Mumbai, July 12 (IANS) Bollywood playback singer and composer Shaan feels an artist, who has struggled hard, would always like to provide opportunities to their children, and says eventually real talent matters the most.

"Many of us were outsiders who put in a lot of effort to arrive at a certain position. So if an artist who has worked so hard, struggled to be where they are, wants their child to have some of those opportunities, they will provide them with those opportunities. Having said this, real talent and real hard work is always appreciated and valued eventually," Shaan said.

Asked if his children want to follow his footsteps and enter the music industry, Shaan said, "I believe that they are free to choose their paths but they are definitely going to go ahead and pick what they like, and if that is music, I'm extremely happy as a father. I want them to pursue their passion, to practise what they're good at."

Looking back at his career, he said, "To be very honest, I was lucky enough to be blessed with great opportunities. I belonged to a household that carried a musical legacy, my father Manas Mukherjee had lent his voice to several great songs in the past."

"Unfortunately we lost him too soon, he was only 43, but he left a lot behind in terms of his values, his conditioning and the goodwill that he created in the industry. My mom would sing with him in the chorus, my sister Sagrika had also received great appreciation for her musical talent but beyond a point I had to really do it myself so I used to just follow them around when they would go for a meeting with composers and producers, I was always keen to learn, understand and build my network," Shaan added.
On the lockdown and coronavirus pandemic, the singer said, "2020 is not over yet, I definitely have faith left in the days to come."

On how artists are concerned about securing their future now, Shaan said, "Times are different now. It becomes very important for one to look out for themselves, to sustain themselves financially. However, one thing remains constant. You always need to be passionate and consistent in your efforts. Respect your colleagues and the people you interact with, have gratitude, only then will you receive the same back."

"There are several success stories of people who came out of nowhere but put all efforts in their art, did everything in their capacity to produce brilliant work and, of course, once they are recognised for their talent and work, it is also essential to plan a roadmap ahead," Shaan opined.

"Luckily for me, I got married to a wonderful woman who sort of steered the wheel for me in terms of managing things."

"I give complete credit to Radhika, my wife, she not just took care of things financially but also sort of shaped my life up in a way that I felt relaxed, I could focus on my music," he said in a conversation with actress Kiran Joneja on the virtual chat show "Insider Talk".

--IANS sug/khz/