“Music has been my outlet, my gift to all of the lovers in this world. Through it, my music, I know I will live forever.” – Michael Jackson.

It has been more than eight years since the untimely death of Michael Jackson. But for his countless fans around the world, the legendary artist remains immortal thanks to his timeless music and incredible dancing.

The ‘King of Pop‘ has inspired legions of musicians and dancers in India too. Several Indian actors and choreographers have also paid a homage to Jackson, by imitating his trademark moves that include the pelvic thrust, the sideways glide, and the iconic moonwalk.

In fact, Ranjeet Singh (a 38-year-old traffic cop from Indore who is also a die-hard Michael Jackson fan) was recently in the news for using moonwalking to direct traffic!

Despite such evident popularity, few Indians — especially millennials — know that Michael Jackson once performed live in Mumbai. Here’s the story of one of the most iconic concerts in the history of Indian entertainment.

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The early 1990s was a time when the internet was yet to become ubiquitous. Mumbai’s Viraf Sarkari (who had founded Wizcraft International Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. in 1988) had received a fax saying that Michael Jackson would like to perform in India and that he’d like Wizcraft to organise the tour.

At that time, Michael was already a global star who dominated the music charts at will. With this in mind, Sarkari thought that fax was a prank and ignored the request. Until, a few days later, when he received another fax with the same message. This time, he replied that Wizcraft wouldn’t believe it till Jackson himself talked to them and confirmed the request.

To his utter surprise, this demand was accepted and a few days later, Sarkari and his partner Andre Timmins met the King of Pop at a studio in Los Angeles. Wary about the star canceling at the last minute, the duo told Michael that their company would be finished if he backed out later. He assured them that he wouldn’t.

And he kept his word. On October 30, 1996, Michael Jackson arrived in Mumbai —  newly renamed from Bombay.

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What greeted him at the airport can be best described as unprecedented and unadulterated fan frenzy. For this was a man whose celebrity cut across all barriers.

The phenomenal turnout included over screaming 5000 fans and teenyboppers who had come to catch a glimpse of the famous pop star. They were joined by local dancers with dhols and lezims (jingling cymbals) whipping up a musical frenzy of their own.

Decked up in an orange nine-yard sari and a Maharashtrian nathni, actress Sonali Bendre gave Michael — attired in his trademark red jacket, hat, and sunglasses — with aarti, teeka and all other accouterments of a traditional Indian welcome. Once this was done, the legend walked straight into the heart of the impromptu dance party that had started, courtesy his awaiting fans.

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After shaking a leg with the crowd, blowing kisses and waving to everyone around him,  Michael left for his hotel (the Oberoi Hotel at Nariman Point) in a 30-car motorcade. On the way, he frequently popped out of his Toyota’s sunroof to greet the crowds. In fact, at Dharavi, he stopped, got off, and walked into the colony to meet its overwhelmed residents.

Not only was the entire 15 km route lined with crowds, this hotel too was choc-a-bloc with hopeful fans queuing up to get a glimpse of the star up close. Surprising the hotel staff, Michael mingled freely with the crowd (that included everyone, from cricketing legends and industrialist to actors and editors) before heading to his suite.

It had already been stocked with his favourites — chocolates, orange-flavoured drinks and sweet white wine (yes, the legend had a legendary sweet tooth)!

The concert that followed on November 1 was simply spectacular, a show that the audience will never forget.

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The ultimate performer, Michael made a dramatic entry — emerging from a rocket-like capsule in a gold and black suit — before regaling the jam-packed Andheri Sports Complex with an outstanding performance of his greatest hits.

Bowled over by his showmanship and sheer star power, the captivated audience began singing and swaying along. In the VIP box, the effervescent Asha Bhosle had started dancing, encouraging others to do likewise. Soon enough, Sunil Gavaskar was on his feet, as was India’s very own dancing wizard, Prabhu Deva.

On the streets outside the complex, people who had been unable to get in broke into dances — Michael’s foot-thumping music could be heard for miles. In one line, it was magic and it finished too soon for those lucky enough to have witnessed the show.

Later that night, Michael returned to his suite, and by 7 am the next day, his aircraft was back in the air. The King of Pop’s first and only tour of India had been a mammoth success.

However, the highlight of this tour was not its stunning success but the pop star’s subtle acts of kindness that lingered long after he left India. Like the tea party at the Oberoi hotel that he hosted for orphan kids. Or his spontaneous invitation to the hotel’s staff to join him on the tour bus. Or the heartfelt message that the staff found scribbled on his pillow (it was later auctioned for charity).

Here is what it stated:

“India, all my life I have longed to see your face. I met you and your people and fell in love with you.

Now my heart is filled with sorrow and despair for I have to leave, but I promise I shall return to love you and caress you again.

Your kindness has overwhelmed me, your spiritual awareness has moved me and your children have truly touched my heart. They are the face of God.

I truly love and adore you, India. Forever, continue to love, heal and educate the children. The future shines on them.

You are my special love, India. Forever, may God always bless you.”

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Keeping the legacy of Carnatic music alive, one young woman has made the country proud by becoming the first person to receive the Tarisio Trust Young Artists Grants for 2017.

Apoorva Krishna is a 21-year-old violinist, whose composition ‘Bahudari’ in collaboration with percussionists Vinod Shyam and Sunaad Anoor, stunned the organisers and went on to win the third position amidst the top-5 performers in the scholarship competition. They received a grant of $5000.

When Apoorva had applied for the grant, she had reached out to the organisers to explain the purpose of the team’s participation. They wanted to use the money to conduct outreach programmes on Carnatic music and raise awareness about the form that has few takers at present.

The young violinist is already a distinguished name across the Carnatic music fraternity and has shared the stage with stalwart musicians like Aruna Sairam and Chitravina N. Ravikiran.

In fact, during the iconic Margazhi music festival in Chennai this year, Apoorva, who is a resident of Bengaluru, was a part of 21 concerts! She had also performed along with noted singer Shankar Mahadevan on his request during Bengaluru Ganeshothsava.

“I was overwhelmed to share the stage with Shankarji and play the violin as he sang ‘Sapnon Se Bhare Naina.’ What came up as a surprise was his skilful fuse of the raga Sindhubhairavi here gradually slipping into another regional song,” Apoorva told The Hindu.

Apoorva also has the credit of receiving a scholarship from the celebrated Berklee College of Music, under which she had the opportunity of exploring Bulgarian music, rock and funk-fusion.

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Hailing from a family of musicians, which includes noted musicologist Rajagopala Iyer and mridangist R Krishnamurthy, it was her grandmother, vocalist Shakuntala Murthy, and parents Murali Krishna and Arathi Murthy, who helped her find her vocation and laid the stepping stones to her interest in Carnatic music.

At a tender age of six, she began learning the violin in California, where she was trained by world-renowned violinists Lalgudi Srimathi Brahmanandam and her daughter Anuradha Sridhar.

Two years ago, her interest in composing tillanas was fueled by Lalgudi R Jayaraman, and there was no looking back.

The signature style of the celebrated Lalgudi School of music, a tillana is a rhythmic piece in Carnatic music that is generally performed at the end of a concert, and is widely used in classical Indian dance performances.

A video by IndianRaga, which showcased Apoorva’s first tillana composition in Ranjani raga, garnered 30,000 hits within a week from Carnatic music lovers across the world!

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This further stoked the fire in Apoorva and led her into creating more tillanas in different ragas. Recently, an album comprising all of her tillana compositions was released by the mobile app Twaang.

As part of her outreach programmes, Apoorva and her team have already completed their first music awareness session at Badarikashrama in Madehalli village of Tumkur district with over 1,000 children. “Such exercises help create awareness for Carnatic music. We would be addressing autistic children at Amaze Foundation in Coimbatore next,” added Apoorva.

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Tansen is a complex enigma in Indian history. The tales of greatness that surround his person include incredible anecdotes of elephants that were tamed by his music, rains that poured when he sang in raga Megh Malhar, and extinguished lamps that were lit by his rendition of raga Deepak. To top it all off, they claim he could produce any sound, from a lion’s roar to a bird’s chirp!

In fact, it is difficult to confirm which part of his life was fact, and which was a fairytale.

Nevertheless, to many gharanas, or schools, of Hindustani music, Tansen is widely regarded as the one who started it all.

Some reports claim that Tansen was born with the name Ramtanu, to a prominent poet and musician, called Mukund Pandey. He showed an extraordinary prowess for music as early as the age of 6 and was taken to Swami Haridas, an accomplished musician, to learn the art. It is rumoured that his education in the arts took place in Gwalior.

Other stories claim that Tansen was born deaf and dumb, and it was only after he was blessed by a saint that he gained hearing and speech.

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Either way, popular sources agree that he spent much of his life as the court musician of Raja Ramchandra Singh. Here, he flourished, and his talent earned him the recognition of Mughal emperor, Akbar himself.

Tansen, who at the time was close to 60 years of age, considered retiring to a life of solitude, but at the encouragement of the Raja, was sent to Akbar’s court. The emperor bestowed upon him the title “Mian,”, meaning “learned one,” and he became one of Akbar’s Navratnas. You can read more about the Navratnas of Akbar’s court here.

His compositions are believed to have formed the foundation for Hindustani classical music.

His ragas brought forth melodies that are still sung today, and his legacy continues through his music.

