Shankar?s song of success

Shankar Mahadevan, the engineering graduate, insists that his passion for music never makes him feel overworked.

Music maverick Shankar Mahadevan never minds the long hours he spends in music studios. Rather, the engineering graduate, insists that his passion for music never makes him feel overworked. “The recording studio is almost my second home. If I work 19 hours a week consistently then there are perks too: my music is being appreciated and you’ve to work hard to make yourself different from the existing.”

For Mahadevan, 2004 is an action-packed year: besides the mandatory film playback, his new sounds in Farhan Akhtar’s Lakshya, Revathy’s Phir Milenge and Samir Karnik’s Kyun Ho Gaya Na has been creating waves. “The best part about film music is that songs are usually meant as props to carry the film forward. Sometimes you work with directors like Farhan who have technical knowledge of music, and sometimes directors believe in you and give you complete freedom. The important thing is unless Ehsaan (Noorani), Loy (Mendonca) and I are satisfied we don’t make good music and for us there’s never a compromise,” he says.

Mahadevan’s last album, 9, has been a moderate success but he’d rather wait for the remix rage to get over before plunging into the Indipop mode: “I am uncomfortable about doing an album at a time when only remixes are doing well. It wouldn’t make sense to work hard on an album that wouldn’t be a commercial success. Raunchy videos and mindless remixes are a passing phase and once boredom seeps in, the obvious will happen. However, I am working on an idea and very soon I’ll have a few songs underway, but I’ll seriously plan an album next year”

And Mahadevan also believes in switching off completely from music once he walks out of a studio. “I wouldn’t even drum my fingers on the dinner table. I prefer to read, fly planes with my son and enjoy myself. Once I am at work I’ll never even take calls, my mobile’s on a voice-mail and I want no interruptions. You have to get your priorities right,” he says.

So, what’s the one thing that makes Mahadevan smile these days? “My major tour of the jazz festivals in the Europe with Zakir Hussain. It’s going to be a phenomenal experience to share the stage with some of jazzes greats,” he excitedly says.

We hope he has a good time too.

HT Image

Maverick Foodie Mahadevan is a foodie. He enjoys anything from pasta to Thai to a regular South Indian meal. Mahadevan also watches cookery shows on television to pick up recipes "I’m a good cook and given a choice I’d cook every day," he says.