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-Let's not spend too much. -Okay.
-Do you have kurta-pajamas? -Yes. What kind do you want?
Not too dressy, but not too plain.
Show me some simple ones.
How much is this?
750 rupees.
Show me that white one.
The one at the top.
How's this?
It's nice.
Do check the fitting of the pajamas.
You need to sit comfortably on stage.
Thank you for the warning, Grandma. I've never bought clothes before.
Mind if I try them on and sit down?
How can I let you, sir? They'll get dirty.
Should I try on a shawl too?
Shawl? Why just a shawl?
Flaunt some diamond rings and gold chains as well on stage.
You think the judges will give you points for your clothes?
Father always said, "Once you're on stage,
everything is part of the performance."
Our next contestant is Sharad Nerulkar.
I'm presenting Raag Bageshree,
a traditional composition in fast tempo.
Are you busy?
What the hell, Ajji? Can't you see?
Your mother is on the phone. Talk to her.
I'll call her later.
You've been saying "later, later" for so many days.
Stop bugging me. I said I'd call her later.
She's saying you haven't answered her calls in three days.
My phone wasn't working.
Viju has been unwell for many days.
What can I do from here? She'll just have to deal with it.
Go and visit her.
Ajji, my competition is in two days.
Please let me practice. Tell her I will call her.
Tell her yourself. Don't involve me.
I keep getting caught between the two of you.
Such a headache.
Is that any reason to start crying now?
Saints and ascetics have attained this music
after thousands of years of rigorous spiritual pursuit.
It cannot be learnt so easily.
Even ten lifetimes are not enough.
The sacred texts don't merely prescribe,
"This Raag uses the Pancham,"
or, "That Raag skips the Dhaivat."
Through this music,
we are shown the path to the Divine.
There's a reason why Indian classical music
is considered an Eternal Quest.
And to embark on that quest,
you will have to surrender and sacrifice.
If you want to earn money,
raise a family,
then perform love songs or film songs.
Don't tread this path.
If you want to walk this path,
learn to be lonely and hungry.
Here.
Do you need anything else?
No.
I heard that Sumit Khade from Nagpur is competing too.
He has solid training.
Why are you saying this in front of him?
I met Rishi and Kruti outside.
They're so sly.
I casually asked them what Raag they're performing today.
They just didn't reply. Avoided the subject totally.
-Drop it now. -Sharad Nerulkar?
Sharad?
-All the best. -Yes.
I'm presenting Raag Bageshree.
A traditional composition in fast tempo.
Thanks.
Bravo! What a performance.
Our next contestant is Nitin Avasthe.
That was good.
-Honestly? -Yes. It was good.
Was the reverb too much? I couldn't tell from the stage.
No, it was fine.
Let's give him a big hand.
And the much awaited moment
has finally arrived.
The judges have come to a decision.
To present the Gupte Builders Awards
for Young Performer 2006,
I invite Mr. Dattatreya Kirloskar on stage.
A big round of applause.
He is the son of Maestro Balkrishna Kirloskar.
He is a little late, but he has come all the way from Mulund to be with us.
I request Mr. Dattatreya to present the winners with a trophy.
The third prize goes to Namita Satam.
The second prize goes to Sumit Khade.
And today's ultimate, most important award,
The winner of Young Performer 2006 is…
Chinmayee Wadhawkar!
Hearty congratulations to the winners from Gupte Builders.
A huge round of applause.
As you breathe in, think positive thoughts.
As you breathe out,
let go of any negative thoughts.
Now we will meditate.
Do not stop any thoughts.
Now we will start the breathing exercise.
A restless mind
simply cannot sing Khayal music
with depth and authenticity.
To worship every note,
every microtone,
your mind has to be pure and unblemished.
What is Khayal?
It is the state of mind of the singer
at that time, in that particular moment.
He presents that state through the medium of a Raag.
While singing, you yourself don't know
which new aspect
of the Raag you will uncover.
If you want the Truth of the Raag to spontaneously reveal itself,
you will have to rid your mind of falsehood,
greed, and impure thoughts.
Not everyone has the inherent discipline
and faith required for this…
You're still at it?
Enough of this Maai saga now.
What saga? This is also work, isn't it?
These are hour-long tapes. Obviously it will take time.
Do those later.
Have you completed the Sadarang Conference ones?
Yes, '72 and '74 are done.
I can't find the '73 tape.
How can that be?
It was right here. I saw it the other day.
