by LAUREN CODLING
LEADING British-Asian musician Talvin Singh OBE is set to perform his Mercury prize winning album 20 years after its release at a top London festival next month.
The composer is set to perform tracks from his 1998 album Ok, as well as debuting material from his new album, which is due out later this year.
The concert takes place at London’s Royal Festival Hall in early May, as part of the Southbank Centre’s Alchemy festival.
“It feels amazing to revisit the Ok album,” Singh told Eastern Eye. “There are a lot of memories attached to the record and it’s been quite a few years now [since it’s release].”
The album, which won Singh the prestigious Mercury Prize award in 1999, is a combination of electronica and Indian classical music. In putting the “innovative” album together, he travelled across London, Okinawa, Mumbai and New York to work with various artists.
“There are a lot of memories attached to the travel log of the record,” he revealed.
Admitting it was difficult to translate the record in a live environment as the album featured such a variety of instruments and artists, Singh said he has had to push his imagination to make sure the live performance worked well.
“I thought we should revisit this particular piece of music and not necessarily have it performed exactly the same as it was on the record, but give it a slightly different perspective,” the tabla player said.
Alchemy festival goers will also hear new material from the 47-year-old’s upcoming EP and album, expected to be released later in the year.
The Royal Festival Hall concert is an exciting one for Singh, who has not performed there since 2013. He recalled the “great” memories of performing at the venue from the early days of his career. “I love the Royal Festival Hall,” he said.
Having not released an album since 2011, Singh also acknowledged the importance of performing live.
“I haven’t put out a record for so many years and so [performing live] is what I’ve been doing and surviving on and enjoying,” he said. “It’s very important, but the studio is also important – they are equally enjoyable, so I am passionate about both of them.”
As well as his own successful solo career, in which he became known as the pioneer of Asian Underground music, the composer has collaborated with several established artists including Madonna, Björk and Massive Attack. Talking about working with other artists, Singh explained it was important to work with musicians who can influence you.
“Music is a reactive art form, so you can influence what they do. It’s all about that interplay and that harmonic major of creating a wavelength because you don’t really talk when you’re with a musician,” Singh said. “You just play music and you usually talk afterwards, so it is more of a telepathic communication which happens between one musician and another.”
Suffolk-based Singh cites nature as an influential marker on his work. In the last five years that he has been living in the east coast county, the natural environment and habitat of the area has been a major inspiration, especially for his new work.
“I think every time you’re inspired, it is by different aspects of what you experience,” he said.
An established tabla player, Singh has been praised for making Indian classical music available to a wider, more contemporary audience. He admitted that as an artist, he is still exploring the percussion instrument and its authenticity.
“That is why it is called classical music or a classical instrument because you always go back to what was left off and slightly deeper into the anthology of the instrument and its repertoire,” Singh said.
Talvin Singh’s performance at the Royal Festival Hall is on Monday, May 7. See www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/festivalsseries/alchemy for details.
A scene from The Thursday Murder Club, where four retirees turn amateur detectives in a quiet British village shaken by a real murderInstagram/NetflixUK
Stills from Andaz Apna Apna
Stills from Andaz Apna Apna
Vinay Kumar Sinha
Rahul’s casual dismissal of that controversy has added fuel to the fire
Rahul Bhatt sparks controversy over 'insensitive' remarks about sisters Alia and Pooja Bhatt
Rahul Bhatt, fitness trainer and son of veteran filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, has found himself at the centre of a social media storm following controversial remarks about his half-sister, Alia Bhatt. In a recent interview, Rahul drew comparisons between Alia and their older sister Pooja Bhatt, calling the latter more talented, attractive, and principled.
The comments, which many have labelled inappropriate and insensitive, have sparked widespread criticism online. During the interview, Rahul stated, “In my opinion, she (Alia) is not even half of what my real sister Pooja is. Not in talent, not in looks, not in terms of being sexy. In front of my sister, she is ‘paani kam chai’ (watery tea). Amongst the siblings, the most talented and the most moralistic is Pooja.”
Social media users reacted strongly, questioning why Rahul would compare his sisters in such personal terms. Several users were particularly disturbed by his reference to their appearance and sex appeal, pointing out that such comparisons within a family cross boundaries of propriety. One comment read, “This is disturbing. Why talk about your sisters like that? It’s not just weird, it’s wrong.” Another post said, “There’s nothing respectful about comparing your siblings’ attractiveness in public.”
The backlash also reignited conversation around a decades-old controversy involving Mahesh Bhatt and Pooja Bhatt. Rahul was asked about the infamous 1990s magazine cover where the father-daughter duo shared a kiss, which had stirred public outrage at the time. Dismissing the criticism, Rahul said, “It doesn’t make any difference. It’s like water off a duck’s back. We know the truth, and we’ve seen everything since childhood.”
Rahul’s casual dismissal of that controversy has added fuel to the fire, with critics saying it reflects a broader issue of the Bhatt family being insensitive to public perception and boundaries. Many users questioned the need for bringing up old incidents in a bid to defend new and equally questionable statements.
As of now, neither Alia Bhatt nor Pooja Bhatt has issued any public response to Rahul’s remarks. Both actors, known for their significant contributions to Indian cinema, have typically kept family matters private despite living in the public eye.
This episode has also sparked debate over the role of public figures in maintaining respect when discussing family matters in the media. Observers say such comments, especially when involving women’s appearance and personal qualities, reinforce problematic attitudes and fuel unnecessary controversies.
While Rahul Bhatt is not as prominent in the entertainment industry as his father or sisters, his comments have made headlines and placed the Bhatt family in the spotlight for reasons beyond their creative work. For many, this serves as a reminder that public platforms come with responsibility, and that family ties should not be trivialised or dissected for attention or comparison.
The backlash is unlikely to subside soon, especially as fans and followers of Alia and Pooja continue to express disappointment over the way the situation has unfolded. Whether or not Rahul chooses to clarify or apologise remains to be seen.