Making way for budding talents

Kailash Kher

Purnima Sharma

The sight of kanvariyas out on the roads carrying the auspicious Ganga waters back to their village may not necessarily be a happy one for city commuters (who suffer consequent traffic jams as priority is given to these lads doing a 'holy job') but for Kailash Kher, it is inspiration. And that is what resulted in 'Bhole Chale', a video commemorating not just the month of shravan but also the zest and energy of these Shiv bhakts. "It's a tribute to all those who have passion in their belief. Bhole chala rahein hain, aur bhole chal rahein hain," says the 43-year-old singer in a telephonic conversation from New York where he had gone to perform with AR Rahman at the IIFA Awards.
"I have had a very long association with Rahman and this function was special, as it commemorated his 25 years in films," informs the singer whose journey in Indian cinema commenced in 2004 with the song Allah ke bande from the film Waisa Bhi Hota Hai II. "And it got me my very first award," smiles Kher remembering the award-function where he, as a newcomer was pitted against stalwarts like Kumar Sanu and Sonu Nigam in the nominations category. "And when I got the award, everyone wonde
red yeh Kailash Kher kaun hai?" But, despite the criticism he had to face about his deep, unusual voice, Kher was fast making his presence felt on the Bollywood music scene. And today, just 13 years down the line, besides innumerable awards, he also has the coveted Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award, in his pocket.
"It was a real honor and, needless to say, I was in a state of amazement and shock minutes after I received the phone call informing me about it early this year," smiles Kher who decided to become a nirguni – also known as bhakti or sufi -- singer early in life. Ask him to go back to his early days and he remembers how it was his father, a priest residing in Delhi's trans- Yamuna area, who would sing his own compositions in praise of the Lord. "More than religious, these were spiritual in nature. And I remember, as even a seven-year-old, being fascinated by the mystical thoughts and words he used in his songs -- about life, philosophy and the universe... I may not have really understood all that as a little kid, but I could sense and feel the beauty and the basic essence of his words. And that's when I decided to become a singer." Ironically, when Kher Sr heard of his son's future plans, he was far from pleased. "He wanted me to become either a doctor or an

As he started knocking on the doors of music studios, opportunities opened up and Kher started singing jingles – "after all, money bhi to zaroori hota hai na." Soon, he got the opportunity to do a trial for Allah ke bande... with the music-composer duo, Vishal-Shekhar. "Once I finished recording, they decided to use it as the final version in the film. And that's how I stepped into the film industry," smiles Kher.

engineer," he remembers. But, young Kher was determined to move only on the path of music. "Whoever I would speak to, or the teachers I went to, would be startled on hearing my voice. They would laugh on my face and tell me to forget about music as it was not musical enough." So, with no music teacher to guide him, Kher became, as he says, his own guru. "Aur yeh achcha hi hua," for, without any formal training in music, his voice became what it is known for - - raw and unique, laced with a mystical, soulful quality. "But all this did not come easy," says the singer. "As I had become a rebel, and unlike the other children my age, refused to conform, I had to leave home – actually this happened after a fight with a cousin in which my parents did not support me – at the age of 13." To make ends meet, Kher was forced to do all kinds of odd jobs "jis mein kabhi main raja bana aur kabhi rank".
Finally, after more than 15 years of struggle, Kher returned home and decided to follow his father's bidding – and set off for Rishikesh to learn 'panditai'. "Babuji had plans of sending me to the US to become a priest in one of the mandirs there." Needless to say, his heart wasn't in his new vocation and Kher even contemplated suicide by drowning himself in the River Ganga.
Fortunately, one of his father's friends who had often heard Kher sing suggested he shift to Mumbai. "This, I felt, was God's message for me, and did just that – even though I was not looking for a career in Bollywood but to make an album of nirguni music," he says.
As he started knocking on the doors of music studios, opportunities opened up and Kher started singing jingles – "after all, money bhi to zaroori hota hai na." Soon, he got the opportunity to do a trial for Allah ke bande... with the music-composer duo, Vishal-Shekhar. "Once I finished recording, they decided to use it as the final version in the film. And that's how I stepped into the film industry," smiles Kher. And when his own album, Kailasa (2006), was released, the young singer knew he had arrived.
With over 700 hundred film songs and over a 100 that he's written, composed and sung, Kher decided to reinvent himself – and put together a music group called 'SurFira' comprising seven youngsters. "In all these years, a number of young singers with several years of classical training come to me for advice. They want to make it big in the world of music, but have no one to guide them," says Kher who is not part of the group "but with them only as their mentor".
The group has already taken flight with an album that was released earlier this year. It has a mix of three new compositions that have been written and composed by Kailash Kher and three covers: Mehdi Hasan's 'Rafta Rafta', Ghulam Ali's 'Hangama Hai Kyon Barpa' and 'Ranjish Hi Sahi'. Kher says that is is perhaps the first time in the recent history of music that an established singer is making way for newcomers who are not his family members. "Why should anyone feel apprehensive or threatened by new talent? There's always room for more on the music horizon," he states. And in the future too, Kher has plans to help budding singers. "Aap kuaan baniye, pyaase khud aapke paas aayenge," he adds with a smile.



