Tabla exponent Apurba Mukherjee and his vocalist better-half Indrani are steadily climbing the success-ladder not only as musicians but as organisers too. Recently Indrani did a commendable job as the lead singer-actor while presenting a live audio-drama based on “Asta-ragini”, her guruji Pandit Arun Bhaduri’s novel. Albeit known as individual artistes, their concert as a musician couple during West Bengal Government’s Rajya Sangeet Sammelan spoke volumes of the fact that their reciprocal understanding adds wings to their artistic flights.
In an interview, Indrani and Apurba Mukherjee, who are performing on 6th February at the festival of Indian classical music and dance at the Ravi Shankar Centre, New Delhi, came up with their side of the story...
Despite the mundane drudgery of family life what makes them click aesthetically?
Apurba: Usually we prefer to perform independently because that helps one grow without being dependent on one another. But our organisers abroad often cast us together. During one such concert organised by the Indian Fine Arts Academy, San Diego, we were lucky to get noticed by Sukanya-ji (wife of Pandit Ravi Shankar). She was so happy that she gifted a very precious ring to Indrani and asked in Bengali, ‘Dilli ashbe (will you come to Delhi)?
Indrani: Yes, it was overwhelming! We performed around Panditji’s birthday. I sang raga Shuddh Kalyan followed by several thumri-dadras. As usual, through my music I paid tributes to all my gurus – Pandit Arun Bhaduri, the late Ram Ashray Jha, the late Purnima Chaudhuri, Vidushi Manju Sundaram and Pandit Mohan Singh; and closed with a Raagpradhan Bengali song, composed by my grand uncle the late Sanjeev Bandopadhyay. So, evidently, I need to blend several streams in my presentations. Apurba is familiar with all so well that he catches each bend instantly.
Apurba (with eyes welling up): For this I am grateful to my guruji Pandit Shankar Ghosh who left us all very recently. He practically threw me in situations where I was forced to either swim or drown. When he took me to his school in Bonn in 1996, my first tour abroad, he made me accompany none else than my guruma Vidushi Sanjukta Ghosh and he himself provided harmonium support. Again, in 1998, I was made to accompany guruma during the 30th anniversary celebration of Ali Akbar College at the Palace of Fine Arts, San Francisco. The poster displayed my name along with great tabla legends Anindo Chatterjee, Swapan Chaudhuri and Zakir Hussain!
I was transfixed. And when I entered the stage I saw sitar maestro Shujaat Khan in the wings and Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, Sisirkana Dhar Chowdhury, Ashish Khan and the likes in front of me as listeners. Imagine my plight! Soon after, during a class-session, Ali Akbar Khansaheb was teaching Darbari Todi in chautal. He was singing and the class was following him on respective instruments; but the fledgling tabla turned out to be a spoilsport. On guruma’s suggestion Khansaheb asked me to accompany them for next one hour. Later, Khansaheb treated me with delicious broccoli soup with cream and sandwiches!
Indrani: Our bag is full of such marvellous anecdotes and that is why we believe that we are destined to be musicians. I suppose we click on and off-stage because our streams complement each other. Above all, we are blessed to have artiste-parents. Apurba’s father is a respected kathak-guru while I was initiated to music by my vocalist mother. They appreciate our plight in this music-world where nothing is ensured. They provided steady support in raising our only child who enjoys sound security under their protective wings.
I had consciously decided not to sing for two years after his birth, to be able to enjoy my baby without any pangs of depression. Now, albeit my top priority once I am home; our son knows that his parents are working hard while enjoying music.
As a twelve-year old, he is a great support on the net, camera and, of course, tabla.
