In this interview, Kailash Kher speaks to The New Indian Executive Editor Kailash Kher on why he chose to spend in Ashrams of Haridwar and Rishikesh and how Lord Shiva’s learning helped him become a star in Mumbai film industry.

Rohan Dua: How do you elaborate this beautiful journey of becoming a Padmi Shri at a very young age to welcoming the US president Donald Trump in a big stadium in Ahmedabad in front of the Prime Minister?

Kailash Kher: My upbringing was in Delhi, also Haridwar and Rishikesh. My father was a pandit so we lived in many temples built in Meerut too. I left my home at young age and went to live in an ashram in Rishikesh. I lived there on the banks of the Ganges river. Studied Sanskrit and then experienced the ups and downs of life.

Rohan Dua:Living in Rishikesh & Haridwar influenced the spirituality that we see in your songs? Who was your Guru?

Kailash Kher: The entire world is my guru. Even if they hurt my heart, they are still a guru. The first worldly guru is our parents. But there’s a very special thing about my Mahadev, Lord Shiva who can give some training that can be put into use. Shiva drank poison and made all the gods distressed. But upon the request of Parvati, he unleashed his power. He held the poison in his throat. He did not end himself or become bitter.

Rohan Dua: I was told that the Prime Minister to Yogi Adityanath, the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, are big fans of your songs. Bam Lahiri and Aadi Yogi

Kailash Kher: What happened is that until Aadi Yogi was not made and the Prime Minister included us in his Navratnas and announced my name in 2015. Something happened in my life from Varanasi to the banks of the Ganges that I believe is the infinite grace of God. It happened in 2016 that Prasoon Joshi ji told me that there’s a request from Sadguru Ji. Prasoon Joshi's song is good for you to compose. Aadi Yogi was written by him. The rest of the spiritual songs that have become hits like Jai Shri Mahakal, Aadi Annata and Jai Shri & Jai Kedara are written by me. So, Prasoon Ji requested that Sadguru Ji wants you to compose and sing this song. When I sang Aadi Yogi, what happens is that, you appear in your actions.

Rohan Dua: Prime Minister also went to Kedarnath, Ujjain Mahakal, and Kashi Vishwanath, all three such big sites of Mahadev

Kailash Kher: Our current Prime Minister, has a great influence of the Shiva community.. The number of people who criticize my prime minister from morning till evening is countless, and it's not just limited to that. I would say that whenever we get time, like when we sit in a car or when there's a delay in a flight and I am on twitter, so many people criticize him.. Most of the time, the responses are very good because there are two types of people on this earth, those who talk and those who are talked about. If he is completely immersed in his actions, in his good deeds, then understand that he is a politician, he’s a monk, or someone in some big and unrecognisable form, he is shaping his work.

Rohan Dua: Let me talk about the Baahubali chapter. After these songs It seems like people don't believe that this is the same Kailash Kher who used to sing spiritual songs, came from Rishikesh 

Kailash Kher: I receive such reactions often, and it is due to the grace of God and the blessings of elders, it is the grace of Lord Shiva. It is possible because of the blessings of parents and elders because when such effects occur in your energy, in your journey, in your penance, then your self-manifestation begins, which is the energy of this world that calls you or not. These works are done by them. Yajna, this contract, is done by their hands. If these efforts are in their name, we see this first in Baahubali. I didn't even know. What is Baahubali? It was like usual for me as I have sang in many south Indian films. I went to Prasad Studio in Hyderabad, and MM Keeravani gave me the Tandava Stotra. It has reflection of my childhood they are changing the tune and making me sing it.I became very greedy. It came to my mind that they are doing something amazing. South people do amazing things. I even sang it in Tamil. We started with Savani's Rawani. We sang three songs in Bahubali and also sang one in Tamil.