Singer Sagar Bhatia aka Sagar Wali Qawwali has been touring India. He performed in Mumbai last week and will take the stage in Kolkata tomorrow (June 28). Often credited for approaching qawwali with a modern approach, is it his way of keeping the genre relevant among the youth? “I’ve been into Sufi music for 15 years now, as I started out with my band Sufi Rock. I haven’t consciously changed anything. I’ve simply followed what felt right to me. People connected with it, and that’s what made it feel relevant. I’m a kid of today’s generation, so I presented qawwali in the way I understand music,” says Sagar.
A fan of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Sagar is known for giving the late legend’s qawwalis a rock twist. “Qawwali has always been alive and Bollywood has played a huge role in that. From Parda Hai Parda, and Kun Faya Kun to Khwaja Mere Khwaja and Bhar Do Jholi – Qawwali has always been a part of our culture,” he adds.
Talking about the kind of audience that turns up at his concerts, Sagar says, “People from every generation connect with my music — even kids as young as 5 or 6 sing my qawwalis. I try to simplify my language. I don’t know a lot of Urdu. I use more Hindi and relatable words, so even Gen Z connects with my songs. I remember seeing a five-year-old fan at one of my concerts, singing Biba Sada Dil Morde. He knew the lyrics by heart. It was humbling.”
As someone who started out by performing at jagrans and clubs, did he ever feel he would see these days? “I started by playing the guitar at jagrans. I even performed with Narendra Chanchal ji, but I never got the chance to sing. I learned everything from the streets, observing senior musicians, and surviving on whatever money people would shower on me during performances. I never learnt music formally. Later, I played the guitar at dance bars in Malaysia. I got my first break as a singer at a club in Chandigarh and earned ₹10,000. I realised qawwali was what I truly wanted to pursue. I was clear that I wanted to be a singer, and now my dream is to become a composer.”
