Why did you wait for 30 years to record an album in Sanskrit?
No, no, may I please request you not to call it an album? Sarvamangal Ganesha is a compilation of mantras and shlokas dedicated to Lord Ganesha..which I have recited. If you chant them regularly, they help you to sort out your problems, fulfill your dreams and live in peace. I'm a bhakt, I know they always work.
Besides Anup Jalota, Jagjit Singh and you, why haven't more bhajan singers become prominent on the scene today?
Indeed..there are no bhajan singers around after Jagjit Singh and Anup Jalota. Actually, there are no singers at all now. Please show me someone who really sings today. This is sad but true. I can proudly say that we had great singers in our time.
About a month ago, you released a private album of ghazals..how has Saadgi fared?
In less than four weeks, it's No 1 on the ghazal music charts. Although I record private albums on and off, this was my first ghazal CD after 17 years. Mayuresh Pai, who's like my son, came up with marvellous composition. And Javed Akhtar did a fine job too.
What's up with the album you're doing with Bally Sagoo?
Excuse me? Who Bally? Bally Sogo? No no, I'm not doing any albums with him. Some one has misinformed you.
Oops, okay. Do you ever check out the remixes of your songs which are all over the place?
I'm told that a number of my songs have been remixed. I don't find it worth my while to listen to them. Believe me, I've never heard a single remix of my song.
With all the singing contests on TV, do you think we have been able to discover new talent?
Whether we have been able to discover even one per cent of the musical talent in the country is not the question. Sorry to say, these TV shows have misguided hundreds of young boys and girls. These 20 somethings, sometimes even younger, feel they have arrived, that they have achieved success and the road ahead will be simpler. Unfortunately, this is just an illusion.
I've seen the ups and downs of life. I feel bad for these children who end up suffering for no fault of theirs. Where are the musical discoveries.. where are Abhijeet Sawant and others today?
Many of these children come here from far-off small towns, with dreams of making it big but lose their way completely. On these contests, the organisers.. the jury.. whoever.. look for performers. Ab koi naachke to gaa nahin sakta. Bhagwan jaane ye log kya dhoond rahe hain. (Now how can you sing while dancing and jumping..God knows what they are looking for?).
A search doesn't have to be launched for a singer. He or she arrives, sings and stays. Nobody finds a singer. Who found Shreya Ghoshal? But she's here and is doing well. She's one of the finest singers I've heard in recent times.
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