Shreyas Talpade is making his debut as a host on Hindi television with Sa Re Ga Ma Pa – Hindustan Ka Sangeetsthan, drawn to the show by its legacy, scale and emphasis on music. He also looked forward to sharing the stage with singers he has admired over the years.

He says, “Sa Re Ga Ma Pa has such a strong legacy. It’s not only iconic, but now it has a heritage status of its own. It not only created great singers, it created great listeners too. For this season, I was told about the scale of the show, with more than 100 musicians, the performances and the fantastic fusion happening in the songs. That seemed unique. The most important question I had was, ‘Yeh sab hone ke baad bhi kya autotune hoga?’ I was told, ‘Jo hoga, saamne hoga.’ Besides, there are names like Shankar Mahadevan sir, Neeti Mohan, Javed Ali and Sanu Da (Kumar Sanu). I was particularly excited about associating with Sanu Da. There are certain things that are not just nostalgic, you take something from them with you. Ten or 20 years down the line, when you look back, what will you take with you? Paisa toh nahi le jaoge aap, yaadein lete, lete hi aap jaoge na. So, all these factors made me say, ‘Chalo, karte hain.’”

Having seen reality shows where hosts sometimes rely on exaggerated comedy or banter with judges, Shreyas was conscious of maintaining a different tone.

He says, “I was very clear that main masti karunga, but I wouldn’t do chichorapanti. There’s a very fine line, and I wouldn’t cross it. We try to maintain that decorum and respect as much as possible. Music has to take centre stage; everything else is just adding to it.”

For him, that also means resisting the temptation to push humour for the sake of a bigger reaction. He says, “I don’t want to go below the belt ever. Very often, you may say two extra things for a laugh and get a reaction in that moment, but I would rather compromise that laughter. If two fewer laughs come, so be it. I don’t need them.”

Singing reality shows have often faced criticism over the use of contestants’ personal struggles and emotional backstories to heighten drama and generate audience engagement. Shreyas was keen to ensure that the contestants’ journeys are acknowledged without turning their circumstances into manufactured emotional moments.

He says, “Before saying yes, these were all my concern areas. I was clear that I didn’t want to get into sob stories. We might refer to a contestant’s background naturally, but we don’t want to unnecessarily create a sob-story moment. If the channel chooses to do something like that, it is completely their call. But as far as what happens on the floor and in the edit is concerned, we are very clear. There is no reason to make it dramatic or melodramatic.”

For Shankar Mahadevan, music has always been more than a profession. A Grammy-winning artiste and four-time National Film Award winner, he has spent decades creating some of Indian cinema’s most memorable songs, with hits from Dil Chahta Hai, Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, Raazi, Dil Dhadakne Do and several others.

Today, one of his biggest joys is being able to share that musical journey with his sons, Shivam and Siddharth. Ask him what it feels like to share the stage with them as fellow musicians, and Mahadevan describes it as the greatest blessing of his life.

“Every single day, I say a prayer of gratitude for one reason: I am a privileged father who gets to stand on stage with both my sons and perform alongside them,” he says. “That is the greatest blessing, reward and earning of my life. Very few people get to experience something like this.”

For Shankar, the relationship goes beyond that of a father and his children. After years of pursuing music with sincerity, he feels fortunate to have found in his sons not just family, but creative partners with whom he can share his deepest passion.

“After spending so many years trying to be an honest and sincere musician, God has blessed me with not just two sons, but two musical companions, with whom I can talk, create, discuss and share music,” he says.

It is this companionship that makes performing together particularly special for the singer-composer. The stage becomes an extension of their relationship, a space where generations meet through music, ideas are exchanged and creativity becomes a shared experience. “For me, that is what a truly beautiful life looks like,” he adds.

And for an artiste who has spent decades on some of the biggest stages and earned some of the highest honours in Indian music, it is perhaps telling that his greatest reward is not another award or hit song, but the opportunity to make music alongside his sons.

Celebrated Indian poet, lyricist, author, screenwriter and film director Gulzar has penned iconic children’s songs like Lakdi Ki Kaathi from Masoom (1983), Jungle Jungle Baat Chali Hai from The Jungle Book (1989) and Panga from Makdee (2002), the latter two composed by Vishal Bhardwaj. Not many know that even the popular prayer Humko Mann Ki Shakti Dena from Guddi (1971) was written by him. On the occasion of Children’s Day, in a chat at his Bandra bungalow, Gulzar spoke to us about some of his favourite works for children.

