Rishab Rikhiram Sharma. Photo: Courtesy of the artist
Among 11 artists featured in the new docu-series Mastery by Stonex are sitarist-composer Rishab Rikhiram Sharma and India-based American Carnatic vocalist Sandeep Narayan, whose life and times get tracked in short five to six-minute episodes.
Sharma and Narayan – from two wholly different schools of Indian classical music – are part of Mastery alongside the likes of artists Subodh Kerkar, dancer Meenakshi Srinivasan, poet Priya Malik and more. Both episodes for the musicians take us directly to where their craft was first honed. For Sharma, it was at his father’s sitar-making store in New Delhi which led to the sitarist being trained by the late Pandit Ravi Shankar. “In addition to filming at the store in Gol Market, we also took a stroll around Khan Market, which was pretty cool,” he says.
For Narayan, viewers of Mastery are taken to the streets of Mylapore in Chennai where he grew up alongside coming up in California. “It’s definitely unique for classical arts such as Carnatic music to be featured in such documentaries alongside other forms which are not the typical crafts of India,” Narayan says. He adds about shooting the episode, “We are used to doing photo shoots at studios etc but this was quite fun shooting outdoors. We were also pleasantly surprised by the venues to give us permission to shoot as well.”
At the core of it, the idea of a marble brand like Stonex commissioning a docu-series about artists may be lost on some, but as Sharma says it was about seeing genuine value in the process of creation. “They genuinely appreciate true artistry across various domains, not limited to just one field. This realization was pivotal because I’m very particular about the collaborations I engage in and the associations I make,” Sharma adds.
Condensed into just a tight five-minute runtime, although there’s a certain composure with which the narrative of both episodes unfold, Sharma and Narayan say they shot over the span of two days. Narayan adds, “The makers were able to genuinely understand who I am and where I’ve come from.” Sharma goes on to say “a thorough exploration of the artistic process would require a two-hour documentary to do it justice” but he’s nevertheless happy that everyone from his father to his “guru bhai,” Arun ji were part of the episode. The sitarist says, “Everything came together beautifully, even though we hadn’t planned for these special moments with such prominent figures in my life.”
With more spotlight arriving through an OTT platform, the artists are likely to attract more ears to their upcoming projects. Sharma is plotting new music, taking a break from concerts. “Currently, I’m working on a project tentatively titled “Sita for Mental Health Tape,” though I might name it “Weapons of Mass Peace” as it develops. It’s shaping up to include about 12 songs, ranging from beats to vocal renditions, and it’s essentially a comprehensive reflection of me on Spotify, akin to a personal CD,” the sitarist says.
Narayan, for his part, is busy with solo performances and is juggling collaborations with artists around the world. With his 2023 album Arul with beatsmith Yanchan Produced, there’s been more sonic explorations. He adds, “I’m also collaborating with a Frankfurt-based European jazz artist and combining that with my Carnatic vocals for a whole new texture.”
Mastery by Stonex is now streaming on Disney+ Hotstar.
