Carnatic musician TM Krishna and comedian-performer Alexander Babu on music, mania and mountains

Alexander Babu and TM Krishna engage in a lively conversation at The Hindu, blending humor, music, and philosophy.

Just as he ambled on stage at The Hindu’s art deco office building, Alexander Babu, performer and comedian extraordinaire, said that he came prepared with a line that would elicit initial giggles. It was part of his formula, one guaranteed to please the audience.

“That moment when a Christian at The Hindu office chats with Krishna about Sebastian and Sons and other things,” he said. On cue, the audience let out a laugh.

The Hindu Fridays, ironically held on Tuesday this time, saw a packed crowd that actively engaged with the two showmen, who enthralled the gathering with a conversation on a host of topics including their respective musical journeys, handling criticism and a conscious effort to strive for equity in unequal spaces. The two performers who also proved to be eloquent speakers, dabbled in banter, often pulling each other’s leg, while also often switching to philosophy.

Alex, who began by speaking of his journey in the stand up scene, said that he had a fairly comfortable life in the corporate world. “I decided that I had done my part, worked long enough. This was to be a two-year sabbatical. It has been 10 years. I was motivated by joy,” he said.

On the other hand, TM Krishna said that he was always enwrapped in the world of music. Purpose led him in the direction of economics. It was his way of trying to decipher the world. However, he was equally musically inclined. “I had a clearly laid out plan. I had finished my college at Vivekananda. I was to go to the Delhi School of Economics and eventually to the London School of Economics. But right then, I had to choose so I looked to my father. He suggested that I try my hand at singing for a while and then study if it did not work out,” he said. Krishna went on to say that the internal churning led to finding something sanguine on stage. He loved the applause and attention that he received, but found himself seeking purpose. “I was the darling. Then, things changed because the meaning of joy changed,” he said, adding that his journey of understanding his privilege and politics has been a central part of his growth.

Alex recounted the first time he watched Krishna on stage. It was a small hall in Salt Lake City with a sparse audience. Krishna intervened to say that it is likely to have been in 2005. “He performed as though he was singing to a stadium,” Alex remarked, asking Krishna if his voice ever felt a strain. “I don’t think anyone in my family knows the meaning of speaking softly. When you are taught by someone who has excellent voice culture, it automatically gets easier. One must know how to produce the voice,” he said.

Alex, who has learnt Carnatic music too, was asked to sing by Krishna. He obliged and the two jumped into a conversation about the sabha culture in the city. “I was told that kutcheris are the best way to learn to sing so I began paying attention but I often found them boring,” he said. Krishna said that the idea of a stage has changed over the years through his activism and performances on streets and beaches. He however, added that he usually prefers quiet time before getting on stage. Tuning the tambura is one of the ways he prefers to shut the world out. “I experimented once by tuning the tambura on stage with the audience. They knew that they had to remain silent too through the process. I found that they were more drawn in during the performance,” he said.