		EDITOR'S MAIL MATTERS OF PUBLIC POLICY FRANKLY SPEAKING CHANGING ORDER SOCIETY & RELIGION STATE OF ARMED FORCES REALPOLITIK INDIAN ECONOMY US OIL EXPORT OTHER BACKWARD CASTES SIGNS OF THE TIMES SIKHISM DIRTY ADVERTISEMENT HITS & MISSES SPORTS APPOINTMENT OF LOKAYUKTA HIMACHAL POLL SOLAR SCAM CHANDIGARH DIARY CHINA WATCH PAK POWER STRUGGLE AMERICAN DIARY BOOK BAZAAR POLLUTION AND RESOLUTION YOGA IN DAILY LIFE A SINGER'S JOURNEY ART OF LIVING Issue:Sep' 2017 Subscribe Now	A SINGER'S JOURNEY Making way for budding talents Kailash Kher Purnima Sharma The sight of kanvariyas out on the roads carrying the auspicious Ganga waters back to their village may not necessarily be a happy one for city commuters (who suffer consequent traffic jams as priority is given to these lads doing a 'holy job') but for Kailash Kher, it is inspiration. And that is what resulted in 'Bhole Chale', a video commemorating not just the month of shravan but also the zest and energy of these Shiv bhakts. "It's a tribute to all those who have passion in their belief. Bhole chala rahein hain, aur bhole chal rahein hain," says the 43-year-old singer in a telephonic conversation from New York where he had gone to perform with AR Rahman at the IIFA Awards. "I have had a very long association with Rahman and this function was special, as it commemorated his 25 years in films," informs the singer whose journey in Indian cinema commenced in 2004 with the song Allah ke bande from the film Waisa Bhi Hota Hai II. "And it got me my very first award," smiles Kher remembering the award-function where he, as a newcomer was pitted against stalwarts like Kumar Sanu and Sonu Nigam in the nominations category. "And when I got the award, everyone wonde red yeh Kailash Kher kaun hai?" But, despite the criticism he had to face about his deep, unusual voice, Kher was fast making his presence felt on the Bollywood music scene. And today, just 13 years down the line, besides innumerable awards, he also has the coveted Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award, in his pocket. "It was a real honor and, needless to say, I was in a state of amazement and shock minutes after I received the phone call informing me about it early this year," smiles Kher who decided to become a nirguni – also known as bhakti or sufi -- singer early in life. Ask him to go back to his early days and he remembers how it was his father, a priest residing in Delhi's trans- Yamuna area, who would sing his own compositions in praise of the Lord. "More than religious, these were spiritual in nature. And I remember, as even a seven-year-old, being fascinated by the mystical thoughts and words he used in his songs -- about life, philosophy and the universe... I may not have really understood all that as a little kid, but I could sense and feel the beauty and the basic essence of his words. And that's when I decided to become a singer." Ironically, when Kher Sr heard of his son's future plans, he was far from pleased. "He wanted me to become either a doctor or an As he started knocking on the doors of music studios, opportunities opened up and Kher started singing jingles – "after all, money bhi to zaroori hota hai na." Soon, he got the opportunity to do a trial for Allah ke bande... with the music-composer duo, Vishal-Shekhar. "Once I finished recording, they decided to use it as the final version in the film. And that's how I stepped into the film industry," smiles Kher. engineer," he remembers. But, young Kher was determined to move only on the path of music. "Whoever I would speak to, or the teachers I went to, would be startled on hearing my voice. They would laugh on my face and tell me to forget about music as it was not musical enough." So, with no music teacher to guide him, Kher became, as he says, his own guru. "Aur yeh achcha hi hua," for, without any formal training in music, his voice became what it is known for - - raw and unique, laced with a mystical, soulful quality. "But all this did not come easy," says the singer. "As I had become a rebel, and unlike the other children my age, refused to conform, I had to leave home – actually this happened after a fight with a cousin in which my parents did not support me – at the age of 13." To make ends meet, Kher was forced to do all kinds of odd jobs "jis mein kabhi main raja bana aur kabhi rank". Finally, after more than 15 years of struggle, Kher returned home and decided to follow his father's bidding – and set off for Rishikesh to learn 'panditai'. "Babuji had plans of sending me to the US to become a priest in one of the mandirs there." Needless to say, his heart wasn't in his new vocation and Kher even contemplated suicide by drowning himself in the River Ganga. Fortunately, one of his father's friends who had often heard Kher sing suggested he shift to Mumbai. "This, I felt, was God's message for me, and did just that – even though I was not looking for a career in Bollywood but to make an album of nirguni music," he says. As he started knocking on the doors of music studios, opportunities opened up and Kher started singing jingles – "after all, money bhi to zaroori hota hai na." Soon, he got the opportunity to do a trial for Allah ke bande... with the music-composer duo, Vishal-Shekhar. "Once I finished recording, they decided to use it as the final version in the film. And that's how I stepped into the film industry," smiles Kher. And when his own album, Kailasa (2006), was released, the young singer knew he had arrived. With over 700 hundred film songs and over a 100 that he's written, composed and sung, Kher decided to reinvent himself – and put together a music group called 'SurFira' comprising seven youngsters. "In all these years, a number of young singers with several years of classical training come to me for advice. They want to make it big in the world of music, but have no one to guide them," says Kher who is not part of the group "but with them only as their mentor". The group has already taken flight with an album that was released earlier this year. It has a mix of three new compositions that have been written and composed by Kailash Kher and three covers: Mehdi Hasan's 'Rafta Rafta', Ghulam Ali's 'Hangama Hai Kyon Barpa' and 'Ranjish Hi Sahi'. Kher says that is is perhaps the first time in the recent history of music that an established singer is making way for newcomers who are not his family members. "Why should anyone feel apprehensive or threatened by new talent? There's always room for more on the music horizon," he states. And in the future too, Kher has plans to help budding singers. "Aap kuaan baniye, pyaase khud aapke paas aayenge," he adds with a smile.