You have to keep working on your relationship and on yourself every day, say Vishal and Rekha

Debarati S Sen (BOMBAY TIMES; November 10, 2023)

Music brought Vishal and Rekha Bhardwaj together, and their passion for music has only strengthened their bond over the years. The duo always dreamt of singing together on stage, but that never really happened until now. After over three decades of being together, the couple will perform for an upcoming concert this month for a special cause.

In an exclusive conversation, filmmaker-composer-singer Vishal Bhardwaj and singer Rekha Bhardwaj talk about their love for music and what keeps them connected and rooted.

During your Hindu College days, music was what brought you both close. That was decades ago. What took you both so long to come together on stage?
Vishal: I never thought I was a good singer, I always considered myself to be a composer. Later in my career, I started singing tracks. I used to sing Lata ji’s (Lata Mangeshkar) dummy tracks. I would sing to explore songs with musicians on track and then the singer would dub. In that process, mujhe bahut zyada experience aaya gaane ka. Kai baar aisa hua ki sab logon ne bola ki yeh meri awaaz mein accha lag raha tha. So, maine apni singing bahut late in life discover ki. Rekha is classically trained, and I am not. Mujhe stage fright bhi tha bahut zyada. Jab mere shows hone lage, mujhe stage ka confidence aaya. So now, I can dare to sing with her.

Rekha: It’s always been a dream. Vishal aur hum bahut saalon se chah rahe thay ki we should perform together. Aur Gulzar saab bahut kehte hain ki saath mein program karo, hum log saath kartein hain. Pankaj Udhas and his daughter Nayaab planned this concert for the welfare of Thalassemia patients, and we are happy to support the cause.
Vishal: What Naayab and Pankaj Ji is doing (for Thalassemia patients) is commendable and great. Iss cause ki ladai pata nahi kab khatam hogi. Pata nahi kab iska ilaaj ho payega. If we can contribute even a little from our side in this fight, it will be great.

While this will be the first time the two of you will be singing together on stage, you must’ve sung together earlier, too?
Vishal: Long ago, we had sung a duet together. When the Copyright Act was passed in 2012, we had performed for Parliamentarians at the Parliament House. Kapil Sibal sahab liked old songs, toh unki farmaish pe maine aur Rekha ne Haal Kaisa Hai Janab Ka gaya tha. Bahut maza aaya tha.

Have you both been doing a lot of riyaaz for this performance?
Vishal: Riyaz nahi, hum log tayyari kar rahein hain. Bahut mehnat kar rahein hain. We are doing this for the first time, toh kafi nervousness bhi hai. It should be extraordinary. The other thing is that hamare keys ka bhi issue hai. Rekha has a low-pitched voice and mine is a high pitched one jo normal male voice hota hai. So we have to design a duet ki kaise hum log ek middle ground mein aa jayein ki Rekha ke liye high na ho aur mere liye bahut low na ho.
Rekha: We will also sing solos along with duets. Aisa nahi hai ki saare duets hi honge.

What keeps two creative people like you going so strong for over three decades? Just like everyone you must have also faced challenges and hiccups in your relationship. How have you dealt with them?
Rekha: Actually, four decades. We’ve known each other since 1984. During college, we were friends, and then we started dating. Yes, mushiklein aatien hain relationship mein. But I think the emotional bonding and our compatibility, jo music ko lekar hai, helps. Now, we have started giving each other space. Beech-beech mein problems aatien hain. There is no formula for a perfect relationship. You have to accept the other person with all his or her good and bad.
Vishal: Yes. There is a formula. You have to keep working on your relationship and on yourself every day. That’s the only formula. When you are in a relationship, then you have to do both these things. You may have a different point of view on various things – brushing you teeth, waking up in the morning, reading at night or watching laptop, then you have to work towards that. Relationships are a everyday work. Auto pilot pe rakkh diya yeh kabhie nahi ho sakta hai.
Rekha: I have realised that jaise jaise expectations kam hone lagtien hain, that helps a lot. Otherwise you keep expecting the other person to react the way you want them to.
Vishal: You should never want to change the other person. You have to be ready to change yourself and then the relationship will work.

Rekha, in an Instagram post, you said, ‘What kept us close was the crazy streak we both have, perhaps still have’. Tell us more about this crazy streak…
Rekha: When we met in college, Vishal was singing for a programme. Later, at the annual function, all the participants had to sing Ramaiya Vastavaiya on stage. Hum dono do corners mein they, and we went really crazy. Hamara kya hain na, we get carried away. We don’t care for the world and just do our own thing. It’s not that ki we plan it. Aaj tak hum aisa kartein hain. Hum emotionally bhi carried away ho jaatein hain. While singing also hamare mazak jo chalta hai, bahut funny sa ho jata hai. Masti mein pagalpan ho jata hai.

Wouldn’t you like to add anything to this?
Vishal: Nahi, nahi, bol hi diya hai inhone. (laughs)
Rekha: Saari details toh share nahi ki jaa sakti hai. (laughs) Hamara ek bada cute sa memory hai. Earlier, when Vishal wouldn’t be so busy, our son Aasmaan was fond of DJing and he would put on music after our meals and we would all dance! There were times when we have stood on his windowsill and danced! We have had wild times.

You have played state-level cricket Under 19. You have a passion for cricket. What do you feel about the ongoing World Cup?
Vishal: India is playing so well. I hope that we win the world cup!