TRIBUTE appearred in The Statesman dated 30 March 2007.

BY GS RAJAN

When the man who took me to writing on Indian classical dance and music told me that I should write his obituray I took it as one of those normal jokes he always cracked. I never thought it would beocme a reality so soon. There is no doubt that P.V. Subramaniam, popularly known as Subbudu, was the pioneer in art criticism in India. If Mali could mesmerise thousands with his magical flute, Subbudu memsmerised millions with his words on art and culture. Words that cut like a knife at times, no doubt, but words that stayed in the memory like lessons well learnt.

Musicians threw stones at him, right at the samadhi of Tyagaraja in Tiruvaiyyaru, while dancers dragged him to court for his fearless criticism of their art. The fact that Subbudu never ever damaged any genuine artist through his reviews but he fearlessly stood against those mediocre ones who came to the limelight using political support and their friends in high places.

While Subbudu's brother, PV Krishnamurthy, the first Director General of Doordarshan and former Vice Chairman of the Sangeet Natak Akademi, was taking pains to make archival recordings of maestros, Subbudu was busy right under his brother's nose, criticising the very same stalwarts, pointing out their mistakes.

While Subbudu's cousin Dr Padmasini who dedicated her life to building up Kalakshetra and Rukmini Devi, Subbudu was pointing out that Rukmini Devi was fusing Kathakali in her dance dramas and calling them Bharatanatyam productions.

The truth was, Subbudu was nobody's enemy. He appreciated and gave fabulous reviews to the same artist he had criticised when he found some interesting changes or improvements. Unfortunately he was one human being who was totally misunderstood. Not by his readers, but by the art community.

Whatever anyone's opinion, he will always remain a benchmark for art criticism in this country. With his vast knowledge of music, dance and theatre, practical experience as a musician -- he was a skilled harmonium player and music composer -- and theatre artist, plus his staunch independence, combined with his reader-friendly style, he set standards of criticism few could match.