Gulzar explains that the idea behind the song was to portray what a young schoolgirl prays for and how she expresses her thoughts. He says, “Humko Mann Ki Shakti Dena went on to become the morning prayer at many schools. Many people don’t know the lyrics were written by me. I was recently working with Shaad Ali (director) at the recording studio, and he mentioned that they used to sing Humko Mann Ki Shakti Dena in school. He was taken by surprise when Shankar Mahadevan mentioned that the lyrics were written by me. If you speak from your heart, it reaches children. Back then, the great Indian poet Kedarnath Singh had told me, ‘Your work has gone beyond your name, which is a great thing.’”

Talking about how he develops the idea that connects with children, he cites the example of Lakdi Ki Kathi (Masoom), a song that has resonated with children across generations. “The idea came from the thought that if you make a child sit on a walking stick and call it a horse, they know it isn’t real, but they still enjoy the experience because of their imagination. It’s also important to use places that they are familiar with, for example, they have heard their parents speaking about visiting the sabzi mandi (vegetable market) or Mehrauli and so on. So, the song must have a familiar environment. Writing for children isn’t about getting the grammar right, it’s about throwing grammar out of the window and connecting with the child’s thought process. Children enjoy tongue twisters, what we give them in textbooks is boring.”

Recalling a controversy over the lyrics of another popular song, he shares, “NFDC had some objection to the lines, Jungle Jungle baat chali hai, pata chala hai, arre chaddi pehen ke phool khila hai (The Jungle Book, 1989). 

“I was told, ‘Gulzar saab ab aap poetry mein chaddi bhi le aayenge.’ There was a silly suggestion to replace the word chaddi with lungi. I asked them if Mowgli in The Jungle Book had put on anything else throughout the film? Ab chaddi ko kuch aur bolenge? Vishal Bhardwaj (music composer for The Jungle Book) has a knack for understanding children, he made films like Makdee and The Blue Umbrella, but didn’t find encouragement from the trade. Vishal himself is a little child for me.”

Gulzar shares, “Since the time I made Koshish in 1972, I have been working with physically challenged children. Every year these children come down from Bhopal and I walk with them at the Mumbai Marathon. These children feel so happy when they appear on television and that gives me immense joy, too. I wish to continue working with children till I’m alive.”

He says, "I wrote a poem on a crow during COVID-19, when death was surrounding us, ambulances were constantly passing by, people were wearing masks but this crow near my house, was busy building it’s nest. Hearing the little crows caw was so inspiring. I ended up writing 14 children’s poems that were published by my friend Sushil Shukla with illustrations by Allen Shaw."

Photo: Prathamesh Bandekar

After pop star Justin Bieber rocking businesspersons Anant Ambani-Radhika Merchant’s sangeet, there’s a lot of anticipation around the performances at their wedding. International singers Adele, Drake and Lana Del Rey will reportedly have power-packed acts at the celebration that will be held from July 12 to 14. 

Now, we have exclusively learnt that a few Indian musicians would also have an important role to play at the do. A source tells us that musicians Sonu Nigam, Shankar Mahadevan, Hariharan, Shreya Ghoshal and Kaushiki Chakraborty will be performing live at the wedding.

The source adds, “There are some devotional songs and shlokas that will be performed by these musicians, including Shri Krishna Govind Hare Murari by Sonu. There has been extensive prep and rehearsals, as the shlokas are in Sanskrit. All the songs have been composed by Ajay-Atul (music director duo).”

Yesterday, on the occasion of World Music Day, renowned writer, lyricist and poet Javed Akhtar and celebrated Grammy-winner, singer-composer Shankar Mahadevan, came together to share some moments with us to talk about their musical memories, their strong bond and most of all, their endless fascination for music. Excerpts:

Javed: The origin of music always fascinates me. That’s how humans must have found rhythm and sur in the universe - in nature, through birds, rivers, waterfalls, wind and so on. It’s so fascinating how human beings all over the world discovered that there are seven notes. Even when I think about how music developed in prehistoric times, it fascinates me. Music is inherent in human nature. I feel that music is the poetry of sound, and poetry is the music of language. So, of course, we should honour this day, but I feel World Music Day should be celebrated every day!

