Devotional tracks mark Pandit Jasraj's return to Bollywood

Pandit Jasraj

A decade after he last lent his vocals to a Hindi film - 1920 (for the song Vaada Tumse Hain Vaada) - Padma Vibhushan Pandit Jasraj, 88, is excited about returning to the industry. The veteran has recorded two songs - Nanak Aaya and Sat Guru Nanak - for the upcoming film Nanak Shah Fakir, which is based on the life and teachings of Guru Nanak.

"I feel blessed to be part of this film. I am an ardent follower of Guru Nanak Devji's teachings, and often sing his shabads. But recording his teachings for a film was surreal. I never expected to get an offer of this kind. My love for Guru Nanak Devji attracted the project towards me," says the Indian classical singer, moments before crooning a few lines for us.

Still from Nanak Shah Fakir

For him, being in the studio with composer Uttam Singh was special. "He worked on the songs. He is uttam [best] in the true sense. He used traditional Indian instruments to compose the songs in a bid to recreate the sounds of the 16th century," says Jasraj.

The experience of recording inside the studio, he says, was "adbhut [miraculous]". "Uttamji would narrate a few lines, and I would improvise on the spot. It was a spiritual experience; I didn't realise what I was up to. I was lost in Guru Nanak Devji's words."

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