I haven't seen it.
That one has Rambhau Arolkar's Basant-Bahar on it.
He sang it so well.
That man was a master of combining Raags.
Look for that tape.
We have an order to make a CD box set, 1972 to 1975.
How many?
Make a master. Then we'll do 30-40 sets.
MAAI'S SPEECHES
Do you have any Shankar Bhatt CDs?
No, sir.
How about Sultan Saheb?
No, they are out of stock.
Then what would you recommend?
Actually, sir, we specialize in rare and lesser-known records.
All these CDs have been converted from old cassettes and LPs.
I've never heard of these names.
Yes, sir, but they are as good as the famous names.
For example, this is Ustad Nissar Aslam Shaikh
of the Agra tradition.
He had the same guru as Sultan Saheb.
But he didn't get as much recognition.
-How much is it? -150 rupees.
No, thanks.
Sir, we also have an offer on right now,
a 12-CD pack of All India Radio recordings.
The regular price is 1,500 rupees. With our discount, it's only 1,000.
No, thank you.
Do you have any devotional music?
We don't, right?
No, only classical music.
I'll come back during the interval.
Everyone wants devotional stuff.
Should we go in and listen?
Are you nuts?
Your ears will start bleeding.
It's fucking nonsense!
How low can you stoop for this hoity-toity crowd?
What the heck was he playing today?
And the audience was clapping away.
All these "annual membership" types…
They'll applaud for anyone playing anything.
And even the artistes have no musical standpoint.
It's like an assorted buffet…
A serious Raag for 20 minutes, a light one for 15, a love song, a devotional one.
Done.
But the sponsors love it.
Screw the sponsors.
They push the same four, five famous names.
All the shows go to them and everything sounds the same.
No matter what the Raag, it's the same structure, same gimmicks.
All predictable.
Rice, please.
But I don't get it.
Shakir Bhai used to play so beautifully.
I've heard his recordings from the '80s.
So much poise, such clarity of notes.
How can someone change so much?
For money, what else?
That's why Guruji, Maai,
never got into this concert circuit racket.
What?
What's wrong?
I don't know.
What do you mean?
I couldn't come up with new phrases.
It was repetitive, wasn't it?
Why is it repetitive?
I don't know.
You practiced, right?
Yes.
Then why are you stuck?
Try again.
I'm just repeating myself.
You sing.
Good.
Well done.
Listen.
Just let him go, please.
His friends have been calling him.
Do you want to go?
Yes, of course.
Obviously. Even on a Sunday you're forcing him to learn music.
What else?
What's wrong with that?
Ustad Saheb would even beat his children till they got it right.
-We've heard this story a hundred times. -But it's true.
He'd tie their hair to a nail on the wall.
We're just enjoying ourselves, right?
I'll teach you a traditional composition in the same Raag. Hold the note.
Very good.
Shaardya.
Come on. Everyone's waiting.
Hey, come inside.
No, I'm good.
Come on now. Sit.
I'm teaching him what we call a bandish.
Uncle, I don't understand any of this.
Can Shaardya come with me?
A bandish is a very valuable composition.
When two musicians got married,
these compositions were gifted as the dowry.
They used to be as precious as life itself.
Why are you torturing these kids?
Just let them go and play.
Go fly, fly away to your home
Go fly, fly away to your home…
Five, four, three, two, one.
Welcome back to our show Gharana.
Before the break,
Mr. Mukund shed some light on the history of the Alwar school of music.
Mr. Mukund is not only a singer trained in the Alwar style,
he has also written a book on the history of its music,
entitled The Eternal Flame.
Mr. Mukund, let me now turn to another subject.
In your book, you have written about how this music has changed over time
and how it has somehow lost its essence today.
It is true.
A lot of people did not like me writing this.
I have even been criticized for it.
But if people want to listen to this music today, where can they find it?
They won't find it.
It is almost impossible to find that kind of music today,
that divine purity.
My guru, Maestro Vinayak Pradhan, always tells me
that if you wanted to experience Ustad's music,
there was only one person, Maestra Sindhubai Jadhav.
We lovingly refer to her as "Maai."
Our guru says that his music
does not even come close to her genius.
Why was she so special?
I've asked Guruji this question many times.
He says that it is impossible to describe her music in words.
-But aren't there any recordings? -No.
Maai never allowed anyone to record her music.
There's barely a photo of her, let alone interviews.
She was different. She was an ascetic.
What a cutie you were as a kid.
