Shilpa Mudbi is an Indian researcher, singer, performer, theater artist, actress, and documentary filmmaker. She is currently working on preserving and archiving diverse folk-art forms in Karnataka.[1] Along with her husband and Sumitra Sunder, she co-founded the Urban Folk Project. As a part of this project, they performed 70-80 shows of Yellamanata and Other Stories across the country. [2][3][4]
Shilpa Mudbi
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Born |
Bangalore
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Nationality | Indian |
Education | Masters in Media Arts and Production |
Alma mater | University of Technology Sydney |
Known for | Co-founder of Urban Folk Project |
Notable work | Yellammana and Other Stories |
Spouse | Aditya Kothakota |
Mudbi leads the team in performing Yellammana padas with traditional instruments such as the chowdki and the Shruti, sometimes in the morning at Bangalore Cubbon Park.[5] Shilpa's efforts extend to reviewing and preserving the "Chowdki" and "shruti", essential instruments intertwined with the narratives of Yellamma, making her a key force in reviving these traditions. As a trained filmmaker, she explores the roots of this music, connecting it with North Karnataka's cultural fabric.
These Bengalureans are trying to save Chowdki, a percussion instrument which was once prevalent in the belt of north Karnataka, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh. According to folklore, it has been around for at least 2,500 years. [6]
During the pandemic, Mubdi conducted Weekly Web Folk Sessions that encouraged participants to pick up an instrument and learn a folk song for a collective singing experience. Each session, lasting five to six minutes, effectively combines both information and musical elements.[7]
Year | Film | Role |
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2024 | Killer Soup | Head Constable Asha Ritu[8] |
In 2023, she was listed in the Deccan Herald, in their fifth edition of Changemakers awards “DH Changemakers: 23 to Watch in 2023” [9]