'Kerala's cultural activism is superficial'

(breaks into a Baul song of Lalon Fakir, an 18th-century Baul/Sufi singer).

How did you stumble across Baul music?

Growing up, I had been familiar with Rabindra Sangeet. But I came to know of Baul only during my time at Shantiniketan. I saw several performances there and it greatly influenced me. I wanted to learn. Another aspect of Baul music that deeply influenced me was the singers' ability to craft spontaneous songs that reflected their rebellious spirit. This experience sparked a desire within me to learn Bengali. I also wanted to read Rabindranath Tagore's Gitanjali in its original form. I also had a great passion for playing traditional instruments like the ektara, gomukh, and dotara.

What languages are you fluent in?

Tamil, Bengali, Hindi, English, Malayalam, Urdu, Odiya, Marathi. I have done a drama in Marathi.

Having been exposed to the cultural scenes of many states, how do you perceive the cultural scene of Kerala in comparison?

I don't perceive Kerala's cultural scene as being particularly profound. The cultural activism in Kerala seems somewhat superficial.