Very sweet.
And what about now?
Why didn't you show me this before?
I've heard so much about your father, but this is the first time I've seen him.
This was on VHS till now.
I just transferred it yesterday.
I want to listen to your father singing.
His stories were more interesting.
His singing was okay.
-Can I ask you something? -Sure.
Tejas told me that your father had some old tapes of Maai.
What tapes?
Of lectures that she gave her senior disciples in Belgaum.
But how can there be tapes?
Apparently, Karim Saheb recorded them secretly.
Yes, Dad mentioned this once.
But I've never seen any tapes like that.
Never mind. Have you shared this with your mom?
You should. She'll be so happy.
You know how sentimental she is about Dad?
This will make it even worse.
I'll leave now. It's late.
Do not stop the flow of thoughts in your mind.
Just observe them.
Let your repressed emotions
come to the fore.
Good, bad, all of them.
They exist. Just observe them.
Just like your mind, your body is trying to converse with you.
Try to listen to it.
I wanted to tell you something.
But I just can't remember it.
If it's the electricity bill, I'll pay it today.
No, no. Not the bill.
It was something else.
Was it about your medicines?
No, not the medicines either.
Forget it. I can't remember.
Did you speak to your mother?
I spoke to her just yesterday.
What did she say?
That everything is fine.
I just don't understand her.
She says one thing to you, another thing to me,
and has something totally different on her mind.
What's happened now?
She was crying on the phone yesterday.
She said I should have a talk with you.
About what?
About getting a job.
But I'm working with Kishore now.
I told her the same thing.
But she said, "That's not a real job."
"Kishore pays him peanuts," and so on.
Did she say this, or are you saying it?
Why would I say it?
How does she know how much I earn?
I haven't told her.
But she knows that we're always short of money.
The rent on that house, Viju's fees…
How much can she take care of alone?
Don't hide behind Mum, okay?
If you can't afford me living here, just say so.
I'll leave right away.
Why are you talking like this?
We're only concerned for your future.
Look, Ajji, I can either pursue my music, or I can have a job.
I can't do both.
Why can't you?
Don't all your friends have jobs?
Doesn't Tejas work? Doesn't Sneha work?
But I don't want to.
I'll leave the house if you want.
That's no way to behave.
You're as stubborn as your father.
And how he suffered later on.
Don't compare me with Dad.
If I don't make it, I won't go around blaming the whole world.
I don't know what to say to this boy.
Guruji, should we start?
Okay, we are ready to begin.
I know many of you are here because of the article I wrote last week.
And I really wasn't exaggerating when I said that this man is an unsung genius.
A hidden gem of Mumbai.
Guruji, I thank you on behalf of all of us here tonight
for agreeing to perform for us.
I think I'm gonna stop talking now and let Guruji create his magic.
Whatever Reena just said in English…
I didn't understand most of it.
But I will attempt to sing something decent for you all.
No, you are not listening.
Sing with an open throat.
Get up.
His blood pressure is low, that's all.
How low?
It's at 60. Last time it was 80.
Oh, God.
Any other complaints?
My back hurts a lot, here on the lower side.
And urine, stools? All normal?
Yes, that's all fine. Just this backache.
And what about the coughing?
Oh, yes.
Sometimes, at night, I start coughing a lot.
Once it starts, it just doesn't stop.
Do you feel cold then? Or feverish?
No, just the cough.
Okay.
Take this medication
and drop by next month.
Yes.
I've prescribed a painkiller for your back.
Only take it if the pain is severe, otherwise avoid it.
And keep drinking plenty of water.
-Do you exercise? -No.
Then take him for a walk, at least two to three times a week.
Yes, Doctor.
How much do I owe you?
Including the last visit, 450 rupees.
Is it okay if I pay you next week?
-That's fine. -No. I have it.
-You can give it to me later, it's okay. -It's no problem.
What's wrong?
Nothing.
Are you upset?
No. You just take care of your health.
That's not what I'm talking about.
I'm talking about the other night.
What about it?
Were you upset?
No, I was angry with myself, that's all.
What's there to be angry about?
Your voice was not at its best, so what?
-Did someone say something to you? -No.
Why are you so restless?
Where are you rushing to?
This is the age to practice and that's what you should do.
I do nothing but practice,
and yet this keeps happening.
Then I get angry with myself.
Really? You're getting angry already?
How old are you?
Twenty-four.
Till the age of 40, we never thought about anything but practice.
