Padma Shri award-winning singer-composer Kailash Kher says getting Bollywood actress Sonakshi Sinha on board to perform at Justin Bieber\u2019s maiden concert in India over any other acclaimed Indian singer is not a good sign, and sends a wrong message internationally.\nThe singer added that getting a known Bollywood face has become a trend followed by event managers and producers of the Indian entertainment industry.
\n\u201cI read somewhere that a Canadian singer Justin Bieber is coming to India, and actress Sonakshi will perform at the gig. The news was cute, but quite a lie. It doesn\u2019t give a good message internationally.
\n\u201cThey (people from foreign shores) will think that Sonakshi must be a big singer in India. And then she will get concert offers from Canada, and then probably Sonakshi will laugh them off saying \u2018I am not a singer but an actor\u2019,\u201d Kailash told IANS over phone from Mumbai about Sonakshi, who made her debut as a singer in 2015 with single \u201cIshqholic\u201d, and also judged singing reality show \u201cIndian Idol Junior\u201d.
\nHe added: \u201cWhenever any singer from the West comes to India, we get an actor on board to match their level. We don\u2019t get singer for another singer, but actor… Event managers and producers of entertainment industry are so scared.\u201d
\nThe actress will perform as one of the opening acts at the highly anticipated gig, which will be held at the DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai on May 10.
\nThe Indian award-winning singer feels people tend to give more value to actors instead of singers in India.
\n\u201cLive performances are thought to be more valuable around the world not actors, but not in India… Indians are very emotional and that is why sometimes they miss out logic while watching a live gig.
\n\u201cThe organisers don\u2019t consider crowd\u2019s sensibilities (while deciding on the acts in a live gig), and only go for a popular face. Often actors just come and say \u2018It is nice to here\u2019.\u201d
\nBe it for his work in the music industry or association with government initiatives or his endeavours to promote homegrown talent and live musicians, Kailash has expanded his horizon, and earned critical acclaim from all quarters.
\nHailing from Meerut, Kailash rose to fame after years of struggle in terms of finding shelter in a new city like Mumbai and hardships due to cash crunch. After starting with advertisement jingles, he got his big break with the song \u201cAllah ke bande\u201d.
\nHe carved a niche for himself with his rustic voice with hits like \u201cYa rabba\u201d, \u201cChak de phatte\u201d and \u201cTere naal ishqa\u201d. Kailash also gave chartbusters from albums like \u201cTeri Deewani\u201d, \u201cSaiyyan\u201d and \u201cChaandan Mein\u201d.
\nKailash, who makes it a point to promote live musicians through his tours, rues the plummeting standard of live gigs in India.
\nThe 43-year-old said: \u201cIt is our choice. We can reduce our live tours, there is no need to keep a band and be more hero-type and work for films… I always wanted to do live music and to promote it through concerts.\u201d
\n\u201cIf we keep on seeing shows by actors, it will be so sad because live musicians won\u2019t be able to survive,\u201d added the singer, who performed at the Phoenix Marketcity, Kurla in Mumbai, in March.
\nKailash asserts that being a live performer comes with a responsibility to \u201cpromote musicians, music and live art\u201d.
\n\u201c…So that everyone exists and survives in the art and creative field.\u201d
\nKailash, who has worked on the music for \u201cBaahubali: The Conclusion\u201d, \u201cSarkar 3\u201d and \u201cBank Chor\u201d, says all the songs he is working on at the moment are \u201cheavy duty\u201d.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"