Shankar: Music unites people in a beautiful and tremendously powerful way. Music triggers wonderful feelings and is such an amazing tool of communication. It’s great to celebrate World Music Day, because the language of music is universal.

Shankar: When I was three-and-a-half years old, I saw an instrument (harmonium). At that time, I didn’t even know what it was, and I started playing a bhajan that we used to sing at home. So that was my first memory of music. The mystery of the seven notes was demystified in one shot. I guess the connection between music, notes and notation happened organically for me.

Javed: My mother, who came from a middle-class background, taught in a college. But being a great music lover, she had a gramophone and some records, a luxury which only rich people could afford back then. In Bhopal, we used to live on the first floor of a building and the owner was on the ground floor. Obviously, he was richer than us because he had a radio, and every time he would play it, we’d hear it too. When I was about five years old, I remember seeing my mother rushing to the balcony, because one of her favourite songs was playing on the radio. She would stand there, and I’d follow her and look at how she’d listen to this song (Ghabra Ke Jo Hum Sar Ko Takraye To Achcha Ho from Mahal) with so much attention. So, that is my first memory of music. Another memory is of my daughter, Zoya, who was about four months old when she used to react only to one song from Raja Jani. I always wondered why she was so fascinated by the tune of that song.

Shankar: I consider him as a blessing that has come to me from above. Javed sir is one person who stood by me like a pillar of strength, he has been a guide and a genuine well-wisher for my entire family. I feel secure that Javed sir is with me in the industry. We don’t feel it’s work when we are creating a song together. One day, Shabana (Azmi) came to the studio and said that if any producer sees the way you both work, they will never pay you. Javed sir’s biggest strength is his humour, and because of that, even serious work gets done easily.

Javed: Shankar is very special to me. Recently, I went to his house and we had a huge lunch. Mahadevans are foodies. Then we went to his music room, and by evening, we had completed a song. For us, one sitting means one song. But that’s not the case with every other composer. Our ultimate work together was Breathless. The idea was with me for 6-7 years. I’d mentioned it to different singers and music directors. Everybody liked the idea, but nobody took it up. Then I met Shankar and he immediately agreed to do it and that is how it started.

Shankar: I’m from a simple, middle-class South Indian family. I could never think of pursuing music as a career. We were a simple family, we lived in a 1BHK (500 sq ft) house, so how could I think of making a living out of music? It was far, far beyond my reach.

My father had a singer friend who used to play the harmonium. One day, he brought it to our place, and for the first time, I saw a harmonium and pressed the keys. And then it became my fantasy to learn how to play the harmonium and learn music, but circumstances never allowed me to do it. Music and tunes have always fascinated me. I have the talent and I think that with a little training, I could be a musician. Writing, of course, was inevitable, as that was my heritage, it was in my genes. The last seven generations of my family were writers of a certain known status.

Javed: The director has certain requirements. Then, there are music directors, and more often than not, the songs are written to the tune. So, he may say, ‘Sir, my tune cannot adjust this particular sound or word. There is a murki here and this word is flat and will not allow the murki.’ That happens. But I refuse to accept unnecessary, non-creative suggestions. Sometimes, if the situation becomes impossible, I walk out of it. I have no hesitation in leaving a film. But, I will not write what I am not capable of. I will not write anything that is obscene by any stretch of imagination. I will not write something grammatically wrong. If you don’t know the language, I cannot be responsible for that.

Shankar: I feel the director is closest to the film and the captain of the ship. For a movie, we are not just music composers, we are music designers. The director knows what works best for them. So, we take their inputs positively and design music that satisfies the director’s vision.

Padma Bhushan Usha Uthup recently went viral on social media for her rendition of Miley Cyrus’ hit track, Flowers. “It made me a huge hit with the youngsters, and isn’t that marvellous?” she asks.

The pop icon, who has sung in 17 Indian and eight foreign languages, and has had performances across the globe, adds, “I will sing anything and everything that people love. I’m a people’s singer.”