We could not utter a single word in front of Maai.
We just kept our heads down and sang.
And you want everything in a hurry?
No.
Did Kishore tell you about the Teachers' Day concert?
Yes. Tejas and Sneha are performing, right?
And you are not?
Kishore didn't say anything to me.
-Of course you'll be singing too. -Okay.
-Start preparing. -Yes.
Damn, it's really cold.
We'll be shivering in the morning.
This is the perfect weather
for those hot potato patties and some tea at Ramdas.
Actually, he is traveling all the way just for those Ramdas patties.
He's not interested in the concert at all.
Yes, of course.
I've heard the Maestro umpteen times.
The real joy is in the patties.
The rice flakes there are excellent too, with fried peanuts.
So I'm the fool.
I thought we were traveling in the middle of the night
to listen to the Maestro,
but you guys are on a food trip.
Look, with the Maestro it's 50-50.
When he's good, he is very good.
When he's bad, it's really unbearable.
It's 50-50 because he is a genius.
Every performance he tries something new, always experimenting.
When it works, you hit the jackpot.
Yes, but that's why you have to go and listen to him ten times.
And only four of those times would be worth it.
I have a feeling he's going to play well today.
It's beautiful there, in the midst of nature.
Nature has nothing to do with it.
He needs his rum.
If that has been arranged, he'll play well.
Come on. Rum at sunrise?
It doesn't matter whether it's day or night,
once he's chugged two pegs,
his hands start to play.
Papa, what Raag will he play today?
You're still awake?
Go back to sleep.
Otherwise you'll be dozing off during the concert.
You tell me, which are the morning Raags?
-Todi… -And?
-Bhairav… -And?
If you can name two more Raags,
I will give you chocolates in the morning.
Lalit?
Good! One more.
-Marwa? -Marwa is a morning Raag?
No.
I don't know any more.
You mentioned Bhairav. A similar one?
Ahir Bhairav.
Correct.
Don't forget to get that chocolate.
Now go to sleep.
But you woke me up.
Okay, okay. Now sleep.
There's another story about the Maestro and Lalit.
Shubho from Kolkata told me.
Once, he had a 5:00 a.m. slot at Dover Lane.
He announced that he would be playing Lalit.
Someone from the audience said,
"You played it just last week in Delhi."
"Play something else."
He replied,
"Not just last week, I have been playing only Lalit for the last two months."
"That Raag is upset with me."
"I've been trying very hard to woo it back."
They say he played such a magnificent Lalit that day,
the entire crowd was mesmerized.
Wow.
He's a mad fucker.
What's going on? Are you okay?
I'm fine.
Here, drink some warm water.
-You wait outside, I'll come. -Okay.
Here, have a cough drop.
No, I don't want it.
You're not wearing your kurta?
I'll wear it there.
-It'll get crumpled on the way. -Let's go.
Give me your blessings.
Why here? There's still time.
I'll go by bike. You come later.
But I'm ready to leave.
I need some silence on the way.
I won't utter a word.
Please come on your own.
And your kurta?
Sorry.
-Should I carry it? -No.
Wait. I'll get some sweet yoghurt.
Yoghurt before singing? Really?
Then some sugar for good luck.
I'll see you there.
If you want to learn my music,
then forget about the audience and other such notions.
I do not sing for the audience or for patrons.
I have no interest in showing off
how many complex Raags I have mastered
or how much training I have.
I sing only for my Guru
and for God.
The other day someone asked me,
"Maai, but shouldn't we choose the Raag
depending on the audience present?"
I said, "There are 200 people in a room."
"And 200 people have 200 minds."
"How many people will you try to please?"
"Are you a circus monkey?"
We have plenty of posers around
who perform all sorts of vocal acrobatics in the name of classical music.
Fortunately, that's not the kind of training I got from my Guruji.
He would always say,
"Once you close your eyes and utter the first note,
nothing other than the Raag must be allowed to enter your mind."
"Then it does not matter, even if you fail that day…
because at least you tried with sincerity."
Greetings.
I'd like to welcome you all to this Teachers' Day celebration.
It is an auspicious day
to celebrate the age-old master-disciple tradition.
Maestro Vinayak Pradhan of the Alwar lineage
has trained several students in music over the past 40 years.
Today, five of his young students
will present their music.
The program begins with Sharad Nerulkar.
He is accompanied on the tabla by Amar Moghe.
And on the harmonium is Tushar Modak.
With Guruji's permission, let's begin.
