Shaan: The family man

Shaan's father's untimely death made him cherish family ties even more
I lost my father (music director Manas Mukherjee) at the age of 14. After his demise, my mother was the sole breadwinner of the family. When you are living a sheltered life, you tend to take things for granted. But I had to grow up overnight, knowing that there will be no one to guide me anymore.
Walk to remember
Dad never really opened up to his family and there was a certain distance between us.The only time I saw him enjoying was during a walk to the Bandra bandstand, late one evening, shortly before his death. It was raining heavily and dad was wearing red shorts. Suddenly, he stepped into the rains and urged me to join him. It was one of my most cherished memories of him. Now, whenever I go to bandstand, I am reminded of that rainy evening.
Father Figured
My father was a very talented singer and had a hunger for the success he could never achieve. I was very young then and didn't understand the emotional turmoil he was going through. He never parted with his self-respect and refused to stoop low to achieve quick success.
Striking a chord
For years, after he passed away, I kept coming across people who he had impacted in one way or another. Even though he didn't have a lot of money, he would go out of his way to help his musicians. Wherever he went, he managed to strike a cord in people's hearts. I wish he was alive to see what I have achieved. I am sure he would have been very proud.