INDIA. Aurangabad, Maharashtra. Around 10 March since the pandemic lockdowns began, 15-year-old Nandini and 17-year-old Prathamesh Mahajan got an opportunity to prove their talents to the world through musical performances on FaceBook Live Events. These children of Suhas Bhagwanrao Mahajan, a middle-aged workman doing odd jobs, had been meticulously trained by their father to carry on the musical legacy of their great grandfather.
The entertainment industry has faced hardship due to the nation-wide lockdowns. There has been no income for performing artists in Bollywood or in the TV industry, and this has been true for the Mahajan family as well.
Facebook live concert
Suhas held a live Facebook musical program from his home during the pandemic. His children are proficient in both Hindi and Marathi songs, whilst Suhas has acquired proficiency in being a compere.
Suhas told Transcontinental Times, that “because of his writing and oratory skill, he was able to host the live shows. Since these are digital performances and any small mistake could have been a risk to the family’s reputation, Suhas had to pen down these scripts and memorize as much as possible.
Suhas has named the show “Jara Dheele Hovu” (let’s loosen up a bit’). This program is on weekly basis, and there are many people from different strata of society who watch these live programs. Suhas insisted, “Let there be joy in their small family, instead of feeling the brunt of lockdown and getting anxious and depressed”.
A family legacy
Suhas’s grandfather Nanasaheb Eknath Mahajan Golegaonkar (1910-1980), a native of Jalna district, was trained in the Hindustani classical form and was able to perform plays with a harmonium and sing natyagit [drama] songs.
Suhas and his wife Shruti have sacrificed much to raise such talented children. It was a priority that their children not face the kind of hardships that they had endured.
The initiative received a positive response with 14 shows being viewed by spectators showering their likes and comments during the live digital performances on Facebook and thereby blessing the children for a bright future in the music industry.