He who has faith in Saraswati, the Goddess of Music,
will surely be blessed by her.
You don't just practice the music,
but also endurance and perseverance.
Because this journey is long and arduous.
I have seen the best of them
give up midway.
There will be a thousand occasions to succumb and accept defeat.
But you must not.
He who has control over his mind…
can never be swayed from his path, no matter what the circumstances.
Don't look directly at the lens.
Should we do a casual one?
As if you're enjoying it?
Or do you only want a serious look?
No, let's do it.
Yeah, that way you'll have more options.
Sure. What should I do?
Turn this way a little.
No, not that much. A little less. Yes.
Perfect.
Look here and smile.
No, no, not just a smile, smile and sing.
As if you're enjoying singing.
Good! It's nicely done. Who made it?
A friend of mine.
Send me his number.
We want to make a website too.
Actually we have one,
but no one has updated it for two years.
Sure, I'll give you his details.
As I was passing by, I thought I should drop in.
I'm glad you did. Do come by sometimes.
I wanted to invite you personally.
Really? To what?
-To my performance at Kalyan next Sunday. -Nice!
I thought I should invite you.
I'll come. Message me the details.
I've got you an invite.
I'd be happy if you came.
We'll also organize a show with you.
Oh, thank you.
Nowadays, people come to listen to newcomers.
Yes.
-We did a "Woman Power" show recently. -I see.
The turnout was good.
I see. I couldn't attend that one.
Shahana and Gayatri performed.
-I see. -It went well.
Now we're thinking of doing a "Diwali Dawn" show.
-We'll have you sing there. -It would be my honor.
You, Aditya, Shivani…
a show with two or three of you young performers.
Sure.
It's hard to find sponsors these days.
-For unknown names. -Yes, that's true.
-But I'll let you know. -Okay.
But do come for my program.
I will.
What is it? I'm in class.
What happened?
Is it bad?
What's the matter?
His joints are aching a lot.
I see.
Guruji?
Are you feeling feverish?
No, there's no fever.
Okay.
Did you give him any medicine?
Yes, a painkiller.
How will just a painkiller help?
-Did you massage his legs? -No.
Then what did you do all this time?
Just sit around?
Sorry, dada.
Leave now, both of you.
No, we can wait.
In case you need us to get something.
No, it's okay. You can go.
-Guruji, would you like to lie down? -Yes.
Is it aching a lot?
Let's go to the doctor.
That useless doctor…
just keeps prescribing medicines and charges so much.
That's not true at all.
In fact, he always takes less from us.
Last month, he prescribed medicines worth 1,000 rupees.
I had to borrow money from Mukund.
I'll pay him back.
And please don't borrow from him.
Ask me for it.
He's very sly.
Whenever he lends you money, he calls me
and asks if Guruji can perform.
So what did you reply?
What can I say?
I tell him you're not up to it these days and to not accept the shows.
I would have done it.
There's no need.
You suffer so much afterwards.
Now we've had another instance just yesterday in Jharkhand.
Two people killed allegedly because they were cattle thieves.
Do you see a pattern emerging
in the manner in which these deaths or lynchings are being carried out?
Or are they all very separate instances?
Fame India has reached the City of Joy: Kolkata!
Thousands have turned up with hope in their hearts and dreams in their eyes
in pursuit of the Golden Ticket. Let's see who has impressed our judges.
Just when the judges had lost all hope…
No.
…in came a nervous, timid girl.
-Hi. -Hello.
What's your name?
I am Shaswati Bose and I'm from Jhargram.
Okay. And what will you be singing for us?
I would like to attempt Ustad Abdul Rashid Khan's song
"Aaye Aaye Sajana Mere."
I wish you all the best! Please start.
Okay. That's enough.
Shaswati, what you just sang…
What was that?
Why, sir? Was it not good?
No, it was not good.
It was very good! It was fabulous!
I agree. You have a phenomenal voice. Phenomenal!
We're going to see you in Mumbai! Congratulations!
Come here!
-Thank you. -See you in Mumbai.
I'm so happy.
Our dream of seeing her sing on this show
has come true today. I'm very happy.
Increase the monitor volume.
Give me more tanpuras in the monitor.
DIWALI MORNING WITH RISING STARS.
I definitely want to keep my writing and commentary
confined to music at this point in time.
I think it is our inability to
rationally view history
and separate it from what we do.
We always look for an explanation
as to who we are and how we fit into our contemporary cultural context.
