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Singer-actor Rahul Deshpande on shifting focus to music and connecting with Gen Z: Melody comes from life
After a successful Abhangawari 2026 India tour, Rahul Deshpande is set for more performances, emphasising regional classical music's appeal to younger audiences
Singer-actor Rahul Deshpande after wrapping up his India tour is all set for classical tour in Maharashtra and an international festival tour in the US on the horizon, he says, “It’s time to focus on music. Acting has taken a back seat for sure, as music is happening largely.”
Reflecting on the growing global appreciation for regional classical music, he shares, “This year, my country tour was super special; the crowds were huge, and the best part was seeing so many youngsters. I had a similar experience globally, but performing here really peps you up. My music is mostly about Marathi devotional songs, and it is surprising how quickly Gen Z has overcome the language barrier in just a few years. I remember when I started eleven years ago, I used to do only one or two shows. Today, during my performances in non-Marathi cities, I am even asked to sing Marathi songs like Kannada Raja Pandharicha along with others.”
Having moved on from a difficult personal chapter Rahul acknowledges how much he draws from personal bonds, stating, “In an artiste’s life, relationships are very important. We constantly absorb emotions from the people around us. Our relationships, conversations, memories, and most importantly, the difficult moments in our lives shape the way we create music, as it comes from life. People in our lives become part of it without us realising it.”
Rahul credits his daughter, Renuka, as his biggest cheerleader: “Whenever she joins me for my live concerts, she just loves my songs. She has been listening to my music and joins my Facebook lives. She has a very good voice, but right now she’s in that phase where I told her, ‘Renuka, if you do your riyaz for two, you get a nice gift,’ and she does that wholeheartedly.”
Looking ahead to what is next, he adds, “I have been working with Vishal (Bhardwaj) on a ghazal album for this month, along with our duets. I am also prepping for the annual Vasant Utsav, which is on my mind for the beginning of next year. My music calendar is quite full.”