Usha Di, as she is lovingly known, was in Bengaluru recently to perform as part of the Alive India concert. This was her first concert in the city since winning the Padma Bhushan. In a chat with us, she expressed her wish of Vidya Balan doing her biopic, her dream of collaborating with artistes who are “diabolically different” from her and more. Excerpts:

Just like life itself, music is cyclical. You’re never going to hear, say, Kishore Kumar or Lata Mangeshkar come up on stage and sing. But you will see the younger generation taking to these songs, and the melodies of these legends will live on forever.

I’m grateful for Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and any other arena that allows us to showcase music. They say it’s fleeting, but I think it’s important if it helps you celebrate music. It’s the same with AI; I don’t know how successful it is going to be, but if there’s a good reaction to it, then it’s great. If it’s not useful, you will know immediately by the manner in which the younger generation takes to it. Only what’s truly good will endure.

Singing with other bands and artists is crucial in my eyes and I’ve been doing it for ages. If you work only with yourself, there is no challenge to it, and I’m always up for a challenge. Covers, too, are a great way to reach a broader audience and please so many generations. I sang Miley Cyrus’ Flowers and Adele’s Skyfall which went on to become huge hits among the younger generations. Besides, I’m always trying to see how better I can do the same thing.

I would love to sing with artists who are diabolically different from me. There’s Nikhita Gandhi, who I think is absolutely fantastic. I would love to do something with Shankar Mahadevan and Hariharan, our styles are in contrast to each other, especially Hariharan and myself. Say, for example, if I were to sing a song like Amazing Grace, and Hariharan did a version of a Bhajan, it would be so exciting. They’re different kinds of hymns, yes; but I don’t believe genres can be different all the time. There are seven musical notes and somewhere down the line they have to blend.

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Indian artistes gave the countrymen several reasons to celebrate on Monday morning as they made India a talking point at the 2024 Grammy Awards. “India, we are proud of you, India,” roared Shankar Mahadevan on the global stage, where he turned up to collect the award on behalf of the fusion band Shakti, the pentate, also comprising John McLaughlin, Zakir Hussain, Ganesh Rajagopalan, and V Selvaganesh.

“This feeling cannot be replaced by anything else. It can’t be described in words or [be replaced] with materialistic pleasures. When our names were announced on stage, it was like experiencing a trance. Since Zakir Hussain ji was backstage, [after] receiving another award, he couldn’t join us. But we went on stage, and I gave the speech,” shares Mahadevan with mid-day, recalling how he extended his love for his fellow bandmates and dedicated his win to his wife, “whom every note of my music is dedicated to”.

“I am someone who is overjoyed with the smallest achievement, and likes to share it with people. This is one of the biggest awards that a musician can get, and to get it in the presence of such an august gathering felt surreal. The feeling of being from India grew deeper. This win signifies that Indian music is reaching out globally, and is being loved and appreciated by a global audience,” he tells us from Los Angeles. 

Prod Mahadevan about what gave this album an edge over its competitors, and he says, “When you consider the category that we won in, you’ll realize that it is global music. There is no music that can be more ‘global’ than ours. One of our members is from France, another is from California, one is from Mumbai and two are from Chennai. This is in every way a global music album with [great quality] musicality.”

The win marked the third that evening for Hussain, who had already won laurels for cinching the titles of Best Global Music Performance (Pashto), and Best Contemporary Instrumental Album (As We Speak), a piece by Hussain, Bela Fleck, Edgar Meyer, and featuring Rakesh Chaurasia.

“The feeling of joy is yet to sink in. The Grammy declarations take place only during the ceremony, and are highly confidential exercises. It’s only been a few hours since it was announced, and a sense of joy and pride has engulfed us,” says Chaurasia in an e-mail interaction with mid-day, moments after his win.

“More than the joy I feel for myself, I feel proud of winning this as an Indian musician. This is the first time I have been nominated, and to win two Grammys is [fantastic]. It’s surreal and overwhelming to win it for my country, and I thank everyone who has been part of my journey.”

Chaurasia believes that the album’s diverse genres worked in its favour when it came to the final leg of the competition.

