Performing arts soothes my soul

Saurabh Tankha

She comes from the family which gave Pachranga Pickles to the world. This meant Panipat-raised MEGHA CHOPRA already had the genes of business in her. But she also inherited the talent for singing from her mother who stole the show at every sangeet or mehendi ceremony in the family. Little wonder then that the B Tech graduate from Kurukshetra University and an MBA from Mumbai’s NMIMS manages to strike a perfect balance between business and singing as well as family today. Chopra credits her father for the experimental nature she possesses, adding her husband and two kids are her biggest cheerleaders. Not to forget her brother who has been her rock all these years.
With the festival of Lohri round the corner, Chopra recently released her latest song, Lohri aundi Lohri.
Excerpts from an interview:

Tell us about your latest song, Lohri aundi Lohri.
This song is all about celebrating a festival, Lohri, that marks the onset of the harvest season and is my tribute to the farmer community. As an artiste, this is the best way I could express my gratitude to our annadaata. I have some beautiful childhood memories of this festival.

Apart from being a singer, you run a travel and hotel software company. How do you juggle between your profession and passion?
I was very sure of keeping my profession and passion separate from one another. Performing arts soothes my soul but my mind seeks corporate stimulation.

Given your busy professional and personal schedule, do you get time to do riyaaz every day?
Juggling between two kids, passion and business comes easy when you lead a disciplined life.

What made you pen the heartfelt poem to spread the message of positivity to women suffering from gender-based violence during the lockdown phase?
A writer has the gift of expressing oneself on plethora of topics whether experienced personally or not. Empathy and sensitivity – my innate virtues allow me express my opinions and views on a wide array of topics like gender inequality, domestic violence, female infanticide. Having read, heard or seen these cruelties in society nudged me into penning my thoughts via a channel that comes most naturally to me – poetry.

Who has been the most inspirational person in your life?
In my adolescence years, I was smitten by Oprah Winfrey because of her grit and compassion.

A day in the life of Megha Chopra…
…would be a “hurricane mixed with sunshine”.

Tell us about your future plans.
I wish to come up with something novel around Diwali, may be age old mantras and hymns in an enthralling and refreshing manner.