Do not get entangled in technicalities.
You may practice endlessly for years and years
and gain complete mastery over technique,
but it will not lead you to the Truth.
Technique is merely a medium to express your inner life.
Technique can be taught.
Truth cannot.
For that, you must have the strength
to look inwards with unflinching honesty.
This is extremely difficult.
It is a lifelong quest.
That is why we call it Asceticism.
And eventually, when you do encounter the Truth,
it takes great courage to face it.
Because the Truth is often ugly.
Unless this awareness seeps into your music…
These phrases could have been sung much better.
Once an idea has been fully expressed, don't stretch it further.
Or else it sounds like you're just filling up time.
Those organizers also ruined my mood before the show.
No, it's not the organizers, Sharad.
Your perspective is lacking.
In some places, you're embellishing it too much.
At other points, it's too bland.
It's all scattered.
You start off with one musical idea,
then you jump to something else,
and then some third thought pops up.
It's all jumbled up.
The music has no life in it.
It was the same problem last time.
Put more thought into your efforts.
It will work out gradually.
How many years are you going to waste like this?
How much longer?
Do you want to end up like your father?
Your father was my most faithful
but most incompetent student.
Nobody told him
that just by being in the company of talented musicians,
and by publishing books about them,
you don't become talented yourself.
Till the very end,
he harbored many delusions.
But you are different, aren't you?
You understand better.
Guruji can't tell you this to your face.
He loves you.
He is dependent on you.
But you…
May I sit?
Yes, please.
Yes?
Madam, I want to donate these tapes to the center.
Are they working?
Yes, they are.
-Who's on it? -Maai.
-Maai? -Sorry, Maestra Sindhubai Jadhav.
How do you spell Sindhubai?
S-I-N-D-H-U-B-A-I.
What did she sing?
Classical music.
Did she win any awards?
Yes, Sangeet Natak Akademi, 1973.
Her name is not on the list, so the rate will be different.
I don't want any money, I just want to donate them.
How many tapes are there?
Around eight.
But there is no singing on them.
What then?
It's her lectures on music, delivered in 1972.
Leave a sample here.
I will have to ask if we can accept them.
Madam, this is invaluable material.
No one has ever had access to it.
I see.
Are you a collector?
No, someone gave these tapes to my father.
Okay.
I'll give you a form to fill in.
You'll have to come in again to label them.
I've already labeled them perfectly.
All right then.
Madam, will they be sent to the library?
Yes. On approval,
they will be added to our on-site library and digital archive.
How many copies do you have?
This is the only one.
Laxmitai, please take this away.
Welcome back to The Fame India Season 2!
Our next finalist from the top 12 is Shaswati Bose from Jhargram.
She impressed the judges and secured a ticket to Mumbai.
Let's look at her journey so far.
Music is my everything. It's my all.
I sing when I'm sad and when I'm happy.
I want to make a career in music, and I want to excel.
Ever since she was a child, I've wanted her to learn to sing.
I've always supported her, and will keep on doing so.
Fame is a really big platform for me.
I've been showered with so much love. I feel blessed.
I know this platform will help me realize my parents' dreams.
I never imagined that all of this would happen.
Let's have a five-minute break.
Please come, Madam.
Karan, get a chair.
-How are you, sir? -Good, you?
Fine.
Sorry you had to wait.
No problem.
-Will you have some tea or coffee? -No, thank you.
So, tell me…
Did Karan tell you anything?
He just said that you would be coming to see me.
Actually, sir, he has an offer to join a band.
But he will only take it up if you say it's okay.
So he wants your permission, sir.
What band is this?
What is it?
A college band, sir.
The seniors are forming a fusion band.
They've asked me to do the classical vocals.
Okay. Is it for some album?
No, sir. It's for college festivals
like Malhar or Mood Indigo.
Later there's the University Youth Festival.
I see.
I told him he must do it.
It will give him stage experience and some exposure.
But he says he will only do it if he has your go-ahead.
So is it mainly Western or classical too?
It's a mix, sir.
There's an English singer, and I will do the classical part.
I see.
Let him go ahead, no problem.
But then he doesn't need to come back here.
Why, sir?
What will he do here?
He'll waste his time.
He sings well enough to be in a band.
He gets his notes right, he's had some training. That's enough.
Sir, are you upset?
No, I'm being frank. He can do fusion, but he shouldn't come back to classical.
He'd spoil the school's name, and mine as well.
Why are you saying this?
