Sunil Kaushik: ‘Neele Neele Ambar Par’ was one of my most challenging assignments

Mumbai-based veteran guitarist Sunil Kaushik will perform in Bengaluru as part of Rotary Bangalore Agniya’s annual concert, “Yaad Aa Rahi Hai – Pancham Forever”. For those struggling to place him, here’s a clue – he’s the guy who played the guitar on RD Burman’s composition ‘Neele Neele Ambar Par’, sung by Kishore Kumar in the 1983 film. artistSunil has had a long musical stint with Burman, or Pancham as he was fondly called, and has an extensive body of work in the world of Hindi films.

Sunil made his mark in the music industry and today his name is synonymous with the title tracks of cartoon series. Small BhimaFor which he also creates the background score.

This veteran talks on a call while on his way to a studio from Mumbai to record music Small Bhima. Sunil says he is looking forward to performing in Bengaluru for the annual fundraiser. Every year, Rotary Bangalore Aganya organizes an RD Burman concert to raise funds for its projects, which mainly focus on education. The annual concert is the brainchild of late Rotarian R Shankar Narayan, who died in December 2023. This year’s concert is a tribute to Shankar and late drummer Franco Vaz, who has had a long association with Burman and performed in Bengaluru. In many concerts of Agneya.

Talking to Sunil is like listening to old tunes on the radio as the musician often plays out every song he remembers or tunes in with every note of Burman. “Coming to Bengaluru is like coming to my family. The credit for this feeling goes to Shankar, who always made us feel so loved and cared for. He was a dear friend and was associated with music and we were fans of Pancham Da.

Sunil started playing guitar because his elder brother, the late Satish Kaushik, used to play it. “I would also listen to Pancham da’s songs and dream of getting a chance to work with him.”

Taking up music was not difficult as his father JP Kaushik started his career with KA Abbas’s film City and dream. ,The atmosphere at home was absolutely musical. My father played several musical instruments and was also a student of Ali Akbar Khan.

Sunil has learned to play drums and congo. “I was a good friend of Kesari Lord (arranger, conductor and composer) in the late 70s. Kesari worked extensively with Pancham and one day, Pancham asked Kesari to score the background for the film Shalimar (1978).”

Then Kesari asked Sunil to come as a guitarist. “The first song I played was the title track ‘Mera Pyaar Shalimar’ sung by Ashaji (Bhosle),” Sunil said as the song was interrupted by traffic jams and horns.

“I thought that was it and went back to my regular work. Post release Shalimar, Pancham Da personally asked me to join his band for recording. Although it was a dream come true, I couldn’t get involved right away because I had committed myself to other things. He was kind and waited. Finally, after a month ShalimarI was officially a musician with Pancham Da.

Sunil says, music is like fashion. “It changes with time and people. However, there is always a good melody at its root, which is its soul.

While working with Burman, Sunil says that he will pray before leaving his house. “I would pray that I am not given or asked to play something that I would not be able to do because it would make me feel embarrassed. Although Pancham da always created a friendly atmosphere for all of us, I would get nervous if I had to sing alone during the recording. I find singing ‘Neele Neele Amber Par’ to be one of my most challenging assignments till date.

“Missing You – Pancham Forever” will feature artists like Kishore Sodha (trumpet), Raj Sodha (alto sax and western flute), Shyamraj (saxophone) and Sunil Kaushik (guitar), all of whom have worked with Pancham. . He will be supported by an orchestra from Bengaluru’s Srinivas Achar and his team that will include singers like Divya Raghavan, Shruti Bhide, Ujjayini Roy, Aditya Vittal, Kalvinder Singh and Narasimhan Kannan.

The concert is on January 25 at 6 pm at the Prestige Srihari Khoday Center for Performing Arts, Konankunte Cross, Kanakapura Road. Tickets on BookMyShow or 9886040086.

,helping hand

This concert is also a tribute to R Shankar Narayan, who was an active member of Rotary Bangalore Agneya Photo Courtesy: Special Arrangement

“During the pandemic, we started a project called Gurudakshina, where we provided financial assistance to the families of teachers who lost their jobs due to COVID-19,” says Parthasarathy Sudarsanam, Director – Public Image, Rotary Bangalore Aganya. Lost life. We are also using our events to pay tribute to our member R Shankar Narayan. His contribution has been huge. He was a dedicated Rotarian, a passionate music lover, and a tireless supporter of underprivileged children. An enthusiast of sports, especially cricket, Shankar was also an integral part of the cultural committee of KSCA. With this concert, we celebrate his life, legacy and service to humanity. His memories continue to inspire us to make a difference in the lives of people around us. If he were here, I wouldn’t even try to be a spokesperson because he always took care of everyone’s things.