The first thing Avitesh Shrivastava says when we congratulate him on the release of his debut single Main Hua Tera is, “I hope my dad hears the song wherever he is and feels proud of me.” The late Bollywood composer Aadesh Shrivastava’s older son would have, needless to say, wanted his father to be with him in his big moment. “That’s my only regret. His reaction would have meant the most to me because he was my biggest admirer as well as critic.”
On the day of the track’s release, that place was taken by the Hindi cinema icon Amitabh Bachchan, who launched the song. “Amit uncle is my godfather and he is the only person in the industry who I look up to as a father figure; there’s no one else. Other than my mother (actress Vijayta Pandit), I was really glad to see him so happy and proud of me. When he praised my song, I felt like all the hard work had paid off,” he avers. The megastar worked with Aadesh in films like Major Saab (1998), Kabhie Khushi Kabhi Gham (2001), Baghban (2003), and Baabul (2006) among others. “He has been there for us constantly. Honestly, he is like God to my family and me,” the young musician says emotionally.
‘CANNOT LET MY DAD DOWN’
As a pop star, Avitesh would rather be known by the name AVI, not because it’s the abbreviation of his name, but as a tribute to his parents since it’s the acronym of Aadesh, Vijayta and I (for himself). “That’s the only identity I need. I prefer that to Avitesh Shrivastava,” Avi tells us. “Dad loved many of the English songs that I composed when I was 16. In fact, in his last days, he prayed to live for three more years so that I could take over the reins of his work. And it’s such a coincidence that my debut single has released exactly three years after he passed away,” says he, referring to the composer losing the battle to cancer on September 5, 2015, a day after his 51st birthday. “I can feel his presence and blessings. He had the belief that I could carry forward his legacy and I cannot let him down,” Avi informs us.
TAKING OVER FROM HIS FATHER
Avi was just 11 years old when he took the plunge into music with Aadesh. However, the one advice that the father passed on to his son was, “Get enough sleep.” Innocuous as that may sound, Avi explains, “Well, he was a cancer patient. So, good health mattered to him, and you know how crazy our schedules can get.” After Aadesh’s demise, the 22-year-old musician and budding actor worked non-stop. “I wanted to see where I stood without my father’s support and become who I am,” he reasons. Avi says that he grew up almost overnight after Aadesh’s demise. “I had to, because of my circumstances, as I knew I have to look after my family now,” he says as a matter of fact. “Obviously, every single day I feel he has gone too soon. He was not just my partner in crime but also a friend,” Avi points out, “But he was a strict father when he needed to be. He always pushed me to hone my craft. He trained me and made me what I am.”
SUPPORT FROM THE INDUSTRY
Not just Big B but others from the industry also rallied around Avi and his family after Aadesh was gone. “My father worked with almost everyone in the industry, whether Amit Uncle or Salman Khan. Shaan has also been a big support since the day dad left us,” says Avi. He continues, “Apart from being a father figure, Amit Uncle has also influenced me as an actor. I worked as an assistant director on Piku, so I have closely observed him and learnt a lot,” he says.
FAVOURITE TUNES BY AADESH
When Avi misses his father, he tunes into songs composed by him. “I listen to Baghban and Baabul. I really love Suno Na Suno Na from Chalte Chalte (2003) and Mora Piya from Rajneeti (2010) that he composed and sang,” he says. If he had to recreate his dad’s tunes, it would be Suno Na and Main Yahan Tu Wahan from Baghban, which Bachchan also lent his voice to. “I love that song and Amit Uncle is my mentor, so I would definitely like to remake it,” he signs off.
