The earliest hint of Jackson’s appreciation for Indian styles was apparent from his adamant demand to use an authentic Bhratanatyam dancer in yellow Kancheevaram silk in the hit video, Black or White, filmed in 1990.
Though India wasn’t high on the concert map, It was Jackson himself who insisted that India be toured along with Malaysia and Thailand as part of the History World Tour, as mentioned in his official biography. Rumours did the rounds that MJ was eyeing performing at the Taj Mahal; sadly nothing came of that!
The concert that happened on November 1, 1996 at Mumbai was one of the first sell-outs and pegged at a gate entry of over 72,000 people was the highest attended international concert in the country for a long time.
In 1999, when Michael Jackson organised his ambitious ‘Michael Jackson and Friends’ concert in Munich, it was surprising that amongst super-celebrities like Liz Taylor and Pavarotti he personally assimilated dancers from India including Prabhu Deva and classical danseuse Shobana.
The same concert also featured a music composer from our shores who went by the name of AR Rahman. Not many would know that the same year saw the recording of a single for peace title Ekam Satyam under covers with vocals in Sanskrit by Rahman and those in English by Michael Jackson.
The single hasn’t officially released but fraudulent rips hit the internet periodically. A well informed blog source though claimed that there might be a release on the cards soon. Expectations will be higher in light of his passing.
The king (of pop) has had a perennial affiliation with Zakir Hussain, though no official musical collaborations ensued from that combine.