Here are five ragas that are believed to be associated with the legend that is Mian Tansen. This is by no means an extensive list, but all these ragas hold a significant place in the myths that surround Tansen.

1. Miyan ki Malhar

Perhaps the most famous story which surrounds Tansen is that when he sang Megh Malhar, the skies would pour with rain. His alleged wife, Husseini, is believed to have sung this raga as an attempt to save her husband as he was being engulfed in flames. His own version of the Malhar raga is known as Miyan ki Malhar. You can hear a modern version of Miyan ki Malhar below.

2. Deepak

The tale goes thus. Akbar, who was enamoured by Tansen’s musical prowess, requested that he sing Deepak, the raga of fire. Knowing what would happen, he requested that all the lamps be extinguished. As he broke into song, the lamps lit on their own and engulfed him in flames. While he did not create this raga, it is said that his rendition had a special power.

3. Miyan ki Todi

A gentle raga, the Todi scale was reinvented by Tansen himself, leading to the name Miyan ki Todi. This rendition by the late Kishori Amonkar encapsulates the beauty of this Tansen creation.

4. Miyan ki Sarang

A raga which is part of the Sarang family, Miyan ki Sarang is generally sung in the late afternoon. You can enjoy an excerpt of this raga below, sung by Pandit Sharad Sathe.

5. Darbari Kannada

A complex raga, which is difficult to master, Darbari Kannada is best sung towards the evening. Its grave, contemplative undertones make for a mesmerising melody. The name “Darbari” itself is said to have been derived from Tansen’s time in court. Below is a version of the raga, as sung by Pandit Jasraj.

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“Music may not have, precisely, saints. But no musician alive is a closer fit.”

Sitar maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar had left such a charismatic impression upon the West during the 1950s and 60s, that when Los Angeles Times wrote about the man almost half a century later, they were still as enamoured with the virtuoso as they were then, and even equated him to a saint amongst musicians.

From the banks of Ganga to becoming one of the first Indian musicians to amass an impressively large fan following in the West, if there is a word that can befittingly summarise Pandit Ravi Shankar’s illustrious musical odyssey spanning over eight long decades, extraordinary would be it.

As for his contribution in taking Indian ragas to rest of the world, no other Indian musician would ever come close to Shankar in the way he paved the way for a new era of music to emerge in the 1960s comprising an eclectic infusion of Indian instruments into pop music.

For the American listeners, Shankar’s musical renditions on ‘a confusing-looking instrument shaped like an oversized guitar’ dazzled them with its complexity and some even found a slight resemblance to modern jazz and Schoenberg’s twelve-tone system.

According to TIME, Shankar’s sitar artistry was a major influence on jazz innovators such pianist Dave Brubeck and saxophonists John Coltrane and Bud Shank.

“Everybody says how free our music is, but in comparison with Indian music, we are terrifically restricted. It’s endless what a musician like Ravi can do,” Shank had stated once.

It was, however, his association and much-renowned bonhomie with The Beatles, the quintessential English rock band, which made Shankar an immortal entity in the western countries, especially during the boom of the hippie movement.

The Beatles, in turn, were so entranced by Ravi Shankar’s scintillating expertise in Sitar that the band’s lead guitarist, George Harrison, flew all the way to India just to learn the rustic instrument straight from the maestro.

An interesting story comes along with this historic visit of Harrison, who was specifically advised by Shankar to arrive in disguise to avoid being recognised by people.

With a makeover comprising of a new hairstyle and a moustache, Harrison managed to clear customs and immigration but eventually got caught by the elevator boy at the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower Hotel in Mumbai, which soon led to a huge crowd.

The duo had to flee to Srinagar where they lived on a houseboat and peacefully continued Harrison’s study of the sitar.

This connection took Shankar, who already was a celebrated Sitar artist, to another level of superstardom, also resulting in a long-term international following of serious enthusiasts.

In the 1970s, they collaborated on two albums and toured the USA together but what emerged as a breakthrough achievement out of this friendship was a charity concert for Bangladesh in 1971.

Disturbed by the plight of countless refugees escaping to India from the brutalities of war in Bangladesh, Shankar wished to intervene and reached out to Harrison.

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Through two benefit concerts at Madison Square Garden that included Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, and Ringo Starr, the duo managed to raise millions of dollars for UNICEF and became heroes in the eyes of Bangladeshis.

It is believed that this pioneering event had been the precursor that inspired other rock benefits, including the 1985 Live Aid concert to raise funds for famine relief in Ethiopia.

Shankar and Harrison remained lifelong friends and later worked together on various projects, including the 1997 album Chants from India. In fact, Harrison had co-produced the unforgettable box set retrospective ‘Ravi Shankar: In Celebration’ that came out in 1996.

It is quite heartening how two passionate musicians hailing from completely different musical paradigms forged a bond of friendship that transcended both time and space.

Harrison, who once called Shankar ‘the Godfather of World Music,’ had famously stated that the legendary musician was the biggest influencer in his life.

On his 98th birth anniversary, we remember the musical iconoclast who forever changed the way Indian classical music was perceived abroad and took it to glorious heights—something that no other Indian musician would have dreamt of achieving even in their wildest dreams.

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

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This is not a regular piece, but then regular is not what comes to mind when you think about this person.

Attempting to write about Shri Lalgudi Jayaraman, a true great of Carnatic music, is a daunting task.

While there are various articles illustrating his musical journey, technique, and his several accomplishments, this is a tribute to him from a different perspective.

On his fifth death anniversary, in a conversation with Lalgudi Krishnan, his son and disciple, we try to get a glimpse of the person behind the persona.

Lalgudi Jayaraman as a father and as a guru

“He was my father, but first and foremost, he was my guru,” says Krishnan as we begin our conversation.

“As a father I remember him being extremely busy. My first memory is of him entering the house with a violin in one hand and a holdall in another. In those days artists would have to carry with them their bedding, pillow and a little cushion for train journeys, ”

“He was either travelling for performances or would be practising. He belonged to a different era. Today artists have the luxury of traveling well. He didn’t have that and yet I have never seen or heard him complain once.”

“For him music was the beginning and the end.”

“As a child I could see how engrossed my father was in his craft. I viewed him as a serious person who was solely dedicated to his music. As my guru, initially, I was very scared of him. He was such a perfectionist that he wanted and expected the same from his disciples. He would undergo pain when he found us not performing to the level he expected of us and seeing him in pain would distress us.”

Krishnan initially trained under his grandfather, who himself was a strict perfectionist, but gave some latitude to the grandson. In the late 70s Krishnan started actively training with his father and speaks of the memories from those days.

An unbiased teacher

For him, all of his shishyas were equal – once you have taken the violin in your hand, all other relationships seemed to vanish.

Krishnan speaks about how dedicated each one of them was towards the craft.

For them playing the violin was never a ‘hobby’, it was a way of life.

“Those were different times. We never questioned why we were asked to practise so many times. While I agree there were times when it was difficult and painful, eventually we started enjoying and looking forward to it,” he says.

As a guru, Lalgudi Jayaraman was strict but never condescending. He was always willing to help his disciple understand the nuances of music. He would also often quiz Krishnan on a ragam or a technicality after a concert.

A unique trait that Lalgudi Jayaraman had was to take his disciples out of their home to an immersive camp for focused learning without any distractions. “Every year my father would take a group of disciples and his family on an experiential journey to Nandi hills. My mother, Rajalakshmi Jayaraman, would often joke, when he was not in hearing distance, that he was like the pied piper who would play the violin and have all of us, his shishyas, follow him.”

While spending time away from the city amidst nature, Krishnan recounts how liberating the experience was.

“All we did was create music – different groups would practice under different trees. My father would walk around hearing each of us and correcting us. The only break we took was to have lunch and dinner.”

As a Guru, Lalgudi Jayaraman was unforgiving, and yet the most loving person – who gave his disciples his all.

“I still remember my first solo concert. It was such a nervous experience for me knowing that my father was seated in the audience, not as my father, but as my guru. And in whatever capacity he was occupying that seat, let me tell you, he was never a passive audience.”

Narrating an incident, which shows how he viewed all his shishyas, Krishnan says, “This was an afternoon concert at Krishna Gana Sabha where two of his disciples were preforming – Murali Srinivasan was accompanying SP Ram. My father, seated in the audience as usual, noticed that Murali hadn’t tuned his instrument properly.

He started gesticulating at Murali, trying to tell him to tune his violin. Like me, naturally Murali was also very nervous and was unable to understand what my father was trying to convey.”

In order not to lose focus, Murali then decided not to look at Lalgudi Jayaraman at all but to just focus on the singer and continued playing. “At the end of that composition, when Murali looked at the singer, he found my father standing in the wings, right behind the singer – pointing at his violin and asking him to tune it.”

He might have been a very strict disciplinarian but the intention was always to get the best out of you, we are assured.

Commitment to the craft

For Lalgudi Jayaraman, everything was about music.

He would gauge the audience and play accordingly, but he never once took it easy or slacked.

Krishnan spoke about this commitment while narrating an incident he remembers.

“While returning home after a concert in Krishna Gana Sabha he realised that he had forgotten to play a Thyagaraja Kriti. You won’t believe what he did once he got home. He asked me to get his violin and he sat in the puja room and played one Thyagaraja Kriti – Aparadamula nOrva.”

The significance of this specific kriti is that this is one in which Saint Thyagaraja seeks forgiveness for his sins from the lord. It was Jayaraman’s way of seeking forgiveness from the father of Carnatic music after he missed playing one of his kritis. Such was his commitment to his craft. If anything he gave it 200%.

“For him there were no two images – public and private. He was the same always and expected the same from others.”

Lalgudi as a husband – perfectionist in all things!

“It will be unfair if I do not mention my mother here. She would silently work behind the scenes to ensure that everything was in order.”

“From preparing all the meals – not just for my father but all the co-artists – to sorting out his mails, to taking down messages from the numerous phone calls that he would receive, and of course managing the house with me, my sister and my grandparents – she truly held it all together.”

“That he was demanding is not a secret. He used all his energy in perfecting his craft and my mother ably supported him by ensuring that everything else was in place.”

“He wasn’t ever very demonstrative but was extremely caring in his own way.”

“Everytime he would play a new composition at a concert, her presence would matter,” he said.

Music ran through his veins

“The stroke that he suffered impaired his eye-sight, writing, and voice. Despite that, during the period he was unwell he composed two-three varnams. My mother would help write down the notations. Each day, when his students would come, they would play it for him and he would make corrections to it.”

What makes Lalgudi Jayaraman absolutely special is his humility.

Until he breathed his last, it was only music that he devoted his life to and was always looking to get better. There was never a concert or performance that he came back from feeling that he had done great – he always felt like there was scope for improvement, it is often said.

While today is the fifth death anniversary of this legend, his music and compositions will always remain immortal. Artists of such breed are to be celebrated and venerated.

(Edited By Vinayak Hegde)

Cover Photo: Kartik Pashupati 

All Images Courtesy: Lalgudi Krishnan

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Indian culture and music have been widely appreciated across the world, and many foreign artists have taken to learning aspects of Indian art.

One such man is Chong Chiu Sen, a Malaysian-born Chinese classical vocalist whose rendition of the Shankarabharanam raga has been making waves on social media!

Sen is also known as Sai Madhana Mohan Kumar, a name given to him by noted musician DK Pattammal. She is regarded as one of the female trinities of Carnatic music, alongside MS Subbalakshmi and ML Vasanthakumari.

Sen’s first exposure to Carnatic music was at a concert in Malaysia, where he was mesmerised with the performance of E Gayathri, the veena maestro. She later told him that if he wanted to experience Carnatic music in its entirety, he needed to come to Chennai.

So, Sen came to India, where he began learning Bharatanatyam, and also took basic vocal lessons on the side. When he found his calling in music, he began to develop his skills under various gurus. Whether it is ragas or his renditions of popular Carnatic songs, he has wowed audiences with his musical proficiency.

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Sen continues to prove that in the language of art and music, there are truly no barriers or boundaries for what an artist can achieve!

You can watch his performance below!

The Chinese singer Mr Chong Chou Sen singing “Shankarabharanam”
Really great and an awesome experience, it may surprise every Indian. pic.twitter.com/4BQ8lKz3oq

— J Nandakumar (@kumarnandaj) May 5, 2018

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

Featured image courtesy: Facebook

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Music and humour are double-edged swords. Sometimes they reinforce certain uncomfortable stereotypes, but real artists find a way to present them in ways that break barriers and bring people closer together.

This is what Kekho Thianmkho, aka K4 Kekho, a 23-year-old rapper from Lower Chinhan in Tirap district, Arunachal Pradesh, is attempting to do through his music.

In his latest music video, “I am Indian” (produced by Hillang Nima), Kekho addresses an issue which many from the frontier regions (Ladakh, Kashmir and the Northeast) encounter in mainland India every day—racism.

From unsolicited stares, harassing comments and outright hostile acts, citizens from the frontier regions are often compelled to develop thick skins. This is our lived reality. Kekho’s latest video is a reclamation of his Indian identity, laced with dark humour and stinging social commentary.

Rapping in Hindi with a heavy Arunachali accent, Kekho says (in translation), “Being an Indian from the inside, I live for money. During election time, I sell my vote for a couple of thousand rupees. I am an Indian.” In other words, the voter in Arunachal isn’t all that different, from say, Tamil Nadu.

In the segment before the bars above, he raps, “Pardon your highness! I am an Indian! Not Chinese! Look at me! I look a little bit like a Chinese. Not so tall, but ‘look little bit short’.” Again, he’s confronting racial epithets head-on, laced with a tinge of humour.

The overriding message is ‘talk to us, and you’ll know we’re just like you’.

However, there are moments of reflection and anger from the winner of Arunachal’s inaugural Rap Riot, a rapping competition, held in 2015.

“Institutions invite students from the Northeast. Then some of the people there on the roadside ask us to leave their place. Walk like a mouse, or else they’ll kill us. They look at us like they will eat us,” he raps.

The video ends with clips of Northeasterners taking to the streets in the national capital protesting against violent acts or outright racist attitudes.

Kekho raps the entire track in Hindi with a heavy Arunachali accent. This, he argues, is deliberate.

He tells The Quint, “A Hindi rap will help reach out to a lot more people. But here in Arunachal, we don’t speak pure Hindi. It’s spoken with a different accent. So, the lyrics are in colloquial Arunachali Hindi. Those listening to it may think ‘he’s speaking Hindi, but where is it from?’ Maybe then they will realise that we are also Indians.”

Growing up in a household that always had a love for music helped Kekho along the way. Initially, he tried his hand in Sufi music but soon found his calling in rapping. His teachers didn’t like it, but his peers in school absolutely loved it, even though his delivery wasn’t on point.

Thus, in 2012, he began to rap. It’s little surprise that his first rap idol was American rapper Eminem, whose tracks opened the world of hip-hop to many young Indians in the late 90s and early noughties. Known for his lyrical prowess, unique vocal style and current affair mentions laced with humour (often dark), Eminem has influenced a host of budding rappers in India.

In fact, Hip-Hop as a cultural phenomenon has made serious inroads to the frontier regions and rugged localities of urban India. Cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and Chandigarh have thriving underground hip-hop scenes. What’s made hip-hop a force in these underground scenes are artistes rapping in the vernacular—Hindi, Tamil, Punjabi, Khasi and Marathi, among others—and that they are talking about their everyday realities and struggles.

He tells The Arunachal Times (TAT), “I believe in giving people the real message. The truth is the truth, and I tell it as it is!” Most of his lyrics are in simple street lingo. “I keep my words simple to get my message across with ease. I write and rap in Hindi also to reach a larger audience base” he adds.

Although Mumbai-based artistes like Divine have found appreciation in cultural behemoths like Bollywood, most hip-hop artists in India struggle to reach larger audiences. This is particularly the case with rappers from the Northeast, who rap in English or their local tongue.

Also Read: ‘We Are Indian Too’ Slogans Will Not End Anti-Northeast Racism, Here’s Another Idea

Kekho also faces a similar problem with his fan base, which is largely limited to young kids in the Northeast, although he sometimes raps in Hindi. “Rap and hip-hop is just beginning in Arunachal. People here still prefer Bollywood songs, but I think it is the artist’s responsibility to attract the audience,” he tells TAT.

With this attitude, Kekho is seemingly on the right path to success and fame. There is one segment of the track which reflects this sentiment:

“I am a true Indian,

but I sing, ‘One day we’ll be champion,’

I am the one against the population of crores and millions.

I am an Indian.”

(Edited by Shruti Singhal)

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Google ‘Greatest Rock Frontmen Of All Time’ and the search engine throws up an impressive line-up of legendary vocalists. From the enigmatic Robert Plant to the brooding Kurt Cobain, to the mercurial Axl Rose, or the iconic Steven Tyler.

There’s one name, and the only black-and-white photo on that list. That of Freddie Mercury, born Farrokh Bulsara on 5th September 1946, in Zanzibar.

Freddie was the lead vocalist of Queen, a band that has held stadium crowds in total awe.

There has always been an air of mystery about Mercury’s time in India. After all, the singer has many fans, all over the world. During his early days, Mercury shared a connection with our country. This was long before the silver sequin suit, and famous yellow jacket, or the trademark Adidas trainers. This was during a brief period spent in school, in Panchgani- a hill station in Maharashtra, known for its natural beauty. It was in this beautiful region, that Mercury spent his formative years, at the St Peter’s School.

The boarding school was home to a young Farrokh Bulsara, a shy introvert, who insisted on being called Freddie, rather than the cruel nickname ‘Bucky’, which kids conferred on him, due to his protruding teeth.

His school friends had only found out that Freddie Mercury was Farrokh Bulsara, a long time after the celebrated frontman died of AIDS-related pneumonia. One of his friends told Scroll that he had lost track of Freddie after school and had only realised who he was when someone gave him a magazine cutting of Mercury, which mentioned him and the school band, The Hectics.

The Hectic Days:-

The boarding school that young Farrokh Bulsara went to was known for being modelled on conservative British culture, which focussed on discipline. Proper etiquette was taught and encouraged. The authoritative atmosphere did nothing to deter Farrokh, as he had the uncanny ability to pick up tunes that he had just heard.

He had started singing in the school choir, and his talent was quickly spotted by a teacher, who asked his parents to sign the young lad up for music lessons, to nurture his talent.

