By Mushtaque B Barq
Diving into the river of dreams seems easy but to come out of the majestic water body with a fish of luck in your hand, diligence is the key. At times the fish slips off the hand and a diver returns to bay dejected, but every melancholy makes a room on its own to allow a diver to ponder over. The diver after repeated dives learns the mood of water, texture and density that in reciprocity grants confidence. Confidence is key, but it comes to you only after glumness. Every performer before crossing the river relies on self-confidence. Similarly, a stage performer fumbles and tumbles before he knows his way to the side wings. It hardly matters who is on the stage moving and performing for performance needs an actor irrespective of gender. So many female performers have created a world of their own by working shoulder to shoulder with their counterparts. One such female performer is Kusum Tikoo, a girl once provoked as a tomboy. She is the first child of Vijanti Tikoo and Bansilal Tikoo. As she was enrolled in Degree College Udhampur, she developed an interest in cultural festivals that finally steered her life to land on the campus of Doordarshan and after attracting the intention of the director she raised herself as an impressive performer and worked in many serials for DD1, DD Kashir and DD Urdu and hosted many programmes for Zee Kashmir.
She also worked in Dogri films Reet Pahari and Lakeer. She later worked in Siddhartha Gigoo’s film The Last Day which was screened in London as well as at Kenya Film Festival. She is an approved artist in Kashmiri and Hindustani Languages and Dogri and Hindi languages from Jammu Doordarshan. She is an empanelled producer and director for DDK. She has produced many serials like Watandar, Dherein De Nazare, Parwaz, Mujhe Mera Naam Dou and Shakti. She has also worked as Chief Assistant Director in Subah Ki Talash Mein (tele-film) Yeh Kaisa Pyar (tele- film) and Gumrah (tele-film). As an actor she has performed in Reet (Dogri), Lakeer (Pahari), Doli (Dogri) and for National network she has performed in the following: Chehra, Yeh Wattan Hamara Hai, Habba Khatoon, Manav Ki Kahani, Gulabo, Mukut. Kusum is a versatile actress for she has acted in classical and contemporary serials as well. Her performances in Nanga Rukh (Dogra Classics), Chanani De Chor (Dogri, Sanjhi Dharti Bakhle Mahnu (In House), Bakhre Bakhre Sach (Dogri), K.S.Madhukar (In House) and Gul Baqawali (Kashmiri Classics). She has been much appreciated for her performances in Jurmana, Sarhad, Ujale, Tanhayian, Majboorian, Mulakat, Bahu Bi Beti Hai, Hayass, Fasle, and Safa.
For DDK Jammu Kusum has performed in Sangram, Yeh Man Bada Chanchal Hai, Nasha, Ek Musibat Aur, Rishte – Naate, Lou Diyan Leekran, Lekha Bei Da, Yeh Manzilein Yeh Raaste, Ashanti Niwas, Sawaal, Manav Ki Jaat, Duggar Diyan Lok Kathan, Yeh Rishte, Sehzaadi, Sehra Kaanto Ka, Badri Hotel, Jo Tan Laage, Samarpan, Nimbal, Kamaal Ge Kamaal and Kun Likhda Taqdeerani. She has equallyperformed for Kashir Channel in the following : Qurbani ( Hindustani), Takseem (Gojri ), Kadholi Geeta Ni ( Pahari ), Hamal – E – Damal ( Kashmiri ), Peer Pandit Padshah ( Hindustani ), Lok Kathayeen ( Kashmiri), Mere Apne ( Punjabi), Duggar Lok Kathayein ( Hindustani), Waapsi ( Hindustani), Ab Kay is Firdous Mein ( Urdu ).
Kusum has not only impressed the viewers by her acting but she has been an ace dancer. She was adjudged as the Best Dancer through the years 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993 and 1994 in Jammu. She received Special Appreciation Certificate holder for extracurricular activities by the then Minister for Health, Family Welfare & Medical Education in the year 1988. In 2008 -2009, she was adjudged as the Best Actress for the Play Ae Ladki in Dogri Language in and for Graed in Kashmiri Language during 2014-2015 in Drama Festivals by J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages. She has also received appreciation from the then Union Health Minister Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad Sahib for anchoring in Bhaderwah Festival.
.Mushtaq B.Barq is a Columnist, Poet and Fiction Writer. He is the author of “Feeble prisoner, “ Wings of Love” and many translation works are credited to the author like “ Verses Of Wahab Khar
