Music reality shows have discovered gems in playback singing and Abhijeet Ghoshal who has won the Sa Re Ga Ma Pa 11 times is no longer just a winner of a reality show. He had left the competition voluntarily and later went on to pursue a career in music. For someone who left his secure job to pursue music, Abhijeet has come a long way. He says, “Winning 11 times, and thereafter leaving the contest undefeated, that too voluntarily, was a wonderful experience. I would like to emphasise that Saregamapa did not have this SMS voting system then. I was judged by the virtuosos of classical as well as film music of the country like Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia, Ustad Vilayat Khan, Naushad Saab, Ustad Rashid Khan. So, it was no mean feat.”
Abhijit is now, an acclaimed singer in Bollywood and has sung Jashn Hai Jeet Ka from the Salman Khan and Ajay Devgun starer London Dreams under Shanker Ehsaan Loy. He sings in 14 different languages. He has worked with Louis Banks, Kavita Krishnamurti, Shaan, Alka Yagnik, and many more. A versatile singer, Ghoshal, who has successfully sung Bollywood songs, Ghazals, Sufi music, is now planning to make a foray in the Bhajan genre of music.
In his concerts under the name Bhajan Pravaah he sings soulful bhajans from Sai, Kabeer, Tulsi, Durga, Kali, Nirgun, and Sufi. Most of these are fresh soul touching and rhythmic compositions. Ask the singer what drove him to singing bhajans and he says, “Lataji (Mangeshkar) has a vast repertoire of bhajans. Even Manna Dey used to sing beautiful bhajans. Anup Jalota sings soulful bhajans too. There is a certain peace and contentment I get when I sing bhajans. Bhajans are spiritual and connect with the soul. Also, each festival has a bhajan associated with it. I feel a deep connect with God when I get an opportunity to sing a beautiful bhajan.”
Abhijit will soon launch his new album based on Sai Bhajans, ‘Sainath Aao’, in the second week of August. The launch will see the stalwarts of soulful music like Anup Jalota, Kavita Krishnamurty attend it.
Abhijit wants to work with many composers in the future and feels there is no shortcut to success. He says, “I have huge faith in karma. I believe one needs to focus on one’s work and leave the rest to God.”