Thus began a period of music, and Mercury’s many music teachers encouraged him. It was during the St Peter’s days that he was part of a school band started by Bruce Murray, called ‘The Hectics’.

The band covered Elvis, Cliff Richards, and Little Richards, and adopted the look of their idols, with thin trousers, pointy shoes, etc.

It was on a stage that the quiet Parsi boy would transform into a confident performer, as his mother told The Telegraph, UK.

Farrokh Bulsara’s family was based in Zanzibar, where his father worked as a cashier at the British Colonial Office. When Mercury turned 17, the family had to flee Zanzibar due to safety reasons. The 1964 revolution was causing the deaths of thousands of Arabs and Indians.

The move to England, and a headfirst dive into all things art and music:-

The Bulsaras moved to Middlesex, England, and Mercury enrolled at the Isleworth Polytechnic (now West Thames College), in West London, where he studied art. Farrokh Bulsara loved all things art, and suitably, earned a diploma in Art and Graphic Design at the Ealing Art College, now the Ealing Campus of the University of West London.

Freddie’s parents were like most folks, who wanted their son to have a secure job. Most of the family members were lawyers, or accountants, recalls his mother, Jer Bulsara, but her son insisted he wasn’t clever enough for generic professions and wanted to sing and play music. Freddie’s parents thought this was a phase, which he would abandon and return to studies, but it never happened.

Attending art school, was the education that he wanted, and he went on to finish his degree.

After graduation from art school, he joined a series of bands and at the same time, sold used clothes at Kensington Market, in London. He also briefly held a job at the Heathrow Airport.

Through the humdrum of day jobs, he continued his musical pursuits, and in 1969, had joined a Liverpool-based band called Ibex, which later came to be called Wreckage. During this period, he was living in a flat above The Dovedale Towers, a Liverpool pub. Ibex didn’t do very well, prompting Freddie to join a band called Sour Milk Tea, which broke up in early 1970.

It was during this period that Freddie joined guitarist Brian May, and drummer Roger Taylor, who had previously been in a band named Smile. Bassist John Deacon joined them in 1971. Mercury faced a lot of reservations from his band-mates, and Trident Studios, who initially managed the band, for choosing the band name “Queen”. The metamorphosis was complete, and Farrokh Bulsara was officially Freddie Mercury, having changed his last name.

Making use of his art school background, Mercury designed Queen’s logo and called it the Queen crest.

The rest, as they say, is history. Queen went on to become one of the biggest bands of the time and is revered today as a legend.

As recent as 2016, a research team undertook a study to figure out the appeal behind Mercury’s voice. Professor Christian Herbst led the team, which found that Mercury’s voice had a notably faster vibrato, and unique use of subharmonics, comparable to opera singers. He had a vocal range of just over three octaves.

Freddie Mercury died on the evening of November 24th, 1991, just around 24 hours after releasing a statement that he was suffering from AIDS and was tested HIV positive. According to Time Out Magazine, the wall outside his house, at Garden Lodge, Kensington, has become London’s biggest rock and roll shrine since his death. Fans regularly pour in to pay tributes to the legendary and flamboyant frontman.

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Freddie Mercury and his band Queen are responsible for some of the most iconic moments in performance history. Queen’s Wembley Live Aid Concert is the stuff dreams are made of. Who knew, that a shy introvert whose voice had echoed through the corridors of St Peters, Panchgani, would one day hold stadium audiences in the palm of his hand.

(Edited by Shruti Singhal)

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Although gramophones have almost completely been phased out of public memory, especially with the younger generations who have no clue about the iconic apparatus, there are some legends whose musical bequest will never entirely fade away.

Gauhar Jaan was one such performer, and today, her 145th birth anniversary is being commemorated by Google in the form of an illustration.

Born Eileen Angelina Yeoward, Gauhar was the first Indian artist to have recorded her voice on 78 rpm records that were released by the renowned Gramophone Company of India.

Here are seven interesting facts about the forgotten musician and dancer, who carved a niche for herself in a time where women artists seldom found fame beyond towns and villages.

1. Eileen was born into an Armenian Christian family, that had artistic leanings. She was the daughter of Victoria Hemmings, a well-trained Indian singer and dancer, and William Robert Yeoward, an engineer in a dry ice factory in Azamgarh.

2. Following her parents’ divorce, she and her mother moved to Varanasi with Khursheed, a Muslim nobleman, where they converted to Islam and changed their names to Malka Jaan and Gauhar Jaan, respectively. In the following years, Malka would go on to become a proficient singer and Kathak dancer in the ancient city and eventually left for Kolkata to perform in the courts of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah.

3. It was in Kolkata where Gauhar entered the world of fine arts and started training in classical Hindustani music under the founding members of Patiala Gharana of classical music—Kalu Ustad, Ustad Vazir Khan of Rampur, and Ustad Ali Baksh. She also learnt other art forms like Kathak, Dhrupad Dhamar and Bengali keertan and that too, from legendary performers like Brindadin Maharaj (granduncle of Birju Maharaj), Shri Janbai, and Charan Das, respectively. Gauhar also assumed the pen name ‘Hamdam’ and began writing and composing ghazals under this name.

4. In 1887, Gauhar debuted as a performer in the royal courts of Darbhanga Raj (modern-day Bihar), and following an extensive professional training in dance and music in Varanasi, she was appointed as the court musician. Nine years later, she began performing in the very city where her musical journey had initially started and came to be known as the ‘first dancing girl’ in her records.

5. Her fame gradually spread across the country, and when she visited Chennai in 1910 for a performance in the Victoria Public Hall, her Hindustani and Urdu songs mesmerised the audiences so much that these were soon published in Tamil music books. A year later, she was invited to perform at the crowning ceremony of King George V at Delhi Durbar, where she famously sang, ‘Ye Hai Tajposhi Ka Jalsa, Mubarak Ho Mubarak Ho‘, as a duet with Janki Bai of Allahabad.

6. She unexpectedly expired on 17 January 1930, soon after she had moved to Mysuru after being invited by Maharaja Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV to assume the position of their palace musician.

7. In an illustrious career graph spanning two decades, Gauhar Jaan had logged more than 600 records and that too, in more than ten languages, including Bengali, Hindustani, Gujarati, Tamil, Marathi, Arabic, Persian, Pushto, French, and English. An interesting facet that one could find in all her performances is that she would always sign off a record by announcing ‘My name is Gauhar Jaan’.

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

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In the pantheon of legendary Indian film composers, Rahul Dev Burman stands apart. Even though it’s been two and a half decades since RD Burman (aka Pancham) has passed away, his music continues to captivate the imagination of musicians and music aficionados to this day.

The sheer breadth of his music, allied with a unique ability to not only make folk and classical music accessible to the modern listener, but present them in an original, yet contemporary manner for young listeners was, and remains, a game changer.

It has clearly influenced the modern masters of mainstream film scores like AR Rahman, Amit Trivedi, Vishal Bharadwaj, and Shankar, Ehsaan and Loy.

The melodies and harmonies he composed continue to captivate listeners even today. Although his music is steeped in a certain social context, it speaks to different generations.

A lot of it is down to his remarkable rhythms, which was a hallmark of his music, and the different themes he embraced. His rhythms steeped in African drums, bass guitar, acoustic guitar, madal, shakers, bongo and tabla, among other instruments, are irresistible. Those rhythms brought the school and college-going crowd in the 1960s and 70s into Hindi film music.

Unlike popular Western musicians, Indian film score composers have to not just work with other musicians, but directors and lyricists as well.

Thus, the themes associated with a lot of Pancham-produced songs are also down to lyrics written by the likes of Gulzar, vocal performances from immortal playback singers like Asha Bhonsle, Kishore Kumar and Bhupinder Singh, and even plot lines carved out by filmmakers of yore like Ramesh Sippy, Ramesh Behl and Nasir Hussain.

What Pancham did remarkably well, especially in his peak years, is to bring all these facets seamlessly together to compose music that remains eternal.

His first big break was the 1966 film ‘Teesri Manzil’ starring Shammi Kapoor, which had smash hits like ‘Sona re Sona’, ‘O Hasina Zulfo Wali’ and ‘Aajaa Aajaa’. The rest, as they say, is history.

“Since Pancham, there hasn’t been another school of music that has come to invade. There isn’t a new amalgam, for example, a new genesis of a new kind of music like Pancham created way back in the mid-60s,” says Gautam Rajadhyaksha, a renowned photographer and music connoisseur in the 2008 documentary ‘Pancham Unmixed’.

Many fans of RD Burman have not watched many of those movies, but can instantly recognise the songs by their distinct percussive elements and sublime melodies. In fact, according to some listeners, they can identify a Pancham song just by listening purely to the rhythm section.

However, there are five distinct reasons why RD Burman stands head and above the rest:

Genius lies in simplicity

It’s often said that true genius lies in simplicity. No one embodied that spirit better than Pancham. There were incredibly intense and complex compositions like ‘Chingari Koi Bhadke’ from the super hit 1970 classic ‘Amar Prem’.

However, there were also songs like ‘Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga’ from the film ‘1942: A Love Story’, which consists of one melody that repeats right through the song.

As the legendary lyricist Javed Akhtar once said:

“A certain minimal quality is what you’ll find only in the masters and only those artists who are totally self-confident. There is no room for desperation or fear. That’s all one needs.”

