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Photo: K. Pichumani

NO INSTANT FORMULAS Ustad Sultan Khan: ‘It is not that one develops fusion music overnight’

The Ustad followed this with his successful and much-acclaimed album “Piya Basanti Re”. He has emerged as one of the highest-paid playback singers in Bollywood and is still going strong, giving hit after hit like the popular “Dheem re” in “Maqbool”.

Sitting in his bed, beside crumpled sheets and pillows, clad in his simple lungi-kurta, he hardly resembles the celebrity he is, with his simplicity and humility. He seems greatly satisfied with the discipline and respect showered by music lovers during the recent concert here.

As one of the members of the fusion group ‘Tabla Beat Science’ with Zakir Hussain, fusion music, he says “has no guru. It is not that one develops fusion music overnight. One needs a proper foothold in classical music and years of practice, knowledge and exposure. Indian music, whether north or south, is individual music, unlike fusion music”.

He belongs to the Indore gharana of music and learnt the rudiments from his grandfather Ustad Azim Khan and father Ustad Gulab Khan — both distinguished sarangi maestros and vocalists.

He gave his first public performance at the age of 11 and since then has scaled newer heights of glory nationally and internationally and is credited with stirring up the renaissance of the sarangi.

Age has not withered his enthusiasm for music, though he may not have the earlier physical stamina. He candidly admits that he is not doing his riyaaz. “I am reaping the benefits of years of hard work. It is like education. Once you study you need not go on studying for years together. But I always experiment and that gives me the much-needed energy to carry on”, he professes.

His disciples range from music and film directors like Ilayaraja, Sandesh Sandalia, Ram Gopal Varma, Vishal Bharadwaj, Gurudas Mann, Ikram Khan and his son Zabir Khan and nephew Dilshad Khan. Firmly denying that sarangi has not much takers among the younger generation, the Ustad pointed out that he has many disciples who have mastered the art of sarangi to carry on the lineage to the next generation.

Having remained an instrumentalist for most part of his career, he was discovered by the film fraternity a few years ago and has attained name and fame as a vocalist.

Without any trace of arrogance he openly says: “I am the only musician to be successful in both the fields of music — instrumental and vocal. I am happy that I am able to appeal to the younger generation through my songs”.

The Ustad was honoured recently with the Deenananth Mangeshkar award for his contributions to classical music and is happy about his achievements in the field.

“If I am remembered as a musician who achieved success in both the fields of music that is the greatest reward I can ever get,” he concludes and gets up to get ready to catch his flight. He is balancing a tight schedule, concentrating on his stage performances, background and film music, and his albums. Needless to say, he has to deal with numerous music directors who are queuing up for him, now that he has hit bull’s eye with his singing too.

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