EXCLUSIVE! Kavita Paudwal On Blending Devotion With Celebration: Kirtan Klubbing Is Direct Conversation With..

Kavita Paudwal interview: "This is not satsang. This is not clubbing. This is Kirtan Klub - and it is already a vibe." With that promise, Kavita Paudwal brings Kirtan Klub to Mumbai on May 3, Sunday, 6.30 pm, at Ajiwasan Hall in Juhu, for an intimate gathering of only 100 seats.

The format blends devotional music with the collective buzz of a social evening. In an exclusive conversation with Filmibeat Chief Copy Editor Abhishek Ranjit, the singer got candid about offering a different experience to the audience, sharing the idea behind showcasing bhajans in a varied concept. She also spoke about how her mother, Anuradha Paudwal's legacy, influenced her musical path.

Here are excerpts from the interview

Kirtan Klub blends devotion with celebration - what sparked the idea to reimagine bhajans in this format?

To me, Kirtan Klub is not an event. It is a direct conversation with God. A quiet, intimate apne se moment... a one-soul-to-one-soul talk where nothing needs to be said, and yet everything is heard. In that space, you don't perform, you don't pretend, you don't even try. You just are. And somewhere between the music and the silence, you feel held... understood... complete.

For over 20 years, we have been singing bhajans in a thevaame mood - open, flowing, never restrictive. People never felt contained. They felt free. They sang, they smiled, they connected.

And somewhere along the way, I realised - why should devotion feel limited at all? Why can't it feel like a celebration?

Kirtan Klubbing is simply taking that same feeling to the next level. Making it more immersive, more collective, more alive.

And I would love for people to come and experience that for themselves on May 3, 6.30 pm at Ajivasan Hall - because this is something you don't just understand, you feel.

You describe it as the "Hum Aapke Hain Koun of devotional music." What emotions or experiences are you hoping people take away?

Hum Aapke Hain Koun was not just a film. It was a feeling. Warmth, togetherness, laughter, emotion - everything coming together in one space. That is what I want Kirtan Klub to feel like.

People should walk in as individuals and walk out feeling like they have been part of something larger. A shared joy, a shared energy. And if they carry even a little of that feeling back with them, then the music has done its job.

The concept emphasizes joy over solemnity - do you see this as a shift in how devotion is evolving today?

Devotion itself has not changed. Our expression of it has. Today, people don't want to feel restricted or intimidated. They want to feel open, connected, and real. Joy is not separate from devotion. It is a part of it.
Kirtan Klubbing simply removes the heaviness and allows people to approach devotion in a way that feels natural to them. That honesty is what makes the connection deeper.

Incorporating guitars, drums, and dhol into traditional bhajans is quite bold - how do you strike a balance between innovation and authenticity?

The balance comes from intention. If the intention is to impress, you lose authenticity. If the intention is to connect, everything falls into place. The bhajan remains untouched at its core. The lyrics, the emotion, the surrender - that is sacred. The instruments are only a bridge. They help the music reach more people, without changing its soul.

As the daughter of Anuradha Paudwal ji, how has her legacy influenced your musical path - and where did you consciously choose to carve your own identity?

Legacy is a blessing, but also a responsibility. Growing up around Anuradha Paudwal ji, I have seen what true devotion to music looks like. The discipline, the respect, the surrender.

That foundation shaped me completely. But I also knew I had to find my own voice. Not by breaking away, but by expanding what I had inherited. Kirtan Klubbing is that space. It carries everything I have learnt from her, but expresses it in a way that is uniquely mine.

Having trained under gurus like Pandit Jialal Vasant and Suresh Wadkar ji, what key lessons continue to guide you today?

From my gurus, I have learnt that music is not just sound. It is discipline, patience, and surrender.

Every note has a life. Every word has meaning. From Suresh Wadkar ji especially, I learnt that technique alone is not enough. You have to feel what you sing.
That grounding stays with me, no matter how large or energetic the format becomes.

Whether it's 100 people or 5 lakh, you emphasize connection over scale - how do you maintain that emotional closeness in larger venues?

For me, the number has never mattered. Even in a large crowd, I sing as if I am singing to one. Connection does not come from size. It comes from honesty. When you are real, it reaches people. Kirtan Klubbing is not about performing for an audience. It is about creating a space with them.

And when that happens, even the largest gathering feels intimate - like one shared emotion, one shared moment.

Seats for May 3 at 6.30 pm at Ajivasan Hall are now open on BookMyShow - come, join in, and be part of the joy.