His effortlessly beautiful bhajans and movie songs have soothed the senses of multiple generations. Indeed, there is something magical about Anup Jalota’s god-gifted voice — whether you hear his Aisi Lagi Lagan, in praise of Lord Krishna, or Solah Baras Ki Baali Umar from the movie Ek Duuje Ke Liye (starring Kamal Haasan), you feel an unparalleled sense of calm. The veteran musician performed at Season 6 of Jhankar at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in Bashirbagh. Organised by Abhijeeth Bhattacharjee, the chairman of Sangitanjaly Foundation, Hyderabad, the event was absolutely mesmerising. Anup Jalota spoke to CE about his journey, his stint on Bigg Boss 12, and more.
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What are your thoughts on the Hyderabadi audience?
Oh, a very classy audience! With their knowledge of Urdu, they enjoy my ghazals. At the same time, they also love my bhajans, like Aisi Lagi Lagan. They also groove to evergreen film songs…so really, the taste of the audience here is very good.
Everyone calls you Bhajan Samraat — usually, those who sing bhajans rarely dabble in film songs or reality TV shows like Bigg Boss. What makes you so versatile?
The world is beautiful, and every aspect of it has its own flavour, so one must have a bite of everything, be it various genres of music or reality TV shows. Bigg Boss 12 was so enjoyable…it was like a paid holiday for me! (laughs)
Even when it comes to bhajans, I sing not just for the older generations but also for the youth. You see, people often think that bhajans make for a very dry subject, but that isn’t true. I mean, you are singing for Lord Krishna, Radha, and other gods — isn’t that incredibly versatile? It is up to the musician to render it well; if it is very traditional, it will satisfy the elderly. But I sing in such a way that it appeals to even youngsters.
What makes your bhajan-singing style different from the bhajans sung by others?
Well, like any good song, it involves some good masala, which essentially means a catchy rhythm, good lyrics, and a nice composition. Most importantly, I sing my bhajans with life. If sung with dullness, it is not going to work.
Tell us about your journey.
I belong to the Sham Chaurasi Gharana, like my father, who was also my guru. I was seven when I started singing bhajans on stage. But I also grew up singing popular songs like (sings) ‘Nanha Munna Rahi Hoon, Desh Ka Sipahi Hoon, Bolo Mere Sang, Jai Hind, Jai Hind…’ Almost every evening, I’d be performing somewhere or the other. At 71, it is still that way. The way I keep my vocal cords ready is by practising regularly.
When I look back at my journey, I can recall some memorable moments, like the series of concerts I did in 1990 with Zakir Hussain in Canada and the US. Five years before that, I did a musical tour in those two countries with Mehdi Hassan and Ghulam Ali. But the most memorable moment was when I received 49 gold, platinum, and multi-platinum discs from Pandit Ravi Shankar for the phenomenal sales of my music albums across the globe. Usually, people would get only one at a time, but I got 49!
How do you prepare before a performance?
Well, I keep my mood very happy and positive. I also watch The Kapil Sharma Show for 15 minutes. See, when I perform for people, the aim is to make it their time’s worth, given that they have kept their tasks aside to come listen to me. They should enjoy it, and if they don’t, then I haven’t done my duty. Music is not just for entertainment; ultimately, it is for the soul.
What is your advice for budding musicians?
To be a great singer, you need to have devotion for music, not just keep it as a profession. If you want to stay in this field for a long time, you need to go beyond just popularity and earn respect. After becoming famous, challenges and responsibilities increase because people start expecting greater things, which you must achieve. When I was awarded the Padma Shri in 2012, I told my mother, ‘You’ll be very happy with this achievement!’ But she told me, ‘Aaj se zara teekh se gaana’. (laughs)
If not a musician, what would you be?
A cricket player. My inspirations are purane doston like Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev.