‘I don’t like to eat; get restless without riyaaz’: Suresh Wadkar
Suresh Ishwar Wadkar, the Indian classical and playback singer known for runaway hits like Surmai Shaam (Lekin), Aye Zindagi Gale Lagaa Le (Sadma), Ram Teri Ganga Maili Ho Gayi (Ram Teri Ganga Maili) among so many others, feels that even after 47 years in the music field, riyaaz or training is what makes him feel he has “lived the day”.
“Time has to be taken out. I don’t like to eat, in fact, get restless without riyaaz. It is only after 2-3 hours of riyaaz that I feel I have lived the day. Otherwise, there is no point,” the legendary singer told in an exclusive telephonic interaction from Uttarakhand’s Dehradun.
Has his way of singing changed over the years? “It doesn’t change. Melody and harmony continue to be the same; the 12 notes also stay the same. The only thing that keeps changing is the music and lyrics, which is where an arte’s capability is showcased,” he mentioned.
Awarded Padma Shri in 2020, the 67-year-old recently performed at Nostalgia (Geet and Gazals) as part of the Virasat Arts and Heritage Festival 2022. “The journey after Padma Shri has been great. People len to me, remember me, and meet me. It feels so good. It shows when people love and admire you, and these events are proof,” he added.
On performing at the iconic festival featuring a mélange of art, culture, and music, alongside renowned classical music and dance maestros including Wadali Brothers, Prahlad Singh Tipania, and Osman Mir, he expressed, “So many big artes come to the stage every year as part of this festival. It is such a great privilege. The audience too was so good. The end of Covid is such a blessing for us, especially artes like me. There was nothing in the past two years. Now that everything has opened up again, it is a relief. So many people depend on such events for their livelihood.”
Unlike what is believed, the youth of today “connect a lot” with classical music, which he said “is an Indian heritage that needs to be preserved.” “Young audiences and artes are extremely connected to classical music. They not only attend events but are interested in lening, learning, and propagating classical music. Their liking has risen,” he shared.
He added that it is upon the shoulders of the young to carry the heritage forward. “Classical music has a fantastic future ahead. Classical music is our heritage. It is never going to get out of fashion. Even the new generation is interested. Classical will always remain alive and people will always be fond of it. Since classical is our heritage, we need to give it more attention and nurture it more. Indian classical music is the world’s most pure with the highest regards/standards. Then it is our duty to keep it alive and kicking. So those involved should strive to take it forward as much as possible,” he elucidated.
On losing legends like Lata Mangeshkar, SP Balasubrahmanyam, Pandit Bhajan Sopori, among others in a very short span, Wadkar expressed that their lasting legacy will only continue to be remembered in the years to come. “Their music should be heard each day. Even if a child without any knowledge continues to len to their music every day, they can build a great career,” he said.
Always inspired the likes of late legendary singers RD Burman, Laxmikant Pyarelal, Roshan, Shankar Jaikrishan among others, Wadkar called them as “institutions in themselves”. “Even if one each is studied everyday, one can garner so much knowledge,” he said.
For young artes, he has a word of advice: “Learn from a good guru for at least for 7-8 years, so that you have that finesse. A person who is well-versed with music also has a good, sharp prowess, and a balanced view.”
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