An American history teacher who fell in love with Bollywood, Eric Azevedo reveals why he sings Hindi film songs on Mumbai's streets.
If you happen to be walking around Mumbai's iconic Gateway of India, or taking a stroll along the Bandstand promenade near Shah Rukh Khan's home, Mannat, you may come across an unusual sight.
A young American with a guitar, singing Bollywood songs.
His name is Eric Azevedo.
A 30-year-old history teacher, Eric ensures he pursues his love for travel and music as well.
The California resident first came to Mumbai in 2019. And fell in love with the City of Dreams.
"I like the culture, food and people of India," Eric tells Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff on The Rediff Podcast.
Before he fell in love with Mumbai, he was fascinated by Anushka Sharma in Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi.
Soon, Bollywood songs found their way into his repertoire.
One of the first Hindi songs Eric sang was Aap Jaisa Koi (from the 1980 film, Qurbani).
Eric is smitten by the 1980s. Among his favourites is Nazia Hassan's unforgettable Disco Deewane.
"She was beautiful," he says, recalling the Pakistani pop icon with admiration.
For Eric, she was more than just a singer he admired. "I started playing the guitar because of Nazia Hassan," he says.
He fondly remembers songs such as Dil Ki Lagi Kuch Aur Bhi Dil Ko Deewana Kare from her last album, Camera Camera.
His exploration of Bollywood's music has allowed him to meet one of his favourite singers, Sadhana Sargam. And, some day, he hopes to meet the singer whose voice he absolutely loves -- Salma Agha.
"She is truly an inspiration," he says.
Her song Jhoom Jhoom Jhoom Baba is among the tracks he particularly loves. What fascinates Eric about Salma is that she was "not only an actor but also a singer...
"There was only Kishore Kumar who did that. I was very impressed that a woman in the 1980s did that in Bollywood."
For Eric, singing on Mumbai's streets is also a way of sustaining himself while doing something he loves.
"I just want to self-sustain. I don't want to dip into my savings," he says, while talking about his motivation to produce an album centred around Mumbai's rickshawwallahs.
He opens his heart to India and, of course, sings for you on The Rediff Podcast!
Interview: Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff
Production: Hitesh Harisinghani/Rediff
Editing: Saahil Acharekar/Rediff
