I wasn’t rebelling; the Zitar was shaped by my search for a voice: Niladri Kumar

Few musicians have reshaped the sitar’s identity the way Niladri Kumar has. With the Zitar, he introduced an electric dimension to the instrument and opened up new possibilities in fusion. Ahead of his recent performance in the city, he spoke to Hyderabad Times about his journey, how the Zitar has grown with him, and his cherished musical bond with Ustad Zakir Hussain.


‘Executing my vision for zitar was like a lab experiment’
Sharing the story of how the idea first sparked, he disciple of Ravi Shankar says, “Back in the ’90s during a UK tour, I found myself on stage with my sitar amidst loud DJs and wondered how to make this Indian instrument even be heard. That led me to attach an AKG pickup mic to the sitar — the first time it was ever used on an Indian instrument. It became such a trend that AKG, which was discontinuing that mic, had to restart production.” That moment of amplification sparked the journey ahead. “The Zitar wasn’t about shape or colour, but about the sound I needed to convey what I wanted to say. Even the craftsmen who helped build it didn’t know what I was trying to create — they executed it like a lab experiment, shocked even when I said I wanted it painted. Today some of them even claim they made it,” he laughs.

‘My time in the film recording studio helped shape my music’
Beginning his studio career as a group sitarist, Niladri Kumar went on to work with acclaimed Hindi film music directors. During those early days, he often wondered if he would ever get a solo opportunity. “It’s not easy, but when the core is strong, the environment becomes a field of exploration. I love those challenges and enjoy applying what I know to different settings. As a young group sitar player in film studios, I watched the main singer always get the solo mic and wondered if I’d ever have that chance. The first time I did, and could lead with my instrument, was a truly special moment — like when I recorded Bheegi Bheegi from Gangster, a solo that little did I expect would be so talked about.”


‘Playing with Zakir Hussain is a joy I miss’
Talking about his recent show in the city, one of his most personal yet, Niladri said his production India Dream brings together the musical influences that have shaped him. “This show was special as there was a segment where I paid tribute to Ustad Zakir Hussain — the way I would if he were actually there. What I loved most about him was the joy of playing together. That vacuum is something I deeply miss. For a sitar player, tabla is the other soul of the music; sitar–tabla is the true partnership. So, this piece allows me to feel that joy again. His tabla and my sitar is a bond that will always stay with me.”

‘Everything I’m in music comes from my father’s guidance’
Niladri Kumar credits his father, Pandit Kartick Kumar, for shaping not just his musical skills but also his approach to life and music. “My father’s journey has always inspired me. Displaced by the Partition from Dhaka, Bengal Presidency (now Bangladesh), he had to take to hawkery to survive, built a sitar with his own hands, won the All India Radio competition as the first across India, and later met Pandit Ravi Shankar ji. My early years were mostly about doing what I was told — training, listening, watching, and simply playing. My father’s teachings emphasised three principles that have stayed with me: honesty, sincerity, and devotion. His training was unique and scientific. As my father believed, ‘If practice is scientific, the result is artistic.”

- Biswajit Talukdar