(MENAFN- IANS) By Puja Gupta
New Delhi, Feb 19 (IANSlife) Bollywood superstar Akhsay Kumar did a documentary seven years ago about the seven deadly martial art forms in the world which included Capoeira -- an Afro-Brazilian martial art form with elements of dance music and acrobatics. The film inspired Professor Reza Baba Massah to bring the art form in India.
In a conversation with IANSlife, Massah tells us more about the art form, its benefits and why it should be popularized. Excerpts:
Q: How is Capoeira different from other martial art forms?
The only martial art that gives points for escaping and is played rather than fought. Martial art created to free man from Bondage UNESCO Heritage to be preserved to promote peace, friendship and brotherhood among mankind.
Q: What are the benefits of practising this art?
There are a plethora of benefits of practising the art of Capoeira. They are:
A capoeirista has the coordination of a dancer.
The strength of a martial artist
The flexibility of a gymnast
The endurance of a marathon runner
And the beat of a Drummer.
Q: Not many people know about this art form in India. Why is that so?
Considered an illegal activity 100 years ago practised underground and mostly by Black-skinned people .Capoeira is very new to India but around the world very famous.
Q: Why did you think of bringing this art form in India?
Akshay Kumar did a National Geographic documentary about the seven deadly martial arts in the world and mentioned Capoeira as one of them ... I decided to bring the real thing to India as my one in a billion contribution to our next generations.
Q: Why should one opt for Capoeira?
As we live in a country with non-violence as a principal of our founding fathers thought to us we also have a 200-year-old slavery past so we can connect with the feelings of freedom and liberation. Also, we are a nation filled with music and dance with Kalari as the mother of all martial arts invented in India, also our national Martial art.
Capoeira fits in every aspect of our urban ways of living and answers all the "whats, whys and wheres" of evolving and make ourselves better in a country of happy non-violent upstanding citizens. Bring the youngest Martial art to the land of the oldest Martial is a first.
Q: How are you planning to take this art ahead in India?
Our mission Capoeirista in every home in India is alive and kicking well. Today with 15 schools making Capoeira a curriculum subject. I see my dream in action every day with your help and platform we take a giant leap and save every child from bullying, molestation...
Capoeira will be one of the activities at WindMill Festival - an international children''s festival, scheduled for February 22 - 23, 2020 at JioGardens, BKC, Mumbai.
(Puja Gupta can be contacted at )
--IANS
pg/adr/
MENAFN1902202002310000ID1099725467
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.