Anoushka is all for collaborations

Call it a selfish move by the West or regard for Indian talent, but collaborations between international and Indian musicians will only do good,” says sitar player and composer Anoushka

Shankar (right). The 35-year-old — who will perform in Delhi on December 9 as part of her six-city tour in the country — believes there are two ways of looking at the trend.

“From a pessimistic perspective, one can say that people over there (in the West) have realised India’s potential to be a big market. They know that they can expand their fan base here, and to tap that, a collaboration with someone from India will go a long way. It’s not a bad thing though. I mean, if the market is expanding, everyone’s getting something out of it,” she says.

Anoushka — who has earlier collaborated with international artists such as American pianist and keyboardist Herbie Hancock, American violinist Joshua Bell and Spanish flamenco guitarist Pepe Habichuela — believes such tie-ups are great for one to grow as a musician. “For artistes like me, we yearn to go explore different styles. There is something beautiful that happens when artistes from completely different backgrounds collaborate... You get to know the other one’s sensibilities, and that artistic desire to go beyond something is fulfilled. I think collaborations are the best way to go beyond yourself.”