New Delhi, 27 April

Singer Prithvi Gandharv, who is currently on a musical tour with the legendary Ghulam Ali, says he is fortunate to be a part of the performance line-up with the ghazal maestro, who is one of a kind.

For Gandharv, who grew up listening to ghazals by Ali, it was a dream come true moment when he first met the legend during a seven-city tour in Australia around two years ago.

The singer, best known for songs ‘Nirmohiya’ and ‘Yahin Rahiyo Sa’ from web series ‘Bandish Bandits’ season two, is currently on the 'Ghulam Ali Farewell Tour' touring North America and Canada.

"He is very childlike. He has a playful personality. His singing is beyond anything. He is one of a kind. I am very lucky that I did a seven-city tour with him in Australia. They called me when they were planning that tour as they thought that I fit well in this combination. I was happy and excited about the opportunity. But I was nervous when I met him. I was given a time slot of half an hour to perform before him.

"But I got so much love from the audience that the organisers increased my performance time to one-one and half hours. It so happened that I was singing the first half, and he (Ali) was singing the second half. The show was a big hit in Australia. We are touring America with a 15-20 city tour. Then we will go to Europe. I am happy that I am a key part of this farewell tour," Gandharv told PTI in an interview.

The singer, who was introduced to popular music through the song ‘Albela Sajan’ from Sanjay Leela Bhansali's ‘Bajirao Mastani’ in 2015, said through these tours he got a unique opportunity to be up close and personal with Ali, famous for ghazals ‘Chupke Chupke’, ‘Kal Chaudhvin Ki Raat Thi’, and ‘Hungama Hai Kyon Barpa’.

"I went on that (Australia) tour to learn, more than to perform. I thought that I couldn't get a better opportunity than this. It was like a masterclass with the legend... I got a chance to spend some great quality time with him... I was 20 days with him. We used to sit together from 1 am till 6 am.

"I used to ask him about his experiences: how was his equation with fellow singers and contemporaries Noor Jehan, Mehdi Hassan, Lata Mangeshkar and Mohd Rafi. His musical struggles, what our generation of musicians should do, etc... I asked him about his childhood, his personal life, his married life, and his kids... It was a lot of fun."

Gandharv, who began learning music at just 14, was born into a musical family, with nearly everyone from his grandfather to his parents being musicians.

"My mother and father both sing very well. My father is also a violinist. He plays a new instrument called Bela Bahaar. I learned music at a very young age. When everyone found out that I could sing, I started practising. I practised for hours before and after going to school. This process has been going on for years."

As his musical journey progressed, the singer found himself leaning more towards ghazals, and the works by genre masters like Ali, Roopkumar Rathod and Hariharan.