BALASORE: Cartoons on Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and some of his cabinet ministers were a huge draw at a show in Balasore. Hundreds of people who thronged the Gandhismruti Bhavan auditorium here this weekend were amused to see the works of their CM sketched in cartoons made by Chudamani Das.
“I have sketched cartoons of many politicians. But the works on Naveen and a bunch of other ministers like Damodar Rout, Prafulla Ghadei, Congress leader JB Patnaik and a few others have been appreciated a lot. I have over 50 cartoons on Naveen depicting his works in day to day life,’’ Das said.
Das, a native of Bhadrak district has completed his masters degree in fine arts from Chandigarh-based Pracheen Kala Kendra. About a 100 cartoons displayed here got a good response from various quarters. The cartoon depicting Naveen hanging on the shoulder of Rajyasabha MP Pyari Mohan Mohapatra and another Naveen blaming Centre for failures of programmes in State were most sought after.
‘’The people who used to blame the government of late 90s are now in the government. I have sketched cartoons on how they are now involved in big scams and enjoying autocracy at the cot of people. I have tried to spread a message among the people through my works,’’ Das said.
Though Das aims to be a fine art painter, he never holds back his greed to make cartoons on political creatures and on social issues.
e has several publications to his credit. ‘Chudamani cartoon Vichitra’, a unique cartoon style composed on social, political, educational problems of the state and nation is a well appreciated one.
‘’All the politicians have enjoyed my works. None have given any adverse comment except JB Patnaik. Once he reacted sharply to a cartoon in which I had sketched some headless Congress leaders saying the party lacks a proper ‘head’ to be led from front,’’ he recalled.
Das who also designs posters and letters for films and opera now works as an instructor in the Bhadrak college of Art and Crafts.