Using the human voice as an instrument

Some legendary composers of modern music consider the human voice as the best, most ideal and most magnificent instrument. Long before the advent of autotune and other recording technology, Pancham was doing some remarkable things with the human voice.

What made Pancham such an innovative producer is that he never limited vocal performances to just traditional singing. Songs like the immortal ‘Duniya Mein Logon Ko’ from the 1972 film ‘Apna Desh’ were game changers with RD’s unusual voice and unique rendering.

What we hear here is ‘scat singing’ (vocal improvisation with wordless vocables, nonsense syllables) straight out of vocal jazz. Pancham made scat singing fashionable for future music composers.

Finding music and rhythm everywhere

What puts RD above and beyond everyone else is his ability to amalgamate genres from all over the world into his music.

Pancham’s mastery of classical music is well known, but he also religiously inculcated elements from rock, funk, jazz, disco, afrobeat, folk and a myriad of Latin American music forms into his songs for mainstream cinema and private albums.

Nowhere was this more apparent than in the 1975 Bollywood classic Sholay, where he composed and sang the immortal ‘Mehbooba Mehbooba’. From a composition standpoint, it was yet another example of innovation and discovering sounds from everyday life.

In the initial rhythm segment of the song, what you’re hearing is musicians blowing rhythmically into half-filled beer bottles. Subsequently, you hear the Iranian santoor, but different from its traditional tone. Finally, you get to Pancham’s voice, and those distinct accentuated vocals come through.

Influence of Jazz

However, beyond individual songs, jazz music would a strong influence on his vocal delivery as a whole. Inspired by Jazz legend Louis Armstrong, Pancham developed his own distinct vocal delivery, according to film journalist Chaitanya Padukone in his book ‘R.D. Burmania’ (Panchamemoirs).

“He was fascinated by Louis [Armstrong] and didn’t want to be stereotyped as a conventional playback singer,” says Padukone. “He used to say: ‘Meri Awaaz Ki Koi Pehchaan Honi Chaahiye (my voice should have its own identity)’.”

Pancham fans should also listen to his own album ‘Pantera’, composed with Latin American musicians of the time and imbibed with elements of rock, jazz and funk. Released in 1987, it received good reviews in the West, while Indian audiences weren’t very receptive to it.

However, some of Pancham’s most prolific work was in Bengali, where he wrote, composed and sung compositions released before Durga Puja celebrations. A lot of these Pujo compositions were sung in his natural voice, unlike the stylized singing he usually did for Hindi films. One would require a book to capture the essence of his Bengali compositions.

Bringing the best out of those who worked with him

A fundamental quality of any great composer is his/her ability to enhance and accentuate an artist’s best qualities. In the hit documentary ‘Pancham Unmixed’, singers and fellow session musicians elaborately speak of an absence of ego while making music, despite his obvious gifts.

Receptive to new ideas, treating fellow artists with empathy and respect and constantly seeking inspiration from everyone around – working with Pancham was an exercise in collaborative brilliance.

Under his tutelage came out musicians of real calibre like Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Louis Banks, Ramesh Iyer, Pandit Shivkumar Sharma and the Laxmikant-Pyarelal duo.

Legendary singers like Asha Bhonsle, Lata Mangeshkar, Kishore Kumar, Mohammad Rafi and Bhopinder sang some of their most memorable songs with Pancham’s music backing them up.

And of course, there are the lyricists, whose words Pancham brought to life in his music. His partnership with the likes of Gulzar (Parichay, Ijaazat) and Anand Bakshi (Amar Prem) is the stuff of legends.

Reclaiming his mantle when the chips were down

Except for a few classic film scores, the 1980s and early 1990s were particularly difficult for RD Burman. Times had changed. Despite his legendary status, Pancham was unable to find much work in the film industry.

Other music directors had come into the picture, ways of getting work had changed, and the music in demand wasn’t the same anymore.

“Yes, Ab Main demand Mein Nahin Hoon, Log synthesisers Par music Banate Hain. I can’t do that. I need a full music arranger. I can’t cheat people. Also, I can’t sell myself. Sab Ko Pata Hai Main Kya Hoon, Kaisa music Banata Hoon, Ab Toh Woh singers Bhi Kahan Hain,” RD Burman said in an interview for TV Today, in late October 1993.

His inability to find work had significantly affected his self-confidence, health and happiness.

There was one particularly humiliating experience with director Subhash Ghai, who had initially signed him up for ‘Ram Lakhan’ but later dropped him in favour of Laxmikant-Pyarelal. What had particularly angered Pancham was the lack of respect Ghai showed in not even informing him that he had been dropped.

All that changed with ‘1942: A Love Story’, in which Pancham reclaimed his mantle as one of the greatest film score producers India has ever seen.

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It reminded the film industry of Pancham’s enduring genius and doubled up as the perfect riposte to anyone who thought he would fade away. The film had some of his best melodies in years, and it was a major box office success.

Unfortunately, he passed away days after the music for the film had released on January 4, 1994, at the age of 54. He left this earth on top of his game.

His music lives on in the hearts of millions. Anyone who is making music today in mainstream Indian cinema owes a debt of gratitude to RD Burman, whether they know it or not.

(Edited by Vinayak Hegde)

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I remember being in a remote village in Maharashtra when Zingaat- the original Marathi song from ‘Sairat’ – released. An auto driver was blasting it in his rickshaw, in which we were passengers. Suddenly me, the ‘urban’ girl from Pune, the driver who had been to a big city only twice and my non-Marathi friends travelling with me had big smiles on our face.

Probably the only thing that stopped us from starting a ‘Ganpati dance’ right there was the lack of space. Such is the magic of the Ajay-Atul duo composition. They have made us Marathis dance, cry and feel patriotic from their numerous compositions, and they did it again thanks to ‘Zingaat’.

The movie, featuring the love story of the rustic lower-caste Parshya and his upper-caste lover, Archi, captivated the entire state.

Two years later, we have another ‘Zingaat’, in the movie ‘Dhadak’ (it is Madhukar and Parthavi this time). This one that is so glamorised that the simplicity of the Marathi original seems to be lost in all but name.

What is it about the original version that made us dance like no one is watching? And why are we not so impressed by the new version- one that more people will actually understand?

Well, the simple answer is simplicity and an unbending commitment to raw authenticity, something utterly lacking in the new version.

The choreography, set and the overall feel of ‘Zingaat’ (I will refer to the original Marathi version by the name) has always felt like the actors heard the song once before the cameras rolled – and then just went crazy.

The song is already playing when Parshya and his two friends enter the venue. They immediately join the crowd, dancing without a care in the world- never really standing out.

The girls, Archi, are already dancing among themselves, separate and a level above the men and boys on the ground floor – something that usually happens in an Indian village party.

The rest of the scene is organised chaos, like any house party – everyone dancing to their own beats with no choreography or no synchronisation.

That’s precisely what ‘Zingaat’ is – energetic villagers dancing the night away – some well, some badly.

The new version – choreographed by Farah Khan – catches this element perfectly in the first minute, which is a glamorised copy of the original (no complaints here). But it is downhill the rest of the way.

Here, Parthavi’s world seems to stop as soon as Madhukar walks into the party- only unpausing when he joins a crowd (that helpfully parts for him!)

The hidden charm of ‘Zingaat’, aside from its authenticity, is the secretive and risky flirting between the protagonists – even as they did their best to keep this private moment from the notice of the hundreds around them always.

They used the lyrics of the song itself (not being sung by the leads, but instead being played on loudspeakers) for their benefit, along with a series of excellent facial expressions – acknowledging each other’s compliments and eye-rolling when things got too sappy.

The love affair between the two teenagers is not just believable but relatable.

This happens (though usually without an energetic song in the background) in schools, colleges and a million other places where the young gather across India.

Meanwhile, the Hindi song goes full ‘Karan Johar’ after the first minute. This unprepared couple, who is technically just dancing with the crowd, suddenly belts out a choreographed set of steps and begins dabbing just as the chorus sets in.

(PS: Who taught the upstairs the steps the downstairs boys are doing? Was there a pre-party practice session?)

What is so ‘Zingaat’ about choreography anyway? The word ‘Zingaat’ itself is an informal Marathi word for crazy and wild – as the dance is supposed to be.

Dear filmmakers, do you not realise that having the leads run a choreographed dance with their friends while pointing at each other is the best way to ensure this ‘secret’ affair is not very secret, right?

And then there are the lyrics. “Tu Saheli Ke Sang Jaake restaurant Mein pizza Khaye. Dhoop Mein Bahar Baitha Baithe Main Chugta Hun Moongfali.”

The whole point of ‘Sairat’ was two youngsters not caring about the wealth or caste differences between the two. But these lyrics seem to indicate this issue was at the forefront of everyone’s mind!

You can’t do both – not care about a social structure and then endlessly bring it up in a song to your lover!

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It is things like this that seem to derail the new version entirely. In the original, at every moment you felt the passionate chemistry between the leads even as the crazy dance party (with equally insane party moves from the young and some very old guests) kept your own shoulders swaying.

It was that commonness of ‘Sairat’ and ‘Zingaat’ that we loved. Your heart really cannot ‘Dhadak’ for yet another KJo gala dance festival.

