MANGALURU: Kadri Gopalnath was a simple-loving father and never reflected his larger-than-life persona at home, said noted music director Manikanth Kadri, speaking about his father at his house in Mangaluru.
In a brief conversation with The New Indian Express, Manikanth said he and his siblings were not aware about his fame in their childhood days.
It was only after they moved to Chennai that he started understanding his father’s repute. “Many prominent musicians and people would visit our home in Chennai and discuss music. It was then that I understood how big my father was,” he added.
Talking about his own success, Manikanth said that his father inspired him in many ways. “He wanted me to work hard and struggle to achieve success. That is the reason why I am standing tall today,” he said.
Gopalnath wanted Manikanth to play the saxophone but he was more interested in composing. Manikanth said he would secretly compose music during his college days and once when he was caught off-guard, he was slapped by his father. However, it was this incident that led to the creation of five volumes of saxophone music. “On seeing my work, my father asked me to record fusion. I did it for my father and we did five volumes of fusion together,” he recalled.
Manikanth said that his father’s demise is deeply saddening but he will always find his spirit supporting and guiding him.