“It has bluegrass, jazz, and Indian classical, and we were able to understand the crux of each genre before we created the melodies. All the songs were recorded live. Pashto was composed by Ustad Zakir Hussain ji. This was a piece that he had listened to in his childhood. With the addition of bluegrass from Bela Fleck, jazz from Edgar Meyer, and Indian classical with [my] bansuri, it took on a [different] shape and form. Pashto is a seven-beat cycle composition. It is the amalgamation of the bansuri, tabla, banjo and bass that gave rise to this beautiful melody,” he says, expressing his gratitude to “my guru, the legendary bansuri maestro Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia ji”, for his success.

Taylor Swift took home the Album Of The Year title, while Billie Eilish won Song Of The Year.

When we connect with Shankar Mahadevan to discuss his latest release, Ram anthem, he is enroute to Ayodhya for today’s inauguration. “This is what India is all about. We’ve been striving for this for over 500 years. I began my career by playing the veena for a Ram bhajan, so this is significant to me,” says Mahadevan, who, along with Kailash Kher, Akriti Kakkar and Shaan, released the number that earned praise from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“My friend Sameer ji [Anjaan] said we should work on this song. This is one of the biggest events in Indian history. It’s a high-energy number that you can dance to, but, it also has an emotional quotient. It is very rhythmic.” Mahadevan, who also collaborated with 250 artistes to create a carnatic track for the occasion, says the numbers reflect the varied emotions that are being felt by Indians.

“The pulse of Ayodhya has been appropriately captured in this number,” says the musician, who hopes to perform at the event.

“If I get to sing four lines closer to the Pran Pratishtha, I’ll be very happy.”

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Composer-singer Shankar Mahadevan reached Ayodhya yesterday with his wife, Sangeeta Mahadevan. “I attended the dinner hosted by the royal family of Ayodhya,” says the Padma Shri recipient, who is excited about the Ram Mandir consecration ceremony today. “I will be attending the ceremony with my wife and I hope to sing a couple of lines for Shri Ram in Ayodhya today,” the 56-year-old says.

Ask if he’s done any prep for the ceremony, and Shankar says, “I will wear a traditional kurta, a silk veshti and a silk angavastram. My wife will be wearing a traditional saree.”

The musician’s song bhajan, Ram Anthem, which has been sung by him and singers Shaan, Kailash Kher and Akriti Kakar, was shared by PM Narendra Modi on X yesterday. “I was thrilled when PM Modi shared my song on social media. It’s such an encouragement for artistes like us,” says Shankar, who started his career with a Ram bhajan.

“My journey as a musician started with a devotional song, Ram Bhajan Kar Man, where I played the veena and it was sung by (late legend) Lata Mangeshkar ji. I was 11 back then,” he ends.

Having created six of the 17 songs that form the backbone of The Archies musical, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy say they felt they could “smell sponge cake in the room”, when they watched the final edit. “It’s such a sweet film,” they promise, as they discuss recording with Suhana Khan, and working with Javed Akhtar.

Edited excerpts of the interview.

Ehsaan: [We are given] the freedom to create. She never blocks an idea and says, ‘No, let’s try something else.’ Her attitude is respectful to the creative person. 

Shankar: There are certain directors whose presence in the studio [enables] the music to flow easily. There may be parts of the music that we use or don’t use, or mould at a later stage. For example, the song Va Va Vroom came out to be as it is because he [Ehsaan] randomly played one line, and we decided to record it. Only later did we recall we had this recording. It was a founder’s ball, and we realized this would fit the scene because it has an element of rock. So, when music flows easily, it feels fresh to the listener.

Shankar: For Suhana’s part, we wanted someone who had the required voice, age, and innocence. The singers we recorded sounded too professional. When she sang it, we said, this is it. She was nervous but practiced a lot.

Ehsaan: The song that she sang has a conversational quality. Another song has been sung by Kelly Dlima. These young singers are all unheard of. They’ve been singing in the studio, but now they’ll get this excellent break. 

Shankar: There is one song that is completely picturized on skates. The kids had to learn skating for it. 

Ehsaan: There’s another that has been rendered by Arijit [Singh]. People will be surprised when they hear it. It’s unlike anything you’ve heard from Arijit. He was also thrilled with it.

