Film Industry: I teased my father for monopolising the Grammys

I teased my father for monopolising the Grammys

Anoushka’s glad to have celebrated the news of her and her father Pandit Ravi Shankar’s Grammy nominations before he passed away

Aarushi Nigam

    It’s a bittersweet time in the Shankar family. Pandit Ravi Shankar passed away in December last year, and his Lifetime Achievement Grammy, which was announced before his death, will be collected by daughters Anoushka and Norah. However, the sitarist father-daughter duo have received a Grammy nomination each in the World Music Category — Pandit Shankar for his album
The Living Room Sessions, Part 1, and Anoushka for Traveller — making it the first time in Grammy history that a father and daughter have been nominated in the same category in the same year. But Anoushka is really glad that they could rejoice in the news before Pandit Shankar’s demise. “He said he wanted me to win, and I said there was no chance since he was nominated too, and we joked a bit more and laughed. I also teased him for monopolising, since he was also receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award,which he found pretty funny,” Anoushka recounts.
    Having shared the stage with her father for so many years, what are her thoughts on being nominated alongside him? Ask her if it sort of makes them both contenders, even if in a loose sense of the word, and she says, “It’s a fun, fantastic novelty and a meaningful connection between us, to be nominated alongside each other this year. I can’t think of myself in competition with him. It’s enough to have this happen the way it has now.”
    And given that this is her third Grammy nomination, does getting one at this stage in her career bring the same level of excitement? “There are two sides to it. One is the purely professional side, in which recognition through big award nominations brings further attention and credibility to your work, which is helpful. On the other hand, it simply feels good to have work I’ve put so much of myself into, so much time and hard work, recognised. However, fundamentally,awards are not what truly matter when it comes to art. And I try to remind myself of that if and when I get carried away!”
    Anoushka was recently part of a London concert calling for action on violence against women. Given that India was in the grips of huge protests not so long ago, would she like to say something on the subject? She replies, “The London event was a kick-off for One Billion Rising, which will take place on Valentine’s Day around the world. Eve Ensler spoke to the crowd about how the world needs to follow India now, as India is leading the way protesting violence and demanding an end to violence against women. I just fervently hope we are all able to join each other to create change and raise the vibration of people on this earth together, raise consciousness, and end this violence. We need fundamental change in attitudes around women and girls in our society. We (men and women, leaders and common people) are responsible for raising respectful, non-violent men in future generations, and we need to work to keep the dialogue open and keep this issue at the forefront, and not let it turn into yesterday’s news.”
    Lastly, when her father passed away, apart from the usual obit columns and tributes, there was also a lot of re-scrutinising of Pandit Shankar’s life, especially about his marriage with Annapurna Devi. Did the whole digging up of the past make it more difficult to deal with his death? “Speaking less personally, it’s one of those moments that make me wonder at the lack of respect for privacy and the lack of sensitivity in the media. I feel it when seeing news about other people too, so it’s not just about my family. But I don’t think it’s in good taste to dredge up rumours or print interviews that include questionable material when there are people grieving for someone recently deceased. To me, it shows a lack of respect. But it’s the way things are, and I do hope that changes one day,” she says.
    Since she and Norah are collecting Shankar’s Lifetime Achievement Grammy award together, what are they planning to say when they accept it? “I just realised it, I should probably start thinking about that! I have no idea, let’s see,” is her reply.
    — Aarushi Nigam