You are a well travelled musician, television presenter &
composer. How do you juggle between all of these and yet stay
true to what each one demands?
Over the years, its true, I’ve started exploring multiple
career paths. At heart I’ve always been a musician. This led
organically to becoming a composer and my passion for tv
and film has led me to explore on-screen work. But at the core
of it all, is essentially me. Each of these roles fulfil different
parts of who I am. I’m grateful that we live in a world where
that is possible. A few years ago, it may even have been
unthinkable! But there is a lot in common between these
strands too: frequent journeying, touring, devising, planning,
committing vast sections of script and music to memory,
collaborating with teams either on set or in a studio. All this
fills me with tremendous creative energy. I really couldn’t
imagine doing anything else.
How did you decide to pick up the Sarod at first and what
inspired you?
I was thirteen and had recently discovered the sarod - an
heirloom stored among various bits of vintage items that had
accompanied my family on our move to London. There was
something in that sound - a resonance that had completely
captivated me. So during the winter holidays, my Dad brought
me to see guruji, Pandit Buddhadev Das Gupta, who took me
under his wing and promised to make a sarod player out of
me. That was a wonderful feeling, like being in the shade of a
giant oak tree - protected, warm and nurturing.
You moved to London early in life and continued playing the
sarod. Was it difficult to hold on to that discipline outside India?
I often returned to India to continue learning from my guru.
He had a very methodical way of teaching and ensured that
while I was away I had enough material and home work to
keep improving. I wanted to hold on to sarod even while I
was in London, something about it made me feel like I was
still in India. At that age, in a foreign country, surrounded by
British and European faces, the sarod made me feel Indian.
It still does. And even when I play at festivals in Europe for
western or mixed audiences, the sarod makes me feel proud to
be Indian.
believe that practice needs to extend beyond your artform to
the body and the mind as well. So I exercise at least 4 times
a week, a cross or body weight training and conditioning,
which prepares me for the work life. Having multiple careers
does mean that life can get stressful and in those moments it
helps to centre yourself and be grounded in something that is
larger, more powerful and deeply profound: music.
How important do you think is preserving classical art forms?
How are you making your voice heard in this regard?
Classical art forms have survived all these years and I believe
that they will endure long after us. It’s true, from time to time
depending on mainstream trends, it feels like classical art is
being overshadowed by popular forces. This is only the case
when you try and commercialize classical arts. And while
new trends are often ephemeral, there is a depth and rigor
to classical arts making them very difficult to overthrow -
like the foundations of an old palace. Despite being a child
of two worlds, classical and contemporary, despite being a
crossover, hybrid artist, I have found that as a tool of self
discipline and focus, nothing has prepared me for my life and
path, the way Indian classical music has.
Tell us about your upcoming projects
I am working on several new tv shows at the moment and am
excited to share their details in the new year! It will mean
more travelling this time to newer and exciting destinations.
On the music making front, I have several new projects in the
pipeline many of which champion social causes. My latest
album ‘Jangal’ which is out on Spotify and Apple Music
now, is the first protest album I’ve made and marks this new
direction merging art and activism. I’m also excited to be
producing and composing the debut single for Indian actress
Nithya Menen. All her fans who know her as a powerful,
young actress are going to lose their minds when they hear
her sing!
You are trained under Pandit Buddhadev Das Gupta. What were
your biggest learning from him that you incorporate even today?
The greatest gift my Guru gave me was the gift of
perseverance. He himself was an example of an artist who had
reached the highest levels of musicianship and yet practiced
every day. Right up until the time that he died, he was always
in touch with his instrument. This was the most important
lesson, that as a musician, there is no end goal. It is a constant
journeying forward, a lifetime of exploration and dedication
to your art form.
You have collaborated with world renowned musicians such as
Anoushka Shankar, Jay Z, Beyoncé and much more. How did such
big collaborations come about?
London is a vibrant and incredible city, and I found that
musicians would open doors and welcome me warmly. But
also I believe that I was at the right place at the right time. So
much works like that in the arts world and I’m grateful for all
these amazing opportunities.
Tell us about your practice routine
I practice sarod for at least two hours everyday. The first hour
is always dedicated to technique and improvement. But I also
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