Aditya Narayan reveals the only reason he's excited for his 35th birthday today

Singer, music-show host Aditya Narayan, who turns 35 on August 6, is excited about his birthday for one reason only. He tells Subhash K Jha what it is.

What are your birthday plans?

To be very honest with you, I never get excited about my birthdays …ever. The last time I got excited about a birthday was when I turned 25.  But this time, there is my daughter with me for the first time. Otherwise, I will follow my normal routine, gym, riyaaz (music practice), chilling at home with my wife Shweta and daughter Tvisha, and my parents. In the evening, there will be a small family get-together

I believe your dad Udit Narayan dotes on his grand daughter?

She is his jaan. He can’t keep away from her. It is amazing to see my father with Tvisha. My parents live a  stone’s throwaway from us. They are in and out all the time. She has all of us dancing around her little finger. When I was a child, my parents were super-busy making their careers as a singer and airhostess. My father had just given his first in Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak when I was born. For the first 18 months of my life, I was sent off to my maternal  grandmother in Kolkata because my parents had no  time. They were busy giving me a bright future. They were from a very humble background. But  they gave me a good life and because of them, I can today spend time with my daughter.

You were telling me about your birthday plans?

Yes, in the evening there will be  a small family get-together. Shweta, my wife is preparing mutton. So I will have mutton for my birthday, although I am essentially a vegetarian.

What kind of a vegetarian has mutton?

The kind who wants everyone to be happy on his Happy Birthday. I am also an eggatarian. I have non-veg food on special occasions, like other people indulge in sporadic drinking or smoking on social occasions. I guess it is less harmful to eat meat once in a while than smoking or drinking. You can call it my vice, my sinful pleasure: mutton  and sugar. I will have my cake too.

This is your first birthday with your daughter?

Yes, and it feels really special. When I look at my daughter, I feel like a more valuable  person. I’ve created something so special. I have an added responsibility to be happier, healthier, stronger for my  daughter, for my wife and parents. I feel more validated now. I mean, it is one thing to live for yourself. But to live for someone else is quite another. This is my first birthday when I am surrounded by so many people I love and who love me.

How has your life changed after fatherhood?

It’s changed for the better. I spend so much more time at home. In any case, I like being home. I like being on my own. I used to watch  films alone, even  go to  restaurants alone. I even went on  holidays alone. But now, my me-time means time with Shweta and Tvisha. Now I am always in a hurry to get back home. I fear Tvisha is growing up  too fast. She is already  six months. I missed her rolling over for the first time. She can now stand supported by my finger. She is in a solid hurry to start walking. It is  every cute to see her trying to walk. I think she’s going to skip the crawling. I don’t think I’ve seen her crawl even once. I want to spend all my time with her. I always wanted a baby girl. Now that I have her in my life, I want to be there for her. I want to be part of her core memories.

Would you like your daughter to be a singer like you and your father?

Of course, she is very musically inclined. She loves all kinds of music. When I play the tanpura, she listens. She loves hearing the healing frequencies. When I sing, she gives her full attention. When last month we took her to Coorg for  our first family holiday, I would sing a lot for her: she would just quietly be lying down listening.

Your biggest fan?

(laughs) So its seems. She loves listening to me my dad, my mom. She even likes my wife’s singing ha ha. That being said, she can be whatever she wants when she grows up. I would give her all the opportunities. But yes, from all indications, she is musically inclined. I wouldn’t mind her going into sports. No one in my family has gone into sports. I wanted to be a  cricketer. I would have liked to sing and play cricket.

This year we lost Mata  Saraswati Lata Mangeshkar and other musicians. What do you feel about the erosion in the music field?

No loss could be greater than Latadi. I feel blessed that we belong to country where Lata Mangeshkar was born. I belong to a generation that grew up on her stunning songs. She sang so many hit songs with my father. In fact, Latadi was very fond of my father. He was her favourite contemporary singer. She came home, blessed me. I feel  very  lucky to have met her. Her music will play as long as civilization remains. Every listening to her song  is a learning  experience for me.

What do you feel about the erosion of talent in music?

Earlier, the quest  for excellence was a given in every field. The musicians too were striving for excellence from Lataji and Rafi Saab to my father and  Kavita Krishnamurthyji to Shreya  Ghosal and Arijit, they were all striving for  excellence. We now live in an age of instant gratification. The  best art  is timeless. What we get these days is more  like fast food. I’d urge my contemporaries and future generations to strive for excellence. It is our responsibility to be the best version of ourselves.

Subhash K Jha is a Patna-based film critic who has been writing about Bollywood for long enough to know the industry inside out. He tweets at @SubhashK_Jha.

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