Popular singer-songwriter Kailash Kher, known for his soul-stirring voice and patriotic numbers, lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday. Appearing on Rajat Sharma's iconic show 'Aap Ki Adalat', Kher said, "Modiji bahut pyare lagte hain. Bahut hi gehri aatma hai (He is lovely. He has a deep soul). Never before has our Sanatan dharma, our saints, our mahapurush, our holy places, and our cultural signs got so much respect."
'Sang for the soldiers during Operation Sindoor'
When asked about his song for Operation Sindoor, Kher firmly responded that it was created to celebrate the courage and glory of India's armed forces. "I sang for the pride of Indians," he said, adding that it was a moment where singing wasn't just an artistic choice, but a necessity.
On the BJP's Delhi win song
Kher, who was awarded the Padma Shri in 2017, also addressed a song he composed when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured victory in the Delhi Assembly elections. " There are such moments when if you belong to Delhi and have seen its woes, you would like to sing. The song came from my heart, and it is the duty of an artist to not only sing but also create awareness," he added.
'I sang for Anna, not Kejriwal'
Responding to a pointed question about his musical support in 2011, Kher clarified that while many believed he sang in praise of Arvind Kejriwal, the reality was different. "No, I did not sing in his (Kejriwal's) praise. I sang that song for Anna Hazare Ji. I did not even know the man whom you are naming," the singer clarified.
On singing for all parties
Kher was further quizzed by Rajat Sharma about his involvement in the 2017 Uttar Pradesh elections, where he composed songs praising Mayawati as "Saakshat Devi," celebrated Akhilesh Yadav with "Dhadak Dhadak Akhilesh," and hailed Yogi Adityanath for freeing the state from "Gunda Raaj." In a light-hearted yet sincere response, Kher said, “Congress ka bhi gaya tha, sir. Kya baat hai! Chaaron ke gaaye the."
Kher explained that these songs were not composed with political allegiance in mind. “At the beginning of my career, I used to see Devi and Devta in every Manushya,” he said, adding that his musical journey evolved over time with understanding and maturity. "These songs were created at different times. What happened was they were all released simultaneously. Yeh alag alag samay ka prayog tha,” Kher explained, attributing it to the nature of artistic expression across different phases of his life.