All in all, the rustic charm of ‘Zingaat’ has been lost in translation. You may dance to the tunes of ‘Zingaat’ because it’s just so upbeat. But the credit goes to Ajay-Atul, not KJo.

Director Shashank Khaitan (with Karan Johar watching over his shoulder) may ramp up the make-up, design and choreography in his movie, but my heart will always be wild like ‘Sairaat’ and not just beat like ‘Dhadak’.

Zingaat from Sairaat:

Zingaat from Dhadak:

(Edited By Vinayak Hegde)

Feature image sources: Twitter.

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Never in his wildest dreams did Rajesh, a backload worker from Nooranad in Kerala, think that his ability to enchant people with his melodious voice would make him an overnight sensation and have renowned singers and music directors searching for him.

A video featuring the 30-year-old singing ‘Unnai Kaanadhu Naan’ from Kamal Haasan’s movie, Vishwaroopam, went viral with over 3 lakh views and millions of shares after his friend, Shameer, posted it online almost a week ago.

The video ended up being noticed by famous singer-musician, Shankar Mahadevan, who had originally sung the Tamil song.

Mahadevan is currently in London as part of a project. After viewing the video, he began his attempts to reach out to Rakesh, and after finally getting through to him, he not only appreciated his voice but has also requested him to move to Chennai for collaborative opportunities once he returns to India.

So how did it all begin?

“A week ago, we were taking rest after loading rubber woods onto a truck when the driver, Shameer Pazhakulam, asked us to sing a song. I was first not interested as I was a bit shy to sing in front of others. However, my friends, who have heard me sing, started to force me. Thus, I sang my favourite song by my favourite actor. Shameer made the video and posted on social media. His sister shared it first, and later, Pandalam Balan sir also shared it on Facebook. Thus the song went viral,” said Rakesh, who is also known as Unni, to The Times of India.

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Rakesh has received several calls from around the world, and has even been contacted by eminent music directors like Gopi Sundar, Balabhaskar, and Pandalam Balan, who have offered Rakesh singing opportunities in their upcoming movies!

However, Rakesh’s most thrilling moment must have undoubtedly been the phone call from none other than ‘Ulaganayagan’ Kamal Haasan’s private secretary, who conveyed the actor’s appreciation and also added that Haasan would call up Rajesh soon.

An untrained singer, Rakesh had taken up wood loading and offloading work after dropping out of school after completing Class 10 to shoulder the financial burdens of his family.

However, no talent can remain hidden for a very long time, and the overnight fame that has come knocking on Rajesh’s door is the testimony to this, and also speaks volumes about the reach of social media.

We hope Rajesh can clinch greater opportunities and captivate the world with his melodious voice!

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

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He has an amazing voice, but for years it languished. Thankfully, Uttar Pradesh’s Kaushal Nishad is slowly but surely getting his due. The youth, who spent dreamless nights, wondered whether singing could solve it–much to the annoyance of his sleepy neighbours. Well, it is that singing that has fulfilled his life’s important aspiration-he has now become a YouTube sensation, with around 5 lakh viewers, reports The Times of India.

Not bad for a 22-year old Class VII dropout, who sells eggs for a living. Kaushal runs his business off a small cart in the middle of the road, and shot to fame after his brother, Anil Nishad, a Class XII student, uploaded videos of his songs in February this year, earning him a large fan base which calls him the ‘poor man’s Mohammed Rafi’.

Incidentally, it was the songs of Rafi and Sanu, which inspired Kaushal. He jokingly told the publication how his egg business grew because of his growing popularity. Kaushal is now a popular performer and has lent his voice to local events including weddings and jagrans.

By his own admission, Kaushal struggled the fair bit.

He would wash dishes at a small hotel for Rs 20 a day. Now, thanks to internet exposure, he even has a channel called ‘Nishad Music Bhojpuri’ today. He thanks God for his new-found success.

Every day, Kaushal earns Rs 300-Rs 600 selling eggs, and any time he sings at an event, he brings in Rs 1,000-Rs 2,000.

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For the tech-savvy younger brother, Anil, broadcasting Kaushal’s talent is a way of thanking him for buying him a second-hand Android phone. With the power of the internet, Anil went about making his brother famous. Thanks to his efforts, they receive calls from different parts of the country and abroad, for Kaushal’s amazing voice.

(Edited by Shruti Singhal)

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Music is often at the forefront of changing perceptions and largely defines how a society sees itself.

From the religious ‘Bhakti’ movements of medieval India to Sufi poets to modern pop culture, music has played a fundamental role in shaping ideologies. With each passing era in our history came musical influences that would go on to become that era’s temporal identity.

As Indian history has repeatedly proven, when tempered appropriately, music can instil ideas, evoke strong feelings or spur movements. At its high point, music can catalyse social change.

However, it is also true that most musicians, historical or current, are not bold enough to bring socially relevant content into their compositions and paint vivid and uninhibited pictures of the world around them through music.

But there are always those bold few, who force their listeners to open up to music that bridges the gap between activism and general awareness of the status quo.

One such example amongst various artists and musicians in India today is Surendra Singh Negi – a rising name finding a higher purpose for his words and compositions by drawing attention to issues that we, as a society, conveniently close our eyes to or seem visibly unperturbed.

A self-trained singer, poet, composer as well as a professor at the English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU) where he teaches Spanish, Negi’s entry into the world of music happened quite serendipitously, who used to channelize his perspective on socio-political issues through poetry originally.

“But I was also into music and so there came a point when poetry and music gelled together, and it became an artistic expression of what was happening around. Whether it was violence, inequality, economic inequality or gender inequality, land acquisition and other contemporary issues. All these things had an impact on my subconscious mind,” Negi said to The Hindu.

It was only when he moved to Hyderabad in 2009 that his singing and composing talents began to unfurl. Three years later, he went on to found the contemporary folk-rock band, ‘Indian Folks’.

With themes ranging from economic and gender inequality to religious intolerance and land acquisition, Negi’s compositions steer far away from the mainstream and instead, ask questions that are reflective of various societal evils while leaving us unsettled with our apathy and indifference.

For instance, songs like Talaash and Agni shed light on communal harmony and religious intolerance worldwide respectively, while Shehar is centred on the deplorable state of immigrants. Negi has also meditated over sensitive topics like the commercialisation of religion and the existence of God through songs like Vyapaar and Prabhu ki khoj.

Interestingly, Negi composed Shehar during a train journey that he had undertaken with his bandmates after personally witnessing mistreatment of illegal migrant travellers—an incident that would scar Negi for life.

“In the compartment, there were three poor people. When the ticket collector realised they were travelling without tickets, he poured water on them. The incident impacted me so much that I couldn’t sleep later. I began to strum my guitar at 5 am,” recalled Negi to the publication.

Negi is not someone you would deem a rebel at first glance. However, his disappointment with the mechanisms of society and vociferous dissent of the same through his music is a voice that can’t be shut down or ignored.

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Negi does not intend his music to affect people by quick reactions or prove a shallow point. Instead, he hopes to evoke awareness and sensitivity that gradually paves the way for change through solidarity.

“I don’t write presenting myself as somebody serious because you lose it. I write about the scenario, realities, the humane experience and emotions. I have never written with a pamphlet language. I don’t write which may sound offensive. I want to touch people’s hearts more than wanting them to react. If you write offensively, you limit the audience, and that is not the aim. The purpose is to reach out to more youngsters,” he stated.

Negi’s musical portrayal of the world around him and its societal vices leaves behind an impression quite similar to the one left behind in the critically acclaimed works of celebrated Urdu writer, Saadat Haasan Manto.

Emerging as a strong voice of dissent during the 1940s, Manto’s criticisms of the society through his works were not only real and unsettling, it also left behind many uncomfortable questions to answer—some of which continue to prevail in our modern day settings.

The literary icon that Manto was, a biographical film celebrating the life and legacy of the legend is all set to hit the screens next month.

You can check the trailer of Manto below:

(Edited By Vinayak Hegde)

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In this era of content oversaturation (thanks to social media) the word ‘radical’ is often bandied about carelessly. But a real ‘radical’ often challenges the status quo, and that’s unacceptable to power brokers in society.

Yes, it sometimes takes a violent and dangerous form, leaving behind a trail of death and destruction. However, on other occasions, their actions are necessary to bring about real social change or even remind society of the ills they silently brush under the carpet.

India’s first ska band, the Delhi-based Ska Vengers, is one such group of radicals. They challenge the prevailing political and social status quo through their music.

Ska, a precursor to reggae music, is a genre that originated in Jamaica during the late 1950s. It’s a genre of music whose ethos is steeped in the anti-colonial movements that were happening across the Caribbean (West Indies) at the time.

No surprise then that Ska Vengers, who have taken that genre along with influences from jazz, hip hop, dub, punk, traditional and Indian folk music, are doing the same with their music.

Also Read: Meet a Modern Day Manto: An Instagram Rebel Who’s Redefining Women’s Role in India

More than the catchy rhythms they belt out, it’s their lyrical content that has caught the attention of many listeners. Women’s rights, the Kashmir problem, human rights abuses in the Northeast, AFSPA, the Naxalite movement, and censorship by those pulling the levers of power in New Delhi are just some of the subjects they have touched upon.

By any metric, if you speak out on these issues with any degree of boldness, there is bound to be backlash both from the majority of citizens and the establishment. And the band faces plenty of it. But they aren’t backing down.