 

Shankar: I would agree that that it is valid. But, 80 per cent of the music that is consumed in the country is non-visual. It is consumed on streaming platforms, where you aren’t seeing it. So, the perception that Bollywood is the only thing [that matters in the music industry] is not true. Bollywood is a small part of the whole game. Monetarily it’s a big part. But there’s a lot happening otherwise. We did a web series called Bandish Bandits. [We’ve been told that] people skipped the talkie portions to hear the music.

Loy: Our job is to write a great song. What is done with the visuals is on the director. But, we have to create a song that sounds amazing even without the visuals. 

Shankar: You know, Senorita [Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara] was not supposed to be a song. It was a situation in which they were meant to jam with some Spanish musicians, and leave. When we created that [motif] we realized it was an amazing song. So, visuals were created for it, thereafter. That was also the case with Havan Kund in Bhaag Milkha Bhaag. It was supposed to be a scene in the hostel. But Prasoon [Joshi] ji wrote a big paragraph, and that led to the making of a full song. 

Shankar: We always do. I remember, when we were sitting with Javed saab for this film, he would tell us, ‘I have to [not consider] 80 per cent of the words in my vocabulary, because these kids are Anglo-Indians.’ Sometimes, Farhan [Akhtar] and I would playfully argue about some lyrics, and he’d say, ‘With your vocabulary, all I can do is send a telegram’. The kids in the film have limited vocabulary. So, he couldn’t write intricate poetry. He had to write simple words that still conveyed the message—whether that message was about politics or [love]. It had to be musical and the rhymes needed to fit the tune. Only he could have done this.

Besides his award-winning songs, composer-singer Shankar Mahadevan has one more feather added to his cap. The musician was conferred with an honorary doctorate by the University of Birmingham (UK) at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire on Saturday (June 24). “I come from a simple middle-class background and I’d never imagined receiving this kind of recognition one day,” says the Padma Shri recipient.

Besides his family, the 56-year-old also had his Shakti (music group) members, tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain and guitarist John McLaughlin, in attendance: “They are not just my close friends, but also philosophers, guides and mentors in my musical journey.”

Ask if he ever expected a doctorate and Mahadevan, who is a computer engineer, says, “Never! The kind of marks I’d get as a computer engineering student are a testimony to that (laughs). The magic and joy of music changed everything.”

The Dhaakad (2022) composer — who plans to throw a party for his friends and family in Mumbai soon after returning to India — realises that the honour comes with added responsibility. “When you receive a recognition like this, it becomes a greater responsibility as a musician to work even harder to touch many more lives with your music and give them the joy of music,” he concludes.

Singer-composer Shankar Mahadevan might have had a busy year, but he has cherished each and every moment of it. “Music makes me happy and if I am able to create best of scores, it works like magic for me. I’m also happy that I could take my academy global, with students joining from different countries. I am proud to see the love for Indian music everywhere,” says the Rock On!! (2008)and Raazi (2018) composer.

When asked about the rising trend of remixes, Mahadevan feels it will be short-lived: “I personally don’t like the idea of remixing songs, because as musicians, we have already given it our best to create those tunes. Why remix the existing version? Having said that, I feel to each his own. But, I think this trend will fade off soon and like always it’s the melody that will be appreciated.”

But what if the original musician creates a second version of songs, like Breathless? “It cannot be recreated. I can come up with more songs along the same lines, but there can’t be a part two,” he says.

While talking about the current crop of musicians, the musician also talks about his sons, who he feels have created a niche for themselves. “Youngsters today are smarter in making career choices. They want to do something that makes them happy. I’d left the choice up to them and they chose music. So, there’s nothing better I think,” says Mahadevan, as he signs off.

With his work spanning almost three decades in the music space, composer-singer Shankar Mahadevan is loved by music lovers across the world. And to celebrate his talent, an honorary doctorate is being conferred on the 55-year-old by the Birmingham City University (UK). Mahadevan tells us how he was chosen for this honour. “I was travelling with tabla maestro Zakir Hussain in 2021 and we were invited to perform in Birmingham. When the panel saw my performance, they deliberated a lot. There were presentations on whether I deserved a doctorate,” the Namonishan (Dhaakad) singer recalls.

Mahadevan adds that the announcement was made recently when the West Midlands (UK) Mayor, Andy Street, visited Mumbai. “The ceremony will be held in Birmingham on a mutually agreed upon date,” he says.

