Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 20, 2017)

After, two-time Academy Award-winning singer-composer A R Rahman, filmmaker-writer-composer Vishal Bhardwaj, musician-singer Shankar Mahadevan and rapper Badshah, actor-filmmake-rsinger Farhan Akhtar is set to rock a musical TV show with an hour-long performance. The highlight of the episode is a tribute to the legendary Kishore Kumar. There will also be an acoustic special, with Farhan singing renditions of his own songs - “Atrangi Yaari” from Wazir, “Ahista Ahista” from Shaadi Ke Side Effects, “Hawan Kund” from Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, “Manzar Naya “ from Rock On 2 and “Galla Goodiyan” from Dil Dhadakne Do - while playing his guitar.

Speaking to Mirror, Farhan recalls how his school almost shared a wall with Kishore Kumar’s Juhu home. “We were told that Kishore da lives right behind that wall and we always wondered if we could climb over it and into his house. I waited to catch a glimpse of him leaving or entering his house but even though that never happened, the musical genius wielded a huge influence on my life since the time I was in school,” says the 43-year-old singer-producer.

The MTV Unplugged episode will feature an acoustic version of “Ek Ladki Bheegi Bhaagi Si” from Satyen Bose’s 1958 comedy, Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi, featuring Madhubala and the three Ganguly brothers, Ashok Kumar, Anup Kumar and Kishore Kumar. “Kishore da was such a multi-talented, multi-faceted man; a great singer and comedian. He left behind a crazy legacy, there has never been anyone before or after his time. His voice was the defining voice of the Indian male hero — with panache, the right emotions and immense depth,” raves Farhan who will be recording his tracks ‘live’, with his nine-member band this week.

This will be the first time the actor is performing on a platform that will “strip him bare”. “Music has always been the universal language that brings people together but here an artiste performs in a bare-it-all, acoustic version of the greatest hits ever. I’m really looking forward to this one,” he signs off.