I’m nervous about interviews,” confesses Guru Randhawa as we catch up with the artiste at a local club in the city. Known to have created his mark in Punjabi music, he is now set to feature as a judge along with Sachin Sanghvi, Jigar Saraiya, Sachet Tandon, and Parampara Thakur on the singing reality show, Sa Re Ga Ma Pa. “This show is a new chapter in my life. To judge such a legendary show is a big deal,” he says, adding that he doesn’t believe in being strict with contestants.

Having written and composed his own music, Randhawa emphasised the importance of independent music in the industry. He says, “I have always done independent music from day one. I am not dependent on Bollywood, nor am I someone who waits for calls or to be offered a singing part in movies. Everyone should be independent. Any contestant coming here should eventually aim to become independent. This stage, over the years, has created a lot of talent. Whether somebody wins the show or not, what they do after the show is what really matters.”