Ustad Zakir Hussain at 75: ‘People took his passing very personally,’ says daughter Anisa Qureshi

Having witnessed memorial concerts and conversations all over the world, listening to musicians and listeners talk of Hussain’s passing in December 2024 as a profoundly personal loss, Qureshi, in this conversation with The Indian Express, speaks of the emotional aftermath, the authenticity that defined Hussain’s music as well as relationships, and why his presence endures across the music world. Excerpts from an interview:

Your concert film on your father’s ‘SF Jazz Sessions’ is being screened in the Capital as part of the 75th year tribute. You experienced India during the memorial concerts in Mumbai in December last year. How would you describe this collective sense of loss that a nation has expressed? Were there moments or conversations that struck you?

I can’t speak collectively for India but what I have felt is that people all over the world, many of them of Indian descent, took his passing very personally. Many musicians said they felt like orphans or lost without a North Star, many people said it was like a black hole had opened up. He touched countless lives. He would travel anywhere people wanted to hear tabla – and for that reason would show up in places where Indians were maybe not the majority. I’ve heard so many stories of him inspiring confidence and validity in Indians outside of their country, a reminder of their culture’s strength and the strength in themselves that they could be successful anywhere.

But more than perhaps what he stood for, people took his passing personally because of his authenticity. He treated every person he met with the same respect and dignity. He was consistently kind and generous… While inspiring people with his musical genius, he was also making them feel valued. His memory is legendary. He would remember everyone’s names, their children’s names, where they went to school and what they were studying. So yes, what I heard the most was that this loss was deep and personal and something most people could not accept. But the other side of that coin is something Shankar Mahadevan said to me which was, “He (Zakirji), has left us enough memories for many lifetimes”. Those memories, those lessons, the time he took with each person to authentically connect with them. It affected people. It stays with them and through it – along with the volume of incredible work – he lives on.

When and why did you decide to make this concert film? What was the idea behind it?

The SFJAZZ Sessions were always meant as a concert film to archive dad’s four curated events during the inaugural season of the new SFJAZZ Center. That was in March 2013 and happened to take place over his 62nd birthday. We felt it was historic to his years as a collaborator, artistic director and later board member of SFJAZZ. They were opening the first free-standing centre devoted to jazz in the United States. Dad had put together three fantastic lineups of artists and on the fourth day was giving an intimate talk with SFJAZZ founder and director, Randall Kline. We felt it was a special week taking place in our home city and we didn’t want it to go undocumented. Dad had curated four sold-out shows for the ‘Artist’s Perspective’ series at Carnegie Hall in 2008/9 as well but we were not allowed to film those. So we jumped at the chance this time.

There are some wonderful moments in the film: Zakirji’s birthday, a conversation in the car, an interview, and some interesting moments on and off stage. Why not have more of his voice in the film that goes beyond the tabla? Or was the idea to present more of the music?

Yes exactly, the idea was always to focus on the music and use behind-the-scenes pieces as transitions and to add perspective. This was not a documentary; it was a concert film. The final cut ended up being three hours long, hence the need for a shorter festival cut, which is the one that will be shown this weekend.

Did you discover anything new about him while working on the film?

Yes, I started to learn how to work with him. How to build professional trust and communicate professionally.

You are the filmmaker in the family with unprecedented access to home videos and his concerts, among others. Is there a proper documentary that you are planning on your father in the future?

Yes, a documentary will be made and it will be done with the level of ingenuity and quality dad deserves. We have so many types of technology and media platforms these days with which to share his story and his mission. It’s all really exciting to plan how to reach his audience and his future fans in the best ways.

One sees a slew of collaborations in the film, many of which are with noted Western artistes. What do you think made Zakirji’s collaborations so unique and authentic?

He was an incredible student and listener. He had a prodigious memory and musical mind. He’d learn as much as he could about a genre of music, about the repertoire of the artist he was playing with and them as a person. He always said that many of his collaborators were friends and that our families were friends. Authentic connection and communication were what he stood for and what we lived by.

As kids, did you and your sister figure out early on that your father was a famous musician? How difficult was it to adapt to the idea that he was going to be away often? Were there any tough moments when he didn’t come to school recitals or projects?

We grew up with him being gone often and it was hard not having him in our everyday lives. We grew up in California, where it was not common to have a cook or help, like in India. My mother did everything and we were raised like very normal children. Often, it was hard for our peers to understand what our father did, let alone the magnitude of who he was. But yes, we knew he was not only famous but that he was very special, very gifted. When we were together, he was such a devoted father. That kind of love leaves a mark on you.

Are you planning to work on a permanent festival or exhibit in Zakir ji’s memory?

Oh yes, there are a few keystone events, exhibits and perhaps permanent structures in talks. All possible with the support of so many who loved him and want to see his work continue.