Comprising of London-born Stefan Kaye on the keys, vocalists Taru Dalmia and Samara Chopra, guitarist Chaitanya Bhalla, and Nikhil Vasudevan on drums, the group came together in 2009.

“For a long time, we felt like a lone voice. The kind of indie scene we come from is very middle class. We connected to movements, universities or just places where there are social movements, but otherwise, the music industry spaces we perform in are devoid of politics.

But ska and reggae music, it comes from the downtrodden, it has always talked about colonial history and injustice, so if you don’t represent that in some way you’re doing a great disservice to the genre. And then if you sing that music in India if you don’t connect it to things that are happening in India, it’s a bit off,” Dalmia told The Guardian in an interview last year.

In some way, bands like Ska Vengers are furthering the legacy of Saadat Hasan Manto, the radical Urdu writer, author and playwright, whose graphic realism challenged the prevailing political and social status quo during Partition.

With a biopic on Manto directed by Nandita Das coming out soon, audiences across India and Pakistan now have a chance to revisit his life, writing and politics.

Check out the trailer below:

Manto was considered a radical because he challenged not only the political and social status quo of a ‘Hindu’ India and ‘Muslim Pakistan’ but also the very language used to further the injustices that remain prevalent today across the two nations.

This is exactly what Ska Vengers are doing.

Let’s take the subject of women.

One of Manto’s most exceptional qualities as a writer is that he saw women the way he saw men—as complex individuals with their compulsions and desires.

His description of the female anatomy and sexuality without all the cliched symbols and metaphors that are often used to limit their expression scandalised audiences. His short story ‘Mozelle’, which is about a beautiful Jewish woman who saves her Sardar admirer and his fiancé from a bloodthirsty mob, is a classic example of what made Manto a writer so ahead of his times.

In Ska Vengers song ‘Rough n Mean’, which describes the sexual exploits of a married Indian woman living in the city, there is a line about how she likes her sex ‘rough n mean’, but ‘she never cook, she never clean’.

It is a fearless expression of a woman’s sexuality, but at the same time describes her unwillingness to abide by society’s expectation that she cooks and cleans the house.

Growing up in Amritsar when the horrific Jallianwala Bagh massacre took place, a young Manto wrote a great deal against its horrors and spoke a great deal for freedom from British colonialism. His first original short story Tamasha was based on the massacre.

Also Read: Meet a Modern Day Manto: An Instagram Rebel Who’s Redefining Women’s Role in India

In their song Frank Brazil, the Ska Vengers tell the story of Udham Singh, an Indian revolutionary who travelled to Britain in 1940 to murder former lieutenant-governor of the Punjab Michael O’Dwyer—the Lieutenant Governor of Punjab who endorsed General Reginald Dyer’s action in the Amritsar massacre.

However, more these sample parallels, Ska Vengers’ musical spirit is seemingly in sync with Manto’s radicalism. Challenging the national consensus on Kashmir, among other hot-button issues, is what makes them radical in today’s political climate.

However, their medium of expression—English—is what sets them apart from Manto, who radicalised audiences through the language of the masses—Urdu. Nonetheless, acts like Ska Vengers ensure that Indians don’t get too comfortable in their assumptions of society and politics.

(Edited By Vinayak Hegde)

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The Nightingale of Bollywood turned 89 today. She has recorded over 27,000 songs in 36 regional and foreign languages.

This is none other than legendary playback singer, Lata Mangeshkar. With melodious and soulful hits like Dafli Wale, Pyar Kiya Toh Darna Kya, Dil To Pagal Hai, Luka Chupi, the woman who has earned herself the fond moniker of Lata Didi, enraptured the country with her ability to sing in the rare third octave.

But did you know Lata Didi’s original name is Hema? She was renamed Lata based on a character ‘Latika’ from her father’s play, BhaawBandhan.

And so, on her 89th birthday, we document some of the lesser-known stories about the legend’s life:

1. How her father discovered her singing talent at a tender age

Lata didi was born into a family of artists where her father, Pandit Deenanath Mangeshkar, a classical singer and theatre actor discovered her singing talent.

Deenanath ran a theatre company that produced musical plays where Lata started acting by the age of five.

Lata’s ability to sing Raag Puriya Dhanashree helped him discover her singing talent. Speaking to Stardust, she recalls, “It so happened that once my father asked his shagird (disciple) to practise a raag while he finished some work. I was playing nearby and suddenly a note of the raag that shagird was rendering, jarred. And the next minute, I was correcting him. When my father returned, he discovered a shagird in his own daughter.”

Lata’s father said to her mother, “We have a singer at home. We never knew it.”

2. A legend around why she left school

At five, Lata started working as an actress in her father’s Marathi musical plays, also known as ‘Sangeet Natak’.

On her first day at school, when she started teaching songs to other children, the teacher stopped her. While some believed that she stopped going to school because she was so angry, others said she left because they would not allow her to bring Asha.

3. Did you know that she made her singing debut in a studio at the age of 13?

Lataji learned music from stalwarts like Aman Ali Khan Sahib and Amanat Khan, apart from her father. She recorded her first song in 1942 for the Marathi film, Kiti Hasaal; but it never saw the light of day, as it was edited from the film. The song was called Naachu Yaa Gade, Khelu Saari Mani. Although Natali Chaitraachi Navalaai is known as her Marathi song debut.

3. Did you know that she tried her hand at professional acting too?

After he father’s death in 1942, she tried her hand at acting until 1948 and acted in eight films. The oldest of five siblings–Meena, Asha, Usha and Hridaynath, Lata then shouldered the financial responsibility of the family.

Even though her acting career did not take off, she debuted with playback singing for Kiti Hasaal (1942).

4. She was told her voice was ‘too thin’ when she first started out in the industry

When she first entered the film industry as a playback singer, she was rejected. At the time, singers like Noor Jehan and Shamshad Begum ruled the roost. She was told her voice was ‘too thin’ for the time, in comparison to the heavy-nasal voices that belted hits.

Her major break came in 1949, with the song Aayega Aanewala from the film Mahal. She turned a sensation overnight with the song that not many can muster the courage to croon.

5. The time she moved Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to tears

The year was 1962. India had lost the war against China. When Lata Didi sang Aye Mere Watan Ke Logon to salute the martyrs of war, PM Nehru told her she had moved him to tears.

6. She was poisoned in 1962.

In 1962, when Didi fell extremely ill, her medical investigation revealed that she was given slow poison. She battled death for three days. Even though her life was saved, recovery was a long journey where she remained bedridden for three months.

It was later found that her cook had vanished from her home without taking his wages. For precautionary measures, late Bollywood lyricist Majrooh Sultanpuri would regularly visit her, taste her food first and only then allow her to eat.

7. Didi’s love for Cricket, Madan Mohan and Saira Banu

Her favourite game is cricket. Didi is reported to have a permanent gallery reserved for her at the Lord’s Stadium from where she enjoys watching her favourite game.

Of all the spectacular music directors she has worked with, Madan Mohan was closest to her heart.

“I shared a special relationship with Madan Mohan, which was much more than what a singer and a music composer share. This was a relationship of a brother and a sister. He trusted me to sing his best compositions,” she said in a 2011 collector’s item calendar.

Didi reportedly thinks her voice suits actress Saira Banu’s the best!

8. A global star!

The legendary singer’s fame goes far beyond the shores. In 1974, Didi became the first Indian to perform in the Royal Albert Hall, London. She has been awarded an Honorary Doctorate by six universities, including the New York University.

France conferred its highest civilian award (Officer of the Legion of Honour) on Didi in 2007.

Read More: Asha Bhosle at 84: Little Known Facts About the Life of a Legend

9. She served as an MP without charging a penny!

Didi was also nominated as a Member of Parliament. But her health restricted her from attending the sessions in the Rajya Sabha, which drew the ire of a few.

But according to a TOI report, it is said that she did not take a single penny or a salary or a house in Delhi for her services as an MP.

10. Her designs for a diamond company raked £105,000!

In 1999, the perfume Lata Eau de Parfum was launched in her honour. Didi also designed a collection called Swaranjali for an Indian diamond export company, Adora. Five pieces from this collection, when auctioned at Christie’s, earned £105,000 which Didi generously donated to the relief fund for the Kashmir earthquake in 2005.

11. Her last recorded song was in 2015

It was for an Indo-Pak gay love story. This means that from 1942 to 2015, she worked as a playback singer for 73 years!

In a career spanning seven decades, Didi has been bestowed several prestigious awards including the Bharat Ratna, India’s Highest Civilian Award. Didi became the second vocalist to ever receive it after M S Subbulakshmi!

(Edited by Shruti Singhal)

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Before the crack of dawn every day, Yash Vir Rao takes his guitar case, flutes and notebooks, and walks towards Andhra Bhavan in Delhi.

His students will be waiting for him, their instruments and their daily fee of Re 1 in their hands. In his unassuming clothes which anyone will mistake for hand-me-downs, Rao will walk the distance even when he can simply wait for a bus to drop him.

To a stranger, Rao is just a common man on his way to make his day’s earnings. To thousands of students though, he is “Guitar Rao”, the man who teaches them to play the guitar, flute or keyboard, for just one rupee.

A long white beard, simple clothing and glasses that hang by a string, Rao wasn’t always this carefree, happy figure. He is a civil engineer who worked in an MNC till 2009.

