KHER, GAANEY DO…………..
Destiny’s child and son of the soil, Kailash Kher was in Tapi town for the first time for a concert organized by the arts and cultural society –Oyster Club. In an exclusive interview with The Times of India, he shared his music, masti and magic with Ashlesha Khurana.

Q.Kailash, like the mountain that your name suggests your performances have been rock solid, do you think you have reached the peak?

A. When I began this journey, I never thought of having a target destination in mind.Today, because of my songs, filmy and non filmy, becoming hits one after the other, music lovers and fans have taken me to that level. I find it the same, only now my work is better known. I do not cherish a desire to touch any height; the peak is already there in the people’s verdict. If they respect your work, you are automatically elevated in their hearts.

Q.Like Amir Khusro’s poetry, do you feel your female oriented songs are bigger hit, like Saiyyaan, Teri Dewaani etc?

A.I would like to put it this way, like Amir Khusro, Kabir, and Raidas too
wrote in the same format even Bulle Shah who wrote,’Ishq wich jogan ho gayiaan, mein sada suhaagan ho gayiaan.’Kabir wrote, Ram mere pihu, mein toh Ram ki bahuriya.’this is entirely ‘nirguni brahm upasak’ format. Those who write this imagine their Guru in the male gender and their own soul as the female gender becomes the beloved in devotion. That is where the atma and parmatma connect and the emotion comes out so strongly and beautifully.

Q.When in love, Indians around the world sing Kailash Kher songs what does Kailash Kher sing?

A.I sometimes sings my songs, classical compositions like Pt.Kumar Gandharv, Pt.Jasraj, Pt.Bhimsen Joshi, I even hum bhajans sometimes because I write them in a way people will not call them bhajans, I put in some entirely different colourful aspect to it like I have just penned some lines for my forthcoming song,’Ek achambha gaaun, mann ke paath sunau, jab kabhi kabhi, mere babaji neharey aasmaan se.’ [when God looks down on me from the skies, I suddenly start singing.]I also love ghazals and quawallis and Lataji’s abhangs.Also, live folk songs of small towns and villages that are unconventional and natural.

Q.With such a hectic, on-stop, schedule, when do you get the time to practice?

A.I practice with my performances and recordings; I learn as I perform. Art and knowledge are the only things that grow as you learn. You can improve yourself with every performance, by learning more and more.

Q.When is your experience as a judge on reality shows?
A. The talent of the youth in the country is immense, they surprise me with their natural potential.But, when they have to sing on conditions and perform songs of other singers to be popular, the purity of their performance is lost with impurities.

Q.Whats that one song, which you would have loved to sing in your voice?


There are many songs, but I don’t think that ‘I can sing this better.’ Like once while we were recording for Swadesh, with A.R.Rahman, and some other singer was singing. I took interest in it and during retakes I participated excitedly and Rahman asked me would you like to sing this? I sang the song that later Rahman himself ended up singing for Swades, I listen to it whole heartedly and the song is,’Yeh jo des hai tera Swades hai tera.’

Q.How do you find the people of Gujarat as an audience?

A.Gujaratis all over the world are a musically inclined audience. They are highly religious and their cultural roots are very strong. They love ‘khana and gaana [laughs].They are also very hard working but know how to enjoy like a king.

Q.The youth loves your songs, what is your message to them?

A.The youth loves freedom and hates being dictated. My message to them is that the world of tomorrow is for you so, be aware of global warming and careful of not harming it by the wrong kind of industrialization.Keep your lives and nature as wonderful and pure as it is.