And while Mahadevan’s music has transcended boundaries, he asserts that it isn’t because of his work in Bollywood. “Indian classical music is appreciated all over the world. That is the true form of global music. People say, ‘Bollywood has become global’, but I feel it’s not Bollywood, but Indian classical music that has gone global. I have noticed that foreigners attend classical concerts, whereas Bollywood shows mostly see an Indian crowd,” he tells us.

Speaking on why Indian music is loved across the world, the singer, who is trained in Carnatic as well as Hindustani classical music, says, “Indian music has flexibility and a quality of improvisation like jazz. It can find its place anywhere and that impresses the world.”

Shankar Mahadevan is a part of the music composer trio Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy. But besides the group, he also has an independent identity as a playback and classical singer. And, Shankar is glad that his sons, singers Siddharth Mahadevan and Shivam Mahadevan, have managed to carve their own niche. “For a father, it’s the greatest blessing to see his children taking their own flight and not living under his shadow. Seeing my sons create their own identities feels satisfying,” says the Padma Shri recipient, who will be performing in the city alongside singers Hariharan and Shilpa Rao, today.

While Siddharth (29) is a composer-singer, who has songs like Zinda (Bhaag Milkha Bhaag; 2013), Nachde Ne Saare (Baar Baar Dekho; 2015) and Nok Jhok (Chhapaak; 2020), among others, to his credit, Shivam (21), too, has done playback for films and web projects, including Delhi Safari (2012) and Bandish Bandits. He is also seen jamming with his father on Instagram quite often.

For the 55-year-old, the best time is when he creates music with his sons. “When I get on the stage and sing with both my children like band members, it feels amazing. I can’t really explain how satisfying that feels. We jam, learn, create, record, discuss and argue. So, it is a wonderful musical team that we have,” says Mahadevan.

What: Rehmatein

When: Today (August 25), 6.30pm onwards

Where: Shanmukhananda Auditorium, Sion

The bond between singer-composer Shankar Mahadevan and late singer KK was one filled with love and mutual admiration, and it goes back to the time when they hadn’t even entered showbiz. That’s why Mahadevan says it’s unbelievable that he’s talking about KK in the past tense. “We had a long association even before we got into films; we were buddies, like a gang. We used to sing jingles together and that transitioned into films,” he says.

Mahadevan goes on to share that KK was a complete family man and used to talk about them all the time: “He used to take off on long holidays with them, cutting off from the world. Also, KK wasn’t bothered about social media; he didn’t even have a WhatsApp number. If you wanted to reach out to him, you had to call him.”

They have given audiences classic party-starters like Koi Kahe Kehta Rahe (Dil Chahta Hai, 2001) and It’s The Time To Disco (Kal Ho Naa Ho, 2003), which still reign in popular playlists about 20 years later, among numerous other hits. “More than that (creating hits), KK would bring a lot of energy into the studio whenever he entered. Months back, we met on a TV show. We were all teasing him, ‘You are like Benjamin Button, you are ageing in reverse!’ He was looking fabulous,” the 55-year-old says.

What’s surprising to many is that KK, despite being an accomplished artiste, didn’t receive many awards in his lifetime. Mahadevan says that the late singer “wasn’t worried about how many likes his songs got”. He adds, “KK just enjoyed what he was doing. He was only choosy about his concerts.”

Bollywood actors have often used their star power to raise awareness about environmental conservation. While World Environment Day (June 5) was marked by virtual campaigns over the past two years due to the pandemic, many stars are coming together to celebrate the day with three live events in Mumbai this year.

What’s more, environmentalist Asif Bhamla has put together a music video — featuring Shilpa Shetty, Tara Sutaria, and Kapil Sharma, among others — to promote the United Nations’ global campaign, Only One Earth.

The score has been composed by Shaan and Shankar Mahadevan, while the video has been choreographed by Ahmed Khan. “It has been sung by Kapil, B Praak, Adnan Sami, and others. We will release the music video in the first week of June. Only One Earth was a theme started, 50 years ago, by the United Nations,” says Bhamla.

He is excited about the events that his foundation has lined up for June 5. “We will host two events in the evening — one for the public at Carter Road and a select do with live performances at a five-star Bandra hotel. There will be a cyclothon in the morning from Carter Road to Bandstand.”

