Sunil Kaushik: ‘Neele Neele Ambar par’ was one of my most challenging works

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

Sunil went on to create a niche in the music industry and today his name is synonymous with the title track of the cartoon series, Chota Bheem, for which he also composes the background score.

The veteran speaks over a call from Mumbai on his way to a studio to record music for Chota Bheem. Sunil says he is looking forward to performing in Bengaluru for the annual fundraiser. Every year, Rotary Bangalore Aagneya, conducts an RD Burman musical concert to raise funds for its projects, which mainly focuses on education. The annual concert is the brainchild of the late rotarian, R Shankar Narayan, who passed away in December 2023. This year’s concert is a tribute to Shankar and the late drummer, Franco Vaz, who has had a long association with Burman and performed in Bengaluru at many of Aagneya concerts.

Talking to Sunil is like listening to old melodies on a radio as the musician often breaks into tunes with every song he recalls or every note of Burman he explains. “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 bonded over music and we were fans of Pancham da.”

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

Taking to music was not tough as his father, JP Kaushik, started his career in KA Abbas’ film Shehar Aur Sapna. “The ambience at home was just music. My father played many musical instruments and was also a student of Ali Akbar Khan.”

Sunil with Pancham Da
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

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

That was when Kesri asked Sunil to come on board as the guitarist. “The first song I played on was the title track sung by Ashaji (Bhonsle), ‘Mera Pyaar Shalimar’,” Sunil says breaking into song, interrupted by traffic snarls and honks.

“I thought that was it and was back to my routine work. Post the release of Shalimar, Pancham Da personally asked me to join his band for recordings. Though it was a dream come true, I could not dive in immediately as I had committed myself to other things. He was gracious and waited. Finally, a month after Shalimar, I was officially a musician with Pancham Da.”

Music is like fashion, Sunil says. “It changes with time and people. Its root, however, always remains a good melody, which is its soul.”

While working with Burman, Sunil says he would pray before stepping out of his house. “I would pray that I not be given or asked to play something that I would not be able to as that would leave me embarrassed. Though Pancham Da always created a friendly environment for all of us, I would get nervous if I had to play solo during a recording. I find the song ‘Neele Neele Ambar par’ one of my most challenging works to date.”

“Yaad Aa Rahi Hai – Pancham Forever” will feature artistes including Kishore Sodha (trumpet), Raj Sodha (alto sax and Western flute), Shyamraj (saxophone) and Sunil Kaushik (guitar), all of whom have worked with Pancham. They will be supported by an orchestra by Srinivas Achar and his team from Bengaluru with singers including Divya Raghavan, Shruti Bhide, Ujjayinee Roy, Aditya Vittal, Kalwinder Singh and Narssimhan Kannan.

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

*Helping hand 

The concert is also a tribute to R Shankar Narayan, who was an active member of Rotary Bangalore Aagneya
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Parthasarathy Sudarsanam, Director – Public Image, of Rotary Bangalore Aagneya says, “During the pandemic, we launched a project called Gurudakshine, where we provided financial assistance to families of teachers who lost their lives due to COVID-19. We are also using our events to pay a tribute to our member R Shankar Narayan. His contribution has been immense. He was a dedicated rotarian, passionate music lover and tireless advocate for underprivileged children. A sports enthusiast, especially cricket, Shankar was also an integral part of the KSCA’s cultural committee. With this concert, we celebrate his life, legacy, and service to humanity. His memory continues to inspire us to make a difference in the lives of those around us. Had he been here, I would not even have taken the effort to be a spokesperson as he always took care of everything for everyone.”