When he quit, he was already in debt. The loss of the demanding job and the following financial crisis led him to detach from his family and sink into depression.

A year later, when he was visiting the Tirupati temple, he started taking music lessons. A professor in college had once told him that even a terrorist in jail could transform with the power of music. This belief stuck with Rao, and thus, his music lessons started helping him with his depression.

In 2018, Guitar Rao came to Delhi with the hope of meeting PM Modi and urging him to start a campaign to promote music lessons in school. Instead, he met hundreds of students who were more than happy to sit on footpaths or in parks to learn musical instruments from him, in exchange of Re 1, every day.

Speaking to The Times of India, eight-year-old Ishanvi, Guitar Rao’s student, said, “Guruji taught me to play a few songs in just seven days. One of my favourites is Jai Jagdish Hare.”

Several police officers and civil servants too have been alumni of this “academy”.

Rao simply hopes that his students follow the path of sharing the gift of music. Apart from the minimal fee that he charges for the lessons, Guitar Rao has one condition for the students: If they are happy with what they learn, they must donate a flute to a blind person, an orphaned child or someone in need.

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“Despite their love for music, many people cannot afford to learn music,” he tells TOI, adding, “My endeavour is to teach them music at the minimal cost.”

He is at Andhra Bhavan in Delhi from 6am-9am, at Vijay Chowk from 2pm-6pm and the India Gate lawns from 6pm-9pm. So if you are in Delhi and hoping for a musical break from your routine, why not pay Guitar Rao a visit?

(Edited by Shruti Singhal)

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The Nehru jacket, with its stand-up mandarin collar, a long row of buttons and hip-long length has been synonymous with the first Prime Minister of India. Although it gained this name only in the 1960s, the iconic jacket has been known by Jawaharlal Nehru’s name ever since. But this stylish jacket is not just a fashion statement in India. In fact, it has gained international fame, thanks to The Beatles and Time Magazine!

In January 2012, the Nehru jacket was listed at number 7 of the top 10 political statements by the Time magazine.

“Hardly reminiscent of Gandhi’s famous homespun clothing, the Nehru jacket is a descendant of the northern Indian achkan, a closed-neck, coat-like garment usually considered court dress for Indian nobility.

Indeed, it was when the jacket was marketed to Western audiences that it took the ‘Nehru’ title, the charismatic Prime Minister having popularised its style in public appearances during his tenure in government,” noted the publication.

But nearly 50 years before this recognition, the ‘fab four’ who made up The Beatles had worn this “Band Gale Ka Coat” (close-collared coat) at their concert. At their performance at the Shea Stadium in New York, the quartet chose to wear pale-blue jackets with prominent breast pockets. The concert was on August 15, 1965, and India was celebrating its 18th Independence Day. Nehru had passed away the previous year due to a heart attack.

According to Decades.com, an entertainment website,

“You can thank the Beatles for helping to bring Nehru jackets to the scene in the 1960s.

The band started sporting the jackets when they became students of Eastern spirituality. [Nehru] was a fashion icon and the thigh length closed collar jacket was his signature look. Although the Nehru jacket eventually went out of style, it never really went away and continues to show up on runways and celebrities from time to time.”

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Even before the rockstars brought this jacket into pop culture, it was sported by Dr No, the antagonist of a James Bond film by the same name, and has also been making several comebacks in movies and on stage ever since. Whether it was Dr Evil from the Austin Powers series or Johnny Carson, an American television host, the stylish thigh-length jacket has been showing up on various platforms through the years.

So, aside from his political legacy, Chacha Nehru has also left behind a significant legacy when it comes to fashion. As far as The Beatles go, sometimes all you need is a Nehru jacket and it all comes together, finally.

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

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From the streets to the celluloid, this rapper duo’s powerful socio-political verses are soon going to be adapted into a Bollywood film, Gully Boy, starring Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt.

Naezy and Divine, of the Mere Gully Mein fame, are two literally gully (lane)-grown local talents, whose rap-to-riches stories are truly inspiring.

This duo, together and individually, redefined Indian rap and hip-hop, dragging it out of the cliches around cars, girls and alcohol, to the real stories of the streets, dipped in politics and poverty.

A form of protest music/poetry, ‘rap’ emerged from violence, racism, discrimination and poverty in the West. And in India, the movement, through these artists, is bound for yet another resurrection.

26-year-old Divine, aka Vivian Fernandes, lives in the slums of Andheri’s JB Nagar, a place from where his angry and unrelenting music bubbled into the world in 2011. It led him to make history by becoming the first Indian rapper (in freestyle Hindi) for BBC 1 radio show host and celebrity rapper Charlie Sloth’s prominent Fire in the Booth series.

The award-winning rapper rose to fame after the collaborative track Mere Gully Mein with the other gully boy, Naezy aka Naved Sheikh.

Vivian’s solo Jungli Sher currently has 80 lakh views!

“It has been an interesting journey from the days when Indian hip-hop was underground, to now, where it is starting to become nationally known. However, we still have far to go,” Vivian told the Asian Age.

On the other hand, Naved Sheikh began his rapping journey at the age of 13 after being inspired by Sean Paul’s Temperature. He had heard the track for the first time during a DJ event in his Kurla chawl (locality) and soon found himself printing the lyrics to memorise them.

In 2014, Naved aka Naezy unleashed his musical wrath, Aafat shot on zero-budget on an iPad, amassing more than 30 lakh views on YouTube.

Naezy soon became the subject of a documentary Bombay 70, and he landed himself a deal with Only Much Louder, which is one of India’s most prominent alternative culture promoter and management agencies.

Now with Gully Boy, the film by Zoya Akhtar in place, Naezy is going to collaborate on the lyrics with poet and lyricist Gulzar, as reported by The Times of India.

Adding to the new wave of rap and hip-hop, Divine told TOI, “Delhi had a bustling Punjabi rap hip-hop scene. But they made songs about cars, alcohol, girls. We rapped about our gully, our city. It was genuine, authentic Indian hip-hop.”

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With raw words in the local dialect, these young rappers have ushered in a strong Indian literature of bhasha (language) rap. They talk about the government, poverty, corruption, exploitation by the police, and family issues. These are topics that are understandable and relatable to everyone, be it a teen sitting behind his laptop screen, a rickshaw puller or a vegetable seller at the corner of a street.

“Hip-hop ek aisa zariya hai jo hamare desh main bhi badlav la sakta hai (Hip-hop is a way to bring about a change in our country). The masses think that hip-hop is about daaru (alcohol), nasha (intoxication), bling and swag, but if you really look at hip-hop’s antecedents, it was used to bring about a revolution. I want to remove people’s misconceptions and rewrite the history of Indian hip-hop,“ Naezy told TOI.

In the movie poster, the tagline Apna Time Ayega (Our time will come), depicts the tale of the gully boy, Ranveer Singh, who plays an underground Indian rapper and his journey to fame, with his earthy and authentic rapping style. The film is set to release on February 14, 2019.

(Edited by Shruti Singhal)

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India has a representative in this year’s Grammy Awards.

Singer-songwriter Falguni Shah, who goes by the stage name of Falu, released an album on February 16, 2018, titled ‘Falu’s Bazaar’, which has been nominated in the Best Children’s Music category. She is the only Indian nominee this year.

Inspired by her four-year-old son Nishaad’s curiosity about language, identity, and the food they ate home, Falu’s Bazaar overturns a lot of the stereotypes associated with conventional children’s music. Besides a high degree of musicianship, the album exudes a great deal of depth and maturity.

“I wanted to make a fictional story of an Indian child and how he travels from his home to an Indian bazaar and discovers many new things and languages. In my mind, I created an Indian Dora with my child,” says Falu, in a conversation with The Indian Express.

“I felt that he needed to be assured of his roots, his identity and culture. There was no better way to answer all his question other than through music (which is a language we all speak in our house),” she adds.

Her efforts resulted in a 12-song album in Hindi, English and Gujarati and a Grammy nomination. It features her husband, singer-songwriter Gaurav Shah and her mother, classical singer Kishori Dalal.

Born and raised in Mumbai, Falu has strong musical roots. Beginning with a rigorous training in the Jaipur musical tradition and the Benaras style of Thumri, she went on to study music further under the mentorship of Ustad Sultan Khan, and the legendary Kishori Amonkar, a leading Indian classical vocalist belonging to the Jaipur Gharana.

She moved to the United States in 2000, where after an initial period of struggle, she went onto collaborate with a range of high-profile international musicians like Wyclef Jean, Philip Glass, Ricky Martin, Blues Traveler, Yo-Yo Ma and India’s very own AR Rahman.

Also Read: RD Burman: 5 Reasons Why ‘Pancham Da’ Is One of India’s Greatest Composers!

Appointed by the illustrious Carnegie Hall as the Ambassador of Indian Music in 2006, Billboard has described her music as “ethereal and transcendental”. In 2009, she even performed for then President of the United States Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama alongside AR Rahman.

Today, she resides in New York. “Falu, known for her ‘Indie Hindi’ sound, blends traditions of Indian classical and folk music with western pop, rock and electronic styles to create songs that explore themes of womanhood, romance, longing, love, and loss,” says her website.

The 61st Annual Grammy Awards will be held on February 10.

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

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