Sutaria, who along with Sachin Tendulkar, is the face of the campaign, says it is time to take steps against climate change. “For the past 50 years, we have been talking about [conservation], and yet little has been done. Our time is running out. We have to save our planet’s resources by using them responsibly. We have to live in harmony with nature.”

When you are handling a mainstream subject like a Bollywood movie, there is always a discussion around classy music and massy music. Creating a piece that satisfies both, the maestro and the masses, is not easy because the latter may not understand Indian classical music. But Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma had the ability to do that. If you see his work in Silsila [1981] and Chandni [1989], you can see that the classical music that he used had depth, but wasn’t so difficult that the masses felt disconnected.

In a mainstream song like Dekha Ek Khwab from Silsila, there is a beautiful santoor section. He raised the bar of Indian music, and was an example for a musician like me who wanted to imbibe [those qualities] and use Indian classical music in mainstream compositions. Not many people know that he also played the tabla in so many legendary songs that were sung by Lata ji [Mangeshkar].

His contribution to film music is only a fraction of all that he has achieved. The santoor was not traditionally known as an Indian classical instrument. The Kashmiri folk instrument was [alien] to the Indian classical music world, and he popularised it all over the world. Indian classical music became popular via the santoor, because of him. He made people take the fact that the instrument was associated with Indian classical music, for granted. With the word santoor, no other name except Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma can be associated. He will be remembered forever.

Shilpa Rao, who is noted for her popular songs Bulleya (Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, 2016) and Manmarziyaan (Lootera, 2013), says she started her career with advertisement jingles rather than film songs for a reason.

“The first time I came to Mumbai, there were two people I knew— Hariharan ji (singer), who was my guru, of course, and Shankar Mahadevan ji (singer-composer). I loved what he (Mahadevan) told me when I met him: ‘Do one thing; just go and sing jingles for three years. Go to the recording mic, see what it feels like to record, learn that process’. Afterwards, he gave me my first song in Salaam-E-Ishq (2007),” she recalls.

The 37-year-old goes on to say that no good comes out of tags such as ‘overnight sensations’. “Fame, if it comes quickly, goes away quickly too. Life doesn’t come to you overnight, maybe once, due to beginner’s luck. You relish the process because, after working for a certain amount of time, it becomes like a job. The whole point is to enjoy,” Rao says.

She adds, “He (Mahadevan) got me on the path of doing things from the foundation instead of doing an overnight song and becoming an ‘overnight sensation’. The process of learning was not just to make me see it but to apply it for the rest of my life.”

Bollywood singer Shilpa Rao’s collaboration with composer-sitarist Anoushka Shankar last year, on the album Love Letters, got her a nomination in the ‘Best Global Music Album’ category for the 63rd Grammy Awards last year. The singer who has given chartbusters like Ghungroo (War), Meherbaan (Bang Bang!), Khuda Jaane (Bachna Ae Haseeno), Ishq Shava (Jab Tak Hai Jaan) among others, recently received the Grammy certificate.

She says, “For somebody who never felt since childhood that she would achieve anything, this was huge. Of course, the Grammy was never on my list, but when I was nominated, I was extremely happy and excited. ”

Shilpa believes it’s persistence that can take an individual a long way. “I think more than talent and hard work, persistence is the key because one has to work hard and never give up even when things do not go your way.”

Shilpa says that she has never looked at her songs as filmi or non-filmi. “Every recording is important to me because I am very emotionally invested in my songs,” she says.

Has the perception of people in the Hindi film music industry changed in any way because she has now got an international recognition? “Well, I have to say that everybody here was quite excited and happy. They were congratulating me from everywhere. Be it Sunidhi Chauhan, Shaan, Vishal Dadlani, Shekhar Ravjiani, Shankar Mahadevan, Pritam...everyone. This means a lot to me because I have worked with them, they are my friends and are a part of my life. We congratulate each other whenever we do things and that means so much to us. When I like a song by another musician, I pick up the phone and congratulate him or her. When people around you are happy to see your progress...that’s a very beautiful way of working,” she ends.

(L-R) Ayanna Witter-Johnson (cellist), Shilpa Rao and Anoushka Shankar