Look, he is still miles away from singing Khayal.
If he gets into all of this, he'll never get there.
So why waste time and money? That's all I'm saying.
Sir, you're misunderstanding the issue.
But you should also understand,
if you want him to run before he can walk, go ahead.
Don't ask me.
Karan, have I upset you?
Sorry if I crossed the line, madam.
Why are you getting nervous?
Is his father feeding us? We've paid him.
He's not teaching you for free.
Who is he to say no?
Let's complain about him to the principal.
I'll fix him.
You will join the band and learn music too.
No need to get nervous. Understood?
Now don't cry like a baby.
Hello, Ma? Can you hear me?
I can hear you.
How are you?
I'm okay.
Sorry, I totally forgot.
Yes, tell Viju that I will take care of it.
I will send it next month, don't worry.
Yes.
I was wondering if I should come and stay there for a few days?
Yes.
I will try to come next month.
Sure.
No, please. If you're going to bring that up, I won't come.
Just four more years.
As soon as I turn 40,
we can start looking for a wife for me.
Divorcees, widows, anyone will do.
For real.
What?
The line is breaking up.
Hello?
Okay, bye now.
Can I play one ball?
Raja.
Deliver a ball to him.
Lovely ball!
Today is the 35th anniversary of Maai's death.
And if I don't sing well today,
I fear she will suddenly appear before me…
and give me a good scolding
right in front of all of you.
I will try my best to sing.
Allow me some time…
for my throat to warm up.
And then let's hope my voice cooperates.
Yes, sir. We're sitting inside.
I'm so sorry I'm late.
Have you been waiting long?
No problem at all.
-Hello, I'm Rajan Joshi. -Sharad.
Please sit.
What's this? Where's his glass?
I don't drink.
Come on, have one. I just look old.
Please don't be shy.
Actually, he's a singer, so that's why.
-Nice! Classical? -Yes.
One whiskey and a little water.
And for you?
-Repeat? -Repeat.
-And for you? -Really, I'm fine.
Have something, maybe a soft drink?
Okay, fresh lime with plain water. Not cold.
-You're a Mumbai guy? -Yes.
He's a big fan of your work.
He's read all your reviews in Sancharika.
That's why all the musicians in Mumbai hated my guts.
Because I would bash them all.
I really love your writing.
Thank you.
Even from America, you have done so much research on the history of our music.
It's really inspiring.
-Great. -Thank you.
It's good to hear that the younger generation
is still interested in these things.
It's easy now because of the websites and the Internet.
It reaches everyone instantly.
To be honest, I have so much material
that I can easily keep writing for the next ten years.
-Wow. -And this is just my Park City stuff.
My Mumbai collection is another story.
Ask Kishore what they used to call me.
-They used to call him "music thief." -What?
He would get hold of the rarest recordings and books from God knows where.
Faiyaz Khan, Imrat Hussain, Kesarbai. You name it, he would have it.
Wow.
Actually, that's why I didn't invite you to my home.
So many people have stolen things from my house, I have lost count.
Meaning?
If I went to the kitchen to get something, people would simply nick things.
I'm talking about big, famous artistes.
Jealous fuckers, all of them.
Now look at Kishore. He's been chasing me for so many years.
But in an honest way.
I mean, he wants it for free.
People have offered me millions of rupees.
I told them, "Even if you buy me three houses in Colaba,
there's some material that I will never part with."
Anyway, tell me what you want.
As I said on the phone, I want recordings--
Of Shantidevi?
Yes, sir. Very few people have heard her.
I'd like to publish a CD.
Okay. Let me see what I have.
Thank you, sir. Thanks.
Recently, someone approached Sharma
from All India Radio for Shantidevi's tapes.
And?
He said, "We don't keep music by whores."
What?
I mean, it's true that she was a prostitute. Everybody knows it.
-What are you saying? -Yes.
There are even photos of her in a bikini.
I'm talking about the '40s, before she became famous.
She had posed for some magazine.
You're joking, right?
No, I'm not.
Later, some Gujarati businessman kept her as his mistress.
He gave her money to learn music.
That's why she added "Devi" to her name later.
To give herself an air of purity.
-You still want the recordings, right? -Of course I want them, sir.
-Do you have recordings of Maai? -Maai?
Sindhubai.
I might have some.
You do?
But there are no recordings of her.
That's because she refused to perform in public.
-No, it wasn't like that-- -Forget it, let it be.
I won't say anything more, you might be a devotee of hers.
