of its lead vocalists.
He also wrote the musical piece Tumi chaia dekho for the movie Shuttle Train, a full-length film directed by Pradip Ghosh.
The lyrics and tune of the song are by Das and the arrangement was done by music director Binod Roy.
In December, the Bangladeshi Ministry of Cultural Affairs announced Das as winner of the 2019 Bangladesh National Film Award in the Best Singer Category (Male).
Das said that winning the award was “an extraordinary experience”.
“I never expected that I would ever be awarded with such a big honour,” he said.
Das said the song first came into his mind when he was travelling with his wife in a ricksaw, in Bangladesh.
“My wife instantly recorded the song on her phone, and the rest is history.”
“I feel that writing is an inherent quality in me.
“Words come to me spontaneously, no matter what environment I am in, words just pop up in my mind along with the tune.
“I record the songs instantly on my phone and finalise them afterwards.”
In the future, Das hopes to work with fusion music by composing multilingual songs.
“I have already created a platform from our company, Adjust Graphix, a recording studio called Adjust Tunes from which we will record and publish songs by local singers,” he said.
Details: https://www.facebook.com/mrinal71/, https://www.facebook.com/mrinalkantydas, mrinalbiplob.wixsite.com/mrinalkantydas, www.colourbuds.com, www.facebook.com/colourbud
