My Kolkata concert after Pujo will be an extended celebration: Shaan

Shaan, known for his mellifluous voice and charming dimpled smile, has long been admired for his on-stage persona. With the festive season approaching, he offers a glimpse into his off-stage life, sharing the memories that shape his Pujo celebrations, the family rituals he continues to uphold, and why the festivities feel incomplete without his mother. Now, with his excitement impossible to miss, Shaan is all set to return to Kolkata for his upcoming concert. “I lost a lot of sleep, and finally it’s happening!” he laughs, calling the show an “extended celebration” that picks up right where the Pujo madness leaves off.

‘Our celebrations always revolved around Maa’

Ask Shaan about Durga Puja, and the first thing he does is go back to his childhood home, to a time when the festival was all about his mother. “To be very honest, all these years Pujo fun was centered around Maa,” he says, his voice softening. “There was a time when we had to make preparations for her and her group—from the pandals they wanted to visit to the concerts they looked forward to. Maa was always so enthusiastic about Sonu Nigam’s or Abhijeet da’s (Bhattacharjee) show during that time. I used to make all the arrangements so that she could attend. So my Pujo memories are a lot centered around her.”

That’s why the festival now feels a little different. “She left us for her heavenly abode three years ago. Ekhon Pujo taa ektu khali khali laage,” Shaan admits, capturing in one simple line the joy of the season tinged with emptiness.



‘Attending Pujo at the Mukerji’s in Mumbai is a must’
Even as he continues family traditions with his wife and children, Shaan says one of the cornerstones of celebrating Pujo in Mumbai every year remains attending the famous Pujo at the Mukerji’s. “The North Bombay Durga Puja has always been a big part of our celebrations. In March, we lost Deb Mukherjee, a very close family member, and with him gone we are not even sure whether the Pujo will be organised this year. We miss him a lot.”

An extended celebration in Kolkata

Even though Shaan will not be in Kolkata during the Pujo days, the city still plays a special role in his festive rhythm. “There are shows lined up this Pujo season, and my birthday also falls in between the festivities. I will not be in Kolkata during the Pujo days, but I will definitely be there after on October 10. So in a way, it feels like an extended celebration,” he says with a smile.