Arun Date with Bal Thackeray

A soft and mellow voice stirring up such strong and intense emotions rarely comes forth. Veteran Marathi vocalist Arun Date is one such voice, one that comes once in a lifetime. The soft and silky texture of his voice, his gentle demeanour and the grounded nature differentiates him from the rest.

Even at 80 something, he still manages to hold his own and enthral his audiences with the same zest and energy that he had 50 years ago. Completing yet another milestone, Date, along with poet Mangesh Padgaonkar performed on Saturday at the Prabodhankar Thackeray Hall.
As I enter his residence, I can distantly hear him singing from another room, engrossed in riyaz. On the occasion of 50 years of completion of one of his most successful songs Shuktratara, Arun’s son Atul proudly spoke of his father as a musician, a singer, a corporate employee and a father.
For Arun, music is what he grew up with. His father being a connoisseur of music and a high court judge would always have friends from the music industry come over. Their house in Indore would be always buzzing with musicians, talks and discussions around music and small concerts. But even then it didn’t inspire Arun enough to pursue a career in music till he realised in his teens about how much he loved singing. Interestingly, it was the renowned author P.L. Deshpande who brought it to the notice of Arun’s father that the boy loved singing and actually sang well. But Arun always knew that he didn’t want to pursue a career in classical music, but was always inclined towards light classical and ghazals. He looked up to Talat Mehmood and would often sing his songs.
“I would sing in college and my father didn’t know about this till P.L. Deshpande told him about it. He heard me and was really happy that I could definitely hold a tune for sure,” says Date.
But his parents didn’t let him give up studies. They ensured he completed his studies and that’s how Arun went on to become a textile engineer from the prestigious VJTI. He also worked for Birla Textiles where he rose to being the regional head. “My parents ensured I got a good education, which could help me stand on my own feet. In hindsight, I was happy that they made me pursue engineering, because that’s how it allowed me to focus on my craft without getting worried about my bread and butter. I could sing for the love of it and not as a means to earn money,” says Date.
As to why he didn’t pursue classical music seriously with legends like Kumar Gandharva and Pandit Bhimsen Joshi frequenting his home, Date says he knew his limitations. “I knew that my voice had certain limitations and I wanted to excel where I could project my voice well, that is through ghazals and light classical music. In fact, Kumarji taught me my first song,” he says.
He later moved to Mumbai and underwent professional training under the tutelage of R. Mahavir. Date struck a fine balance between work and music and only took to full-time music after completing 25 years in the corporate world. “I made the switch after I was well-settled so that my family would always be self-sufficient. And I thank my mother for instilling such values because she was a visionary when it came to managing a career, your passion, a family and a job,” he says.
Date went on to collaborate with some of the most well-known names in the music fraternity including Pandit Hridaynath Mangeshkar and Lata Mangeshkar, but his most memorable and ever-lasting collaboration remains with famous poet Mangesh Padgaonkar and composer Srinivas Khale for Shukratara. It was the coming of Date in the industry. After Shukratara, he established a firm place for himself in the industry. The song still remains etched in the memories of listeners for its soft, melodious lilting tone and Date’s rendition.
Today even at 80 something, he remains at his usual grounded best, singing for the pure love and joy of it. In fact, just few years ago, he met his idol Talat Mehmood and it remains one of his most-loved and most-cherished moments in life. Even after almost 2,600 live shows and 125 memorable renditions, the renowned musician continues to sing with the kind of enthusiasm as if he were on stage for the first time. And touchwood for that.