Anoushka Shankar in India, with family

Grammy-nominated sitar player tours country with husband, baby to promote new album, Traveller.

It’s a homecoming of sorts for Anoushka Shankar, who is in India after two years, this time with filmmaker husband Joe Wright and newborn, Zubin. The artiste is touring the country to promote her latest album, Traveller and spend some quality time with her father, Pt Ravi Shankar.

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“Earlier, I’d come every year, but this time I was held back because of personal reasons,” says Anoushka, who delivered her first child eleven months ago.

Anoushka shankar

Named after the famous Indian musician and her father’s close friend, Zubin Mehta, she reveals that her son loves music "He’s been coming to the shows from the beginning. He is used to concerts and claps at the end of every piece. He also dances with the music."

Incidentally, she first met her husband when he was in India, researching for a film that never got made. Ask if she’d prod him to make a film in India now? She says, “That would be great. I do keep dropping hints, but he makes his own choices.”

The sitarist confesses that she hasn’t ever given music for a Bollywood film either. She says, “Though I would prefer to stay outside the Bollywood industry, if there’s a film that excites me, I may do it. I think Zoya Akhtar is making interesting films.”

Her 91-year-old father, who has penned the lyrics for a few songs from her album, will attend her Delhi concert.

It’s the first time the sitar maestro has written songs for someone else. Of his health, Anoushka says, “He is stronger than he has been in a long time. He is amazing with Zubin.

It’s like he has whole new lease of life. He talks of performing at concerts he seems young when he plays music.”

Vh1 Handpicked presents Anoushka Shankar Traveller concert on January 13 at St. Andrew’s auditorium. Tickets priced between Rs 500 to Rs 3,000. To book, log on bookmyshow.com.