-No, he is an Alwar-- -Please, keep talking.
Let it go.
No, please continue.
Look, I never believed this story that she had no interest in performing.
That she was completely lost in trance-like practice, and all that.
Is there any artist who is not interested in performing?
-But she was different. -Yes, a little too "different."
She was plain crazy.
-Let's just talk about-- -Hold on. What are you trying to say?
Let's drop it.
Please, I want to hear this.
I heard her sing in person, sitting in her own house.
You heard Maai?
About 30 years ago, when I was your age.
But how?
Don't ask.
I've pulled off many such things in life.
She was an exceptional singer,
but as a human being, she was extremely offensive.
The horrible stuff she used to say…
"These Mughals came and polluted our music."
"I won't sing compositions by Muslim people," and whatnot.
She even killed her own daughter's career.
But she mentored so many acclaimed musicians.
Name one.
Satish Raichand?
He was well-known before he went to Maai.
He was trained by Khan Saheb.
Devendra Bhise?
I don't like him at all. Hugely overrated.
-Sharad, let it go. -No, this is getting interesting.
Maestro Vinayak Pradhan?
He's also Maai's student.
-That guy from Dadar? -Yes.
He's another fabricated story.
"He's not interested in concerts, he's a teacher,
he's only committed to passing on the Alwar legacy," and so on.
The truth is that he couldn't handle the pressure of the stage.
Mr. Joshi, please. That's his guru.
I am sorry.
I had no idea.
-Let's wind it up now. -Yes, please.
But you know what, Kishore?
These new kids must know how to separate fact from fiction.
The era is gone when people could inflate someone into a demigod.
That's why so many people got exploited in this field.
Then carry on. Why are you holding back?
Look.
Fans love a good story.
Maai's students painted her as this mythical creature.
"Maai sang even with zero blood pressure."
What the fuck is zero blood pressure?
"Maai knew 23 of Khan Saheb's secret Raags."
Now who counted if there were 22 or 23?
I recently heard that someone secretly recorded some lectures of hers.
I haven't heard them yet,
but I'm pretty sure…
it's the most pretentious, self-righteous, elitist load of crock ever.
Come sit.
-Will you have tea? -Yes.
Guruji, please don't accept faraway concerts anymore.
Yesterday's journey was so tiring for you.
What else can I do?
I have to take whatever comes my way.
Do I get a monthly pension?
Or do you have millions of rupees to keep giving me?
Are you short of anything?
Why put yourself through this at your age?
On top of it all,
these bloody organizers don't even pay on time.
Remember that felicitation ceremony in Satara?
They haven't given me the honorarium yet.
They presented me with this big, fake check.
They never sent the real one.
I'll talk to them.
Then the Gokhales did a house concert.
They didn't even mention money.
Just handed me a cup of tea and some dry snacks.
Tell them to reimburse our travel expenses at least.
They didn't give you your taxi fare?
Guruji?
Now catch that one.
Now this one.
Now those tall buildings.
Shall we start?
Yes. One moment, please.
Sir, tell us about Anhad Sounds.
Anhad Sounds is a new company we've launched.
The company's mission is to promote North Indian classical music.
To ensure that it reaches a wide audience.
Legacy of Alwar is our first offering to music lovers.
This collection features 300 rare compositions
belonging to the Alwar tradition.
We were worried that Alwar's 200-year-old legacy
would get lost over time.
So I felt that it was important to document this.
This project is the culmination of nearly four years of research.
Maestros Vilas Bhat, Manoharbhau Mane, Archana Bhave
and many other veterans have contributed to this project.
Sir, how can listeners access this collection?
The entire collection is available on a USB stick.
It can be bought on the Anhad Sounds website.
What other plans does your company have?
We will be releasing more collections,
which we are currently working on.
We also plan to publish books related to music, offer online music classes…
We have lots of ideas. Let's see how they shape up.
Okay.
-Done? -Yes. Thank you, sir.
There's tea, coffee, and snacks,
please do help yourself.
Okay, thank you.
Oh, seeker!
At the edge of a well, oh, seeker
I sowed a tamarind seed
At the edge of a well, oh seeker
I sowed a tamarind seed
The tree sprouts fish
And casts a fine shade
At the edge of a well
Oh, seeker
At the edge of a well, oh, seeker
A deer was wed
At the edge of a well, oh, seeker
A deer was wed
She gave birth to five fawns
At the edge of a well, oh, seeker