‘I lost my mentor’

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I was a 19-year-old happy-go-lucky youngster, and like most others at that age, I had just started to enjoy the fun and freedom that college life entails. On August 12, 1997, a series of bullets ripped the life out of my father and turned mine around in a manner I wasn’t prepared for.

That fateful morning is still fresh in the minds of my family members. I had not just lost a father; I had lost a mentor and a friend. And the brutality with which the murder was committed shook my faith in humanity. But never has it shaken my belief in God.
Who hunts someone down like a predator and mercilessly kills him after a trip to a temple? People around didn’t do a thing. A man who re-introduced music of various genres to Indian cinema, gave jobs to the unemployed, fed people on the streets and was known for his devotional streak, didn’t deserve a death like that. For that matter, no good person does.
One day I was a young boy having fun with friends and the next thing I know, I’m in-charge of my family and the business. We don’t plan our life because life makes the decisions for us.
A lot of people I know were happy because that super successful businessman Gulshan Kumar’s empire was expected to crash down. It was a do-or-die situation for me. Thanks to the belief and the strength my family gave me, I quit my studies and took over T-Series. Yes, a lot of people thought, “What potential does a 19-year-old boy have to sustain a multi-crore business like T-Series?”
Honestly, that was a doubt that occurred to me from time to time. But I had no option but to learn the tricks of the trade. I just grew up that day. I didn’t have a choice. I knew my life would never be the same again. I have seen tragedy so close, experienced chilling fear and consolidated an empire — I am what life has made of me.
My father knew the pulse of the audience and had a sharp ear for music. I was too raw and inexperienced to understand the difference between good music and bad.
After many trials and errors I honed my music sense and business acumen. Deep in my heart, I feared that I could not be Gulshan Kumar or live up to his name. I knew that wherever he was, he was watching all my moves. My biggest fear was to disappoint him and the avid music audience of T-Series.
So, one day I sat my mother down and spoke to her about how my father started off. Soon, I started replicating his career moves. Like him, I too started off with making musical albums, buying the rights of music from big filmmakers and finally investing in big budget films. Through all of this my father’s brothers stood by me firmly.
Today, I don’t feel alone because I just do things and take decisions that I feel my father would’ve taken. I had to start thinking like Gulshan Kumar and things slowly fell in place. Sitting in this cabin, on this chair, I no more hesitate to strike a big deal.
It might sound unreal to many but I feel he is always around. I owe everything to my father and the fact that my company is producing big films with big stars like Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar, Saif Ali Khan, would have made him proud.
Thankfully, I’ve always had the most comfortable life. But I do wish I had completed my college and the education. From a very early age, work was and continues to be my priority.
When I took over the business, I realised that there were many filmmakers like Rakesh Roshan and Aamir Khan who we didn’t have on board. I wanted to have all the big names and the banners to be associated with T-Series. That’s when I did my bit and got them to collaborate with my company.
Yes, there were a lot of people who did their best to pull me down. The industry is not new to the word “sabotage”. Fortunately, my father’s name was enough to get things rolling. Whatever I did became an instant and a big hit. I used to work 16-17 hours a day but now that things are smooth sailing, I don’t take too much load. Earlier, my friends went for long holidays abroad, while I was busy working. But now I do go on family vacations and take time out for myself. The trauma of losing my support system bothers me till date. But I’m now stronger and have the ability to bounce back.
You know, my father was the type who would just give a `5-lakh watch that he was wearing to someone he liked. He was a large hearted man and many took advantage of him. His competitors envied him but that didn’t distract him from achieving his goals. But I’m not the type who people can take for a ride.
I’ve sacrificed and put in a lot of time and effort to come up. I’m getting more ambitious by the day. I’m told money invited more enemies but I have loads of friends. I have to admit that I’ve survived on my father’s name and goodwill. I do believe in destiny.
A lot of people sympathized with me because of what I went through, but I’m strong and successful. I didn’t survive on other people’s sympathies. I’ve had a life full of responsibilities but instead of grumbling and complaining about it, I chose to enjoy every bit of it. Probably that’s the reason I am where I am.
There’s a framed photograph of my father in my office but I haven’t garlanded it, as is the norm among Hindus for deceased family members. I will not garland it till the killers have been brought to task. Justice has to be done and I believe that it will, no matter how late.
I have spent almost half my life ensuring my father’s good name and hardwork didn’t take a beating after his assassination.
If my father were alive today, I know he would be incredibly proud of me.