The versatile Shankar Mahadevan on how his training in classical music helps him in creating popular compositions

Shankar Mahadevan wears many hats – award-winning playback singer, music composer, actor, teacher, ghazal singer and a classical singer – his jugalbandis with Ustad Rashid Khan and Vidushi Aruna Sairam are memorable. In his words, “I like all my avatars, you can call me a musical schizophrenic. What I am doing one day I won’t be doing the next day. I could be composing music for a hardcore commercial film, the next day I will be singing an “abhang” concert; every day is a different day for me.”

An engineer by education, Shankar’s life is devoted to music. Articulate and chatty, Shankar held forth on a variety of subjects during a recent interaction on the sidelines of MTV India Music Summit in Jaipur.

Excerpts:

Your extensive training in classical music shines through in your compositions...

If you create something appealing, it is bound to be a hit; no one says this is too heavy to enjoy. “Mitwa” from Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna is such a big hit, yet it is completely raga-based. The first phase of “Oh Rangrezz” is based on raga Kedara; I have even put in a “tihai” but it doesn’t distract from the music. One can get inspiration from anything – “Kajare Re” was inspired by sankirtan, where devotional verses to the Lord are repeated. The words “Kajare Re” are repeated to create the same effect. I recall Pt Jasraj called me up on the phone after it was released and said, ye “Kajare Re” kya hai… I was like Oh! God now he would go after me, but all he said was, ‘all day that tune has been going on in my head!’

People often ask what comes first: the music or the lyrics. Ideally, it should go hand in hand. The satisfaction one gets from composing music for one song with good lyrics is equivalent to 500 songs. My 35 years of learning classical music went into my compositions for the Marathi film Katyaar Kaljat Ghusli, a remake of the classic play whose music was composed by Pt Jitendra Abhishekhi. The biggest compliment I received was when people who knew music said they didn’t get to know which were my creations and which were his!

What goes into making good music?

You have to have a soul to create and perform music, technology cannot help with that. It can only help you present the music, nothing else. As an example, Zakir (Hussain) bhai’s extensive data bank of music is what makes him what he is. He knows unerringly what to choose from his vast knowledge, and when to present it, also how much to present. Of course, it goes without saying that the immense practice he has had and his technical perfection make him who he is. There is no shortcut to perfection. I remember Zakir bhai telling me that he used to wake up at 3 a.m., and because doing practice on the tabla would disturb others, he and Abbaji would recite the tabla bols and memorise them to perfection.

How do you see the current state of classical music?

Classical music is not for the masses; you should not want an audience of 5000 people. Having said that I feel the audiences today are intelligent and knowledgeable, it’s a good situation.

It seems teaching is your passion now...

Some years ago I founded this online teaching academy with a college friend of mine. I’ve always felt Indian classical music is so amazing but it needs to be structured when it’s taught. The youngest student we have is three, the oldest 81– it is an amazing range to have. After years of trial and error, we have worked on a curriculum that I think works. We are in 76 countries now. Next step is to create a world-class academy in India. The world wants to come and learn Indian music; there is no really fine institution to fulfil this demand.

You also seem to enjoy collaborating with other artists...

That’s true; in fact, in the years to come, I want to collaborate with a lot more Indian artists. I want to collaborate with Bombay Jayashri; we grew up together. I love Ustad Rashid Khan’s singing and I was keen to collaborate with him and that happened. Whenever I have sung a jugalbandi, it has been non-competitive, it’s not about oneupmanship. For me singing with someone is only about love. I remember I sang a concert called Matrabhoomi with Aruna ma, (Aruna Sairam) in Chennai, and Mumbai; we sang in 10 languages.

Not for relaxation!

“I love to listen to Rashid Khan, Niladri Kumar, Purbayan Chatterjee, a young singer called Ankita Joshi, and Aruna Sairam. In the older generation, I loved Ustad Vilayat Khan, DK Jayaraman, Pt Ravi Shankar, Ustad Amir Khan. Bade Ghulam Ali sahib. Ghulam Ali , the ghazal maestro, has paid a huge role in my evolution. I find the way he sings just incredible.

But as a musician I find I can’t listen to music to unwind. The minute something interesting or unusual or something I want to learn comes in, I am alert and the relaxation goes! I think that is inevitable with every musician.”

Critics at home

“My sons are my buddies, one is 26 years old and the other is 13. They have strong musical identities of their own. I don’t want them to live in my shadow; they critically analyse my music.”