Raghu Dixit transcends music and lyrics. The erstwhile Bharatnatyam dancer and scientist — who now holds a guitar — avoids wearing shoes on stage. He dons a traditional lungi and elegantly uses his ankle bells as percussion.
Recently, the 41-year-old from Bengaluru performed with his band The Raghu Dixit Project in Mumbai’s Ballard Estate Festival. His fans knew the last song would be the popular Hey Bhagwan.
But Raghu, being a prankster, said that he composed a new song and belted out two lines of the Bollywood track Tum Hi Ho before the final punch. The rocker spoke to us after the show. Excerpts from an interview:
What is the story behind the stage attire?
The lungi is a representation of where we come from — South India. The colourful clothing is for the folk music we play. It also becomes a marketing tool when journalists ask questions about it like you have done now. Also, whoever wears a lungi on stage now (after us), becomes a copycat. (laughs)
You had no formal training. How did you acquire such a pitch?
The first time I sang, it sounded like that. It is God’s gift. Due to my knowledge in dance, I knew the basics –— pitch, rhythm and also stage craft. I call myself an urban folk singer. I see a similarity between me singing in a city and a community singing in a village. We are not trained but we belt out from the bottom of our souls.
People sing your Kannada songs in your live shows. How does that happen?
I am just a big bully, I eventually get everybody to sing. People are shy and have a fixed notion of how they should behave in public. You need to break that barrier. Even if you are a bad singer, nothing is as good as singing. You just need to take in air and throw it out. Let the body vibrate.
You played for Queen Elizabeth II in 2012. How was that experience?
She clapped four times after our performance (laughs). We didn’t really have a conversation but we had high tea and British sandwiches, in her presence. To see the royalty in all its glory is a rare experience. You also get to see how money is wasted.
Talking about money, you were invited to play at the esteemed Jools Holland show for just one song…
That’s true but I bumped into Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin) and Adele there. I introduced myself and told Robert what a humongous opportunity it was to play with him. His reply stunned me. He said ‘it is as big an opportunity for me as it is for you. You never know who is watching you tomorrow’.
Why don’t we hear more of Raghu Dixit — the composer, in Bollywood?
I was preparing myself technically, now I am ready. I hope producers are reading this interview. I am already doing two Kannada films and a Tamil film.
