Exclusive: Hema Malini teams up with daughters Esha and Ahana for the first time to sing a devotional song

Hema Malini and daughters Esha and Ahana have been performing together on stage for many years, but now, for the first time, they are collaborating to sing a devotional song.

The trio has sung a track, which includes Pranamya Shirasa Devam and Vakratunda Mahakaya (stotras dedicated to Lord Ganpati) for

Times Music

's

devotional album Raja Ganpati

. Hema Malini says, “At the beginning of my Bhartnatayam dance show, I always perform on a Ganpati stotra. I have performed on Pranamya Shirasa Devam many times. Since I have learnt Sanskrit, I know to recite these shlokas.”

Talking about recording the song during the

pandemic

, she says, “Due to the pandemic, it was difficult to go to the recording studio, so music director Dipesh Verma and his assistant came home and recorded the song. I wasn’t sure about how the song will turn out, but I am happy with the results.” For Hema Malini and her daughters,

Ganeshotsav

has always been special. She shares, “We welcome Ganeshji home every year. The house is so lively when Ganeshji is at home. For both the aartis, the staff, family and children come together. When it’s time for farewell, I always get teary-eyed.”

The album also includes songs by Vishal-Shekhar, Shankar Mahadevan, Meet Bros, Ankit Tiwari, Neeti Mohan, Asees Kaur, Pratibha Singh Baghel, Dev Negi, Siddharth Mahadevan and composers Tanishk Bagchi, Dipesh Varma and Amit Pathye.

Esha Deol says, “Every devotee of Lord Ganesha knows Vatratunda Mahakay, and it was an honour that we got to sing it. It is always wonderful when the three of us come together on stage, but this is the first time we are singing together, so it’s extra special. I often tell my daughters stories of Ganeshji. Now, I am trying to teach them Vakratunda Mahakay.” Ahana adds, “This was one of the first shlokas that I learnt when we started studying Sanskrit. Amid the pandemic, it felt good to be a part of an album like this, which spreads positivity.”