He captivated the minds of several generations with his soulful renditions, But, in recent times, his innings in Bollywood has been sporadic. Music maestro Hariharan believes that his kind of music is diminishing. He elaborates, “My kind of songs have reduced and the octave now used is very high in comparison to my kind of songs. Yes, I do sing songs on those scales, but that is not my way or choice of singing. But, I am singing several songs for Bollywood currently.”

It is axiomatic that he is working with music directors who are younger than his 45-year-old career. “Whether it is the younger generation or not, every music director is the captain of the ship. We need to give them the same respect as we gave our contemporaries or seniors,” says the 66-year-old.

He adds, “I tell my music directors to not get carried away or be stressed by my presence. I remind them that they are free to take retakes and ask for what they want since it is their choice and view on how they envision the song.”

The Padma Shri awardee will return to the stage after a gap of two years. Titled Aaghaz, the ghazal concert will mark his first live show post the pandemic. “I am looking forward to being on the stage and feeling the warmth and energy of the live audience,” he shares.

While Aaghaz means new beginning, Hariharan resonates with the name of the concert that will be held in the city: “It is going to be a new life for artistes, who used to travel and perform throughout the year.” On the magic that being on stage brings, he says, “There is a chemistry between the audience and the artiste. So, for me, there is always a difference between studio singing and singing at a live concert.”

Catch it live:

When: February 25, 7pm onwards

Where: Shanmukhananda Auditorium, Sion, Mumbai