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AI cannot judge or feel the pulse of the audience: Musicians Mahesh Raghvan and Nandini Shankar
Mumbai: AI cannot judge or feel the pulse of the audience, and seeing original music garnering millions of views on YouTube is very encouraging, said the musician couple Mahesh Raghvan and Nandini Shankar at ABP Network’s The Southern Rising Summit. The couple, who rose to fame with their musical video, “The Kapi Dance,” shared their musical journey and how they found love while collaborating on the song during a session titled ‘Making Music: Crafting A New Style’ at the Summit.
“I started with music when I was 3. Later, I discovered an app on my iPad that allowed me to play Indian notes. Kapi is a raga in Carnatic music, which is equivalent to raga Mishra Pilu in Hindustani music which became the inspiration for The Kapi Dance,” said Raghvan.
Talking about whether AI technology will spoil creativity, he said, “AI cannot judge or feel the pulse of the audience. In every profession, you have certain tools to help you, but in the end, what matters is how much you learn, how much knowledge you have. What truly matters is how much the audience loves your music, and that completely depends on the musician.”
Adding to this, Nandini elaborated,” We shot the video in Chennai, and it is an original song. Seeing such support, appreciation, and getting over a million views is definitely encouraging for us.”
Apart from finding success in their musical careers, Mahesh and Nandini also found love while collaborating on their common passion – music. Speaking about their first meeting, Shankar said, ” I first followed her on Instagram. After talking, we decided to meet a few months later to collaborate on the song. Later, we became friends and eventually decided to get married.”
Meanwhile, Nandini, who is also a chartered accountant and comes from a family of musicians, has also worked as an investment advisor for a bank. Sharing about how she decided to make music her career, she said, “The importance of education was never undermined in my family. I topped my school and chose to become a Chartered Accountant. I worked as an investment advisor for a bank, but since I was working five days a week with the bank and performing during the weekend, it was then I decided to pursue music.”
The musical couple performed a classical rendition of their popular music video, “The Kapi Dance,” and enthralled the audience with their musical talent at the Summit.
The ‘Southern Rising’ Summit was conceptualized and instituted by ABP Network as a tribute to the exceptional growth, cultural opulence, and societal harmony exemplified by the southern states of India. It aimed to celebrate the spirit and richness of the southern states, united on a singular mission of driving a transformative journey for India. The summit witnessed profound deliberations and the sharing of insights by the movers and shakers of South Indian states and Union Territories.
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CNN-News18 to host Kolkata Town Hall on Hooghly River
‘Bhalobasa Bengal Inspiring Bharat’ event on April 20 brings cultural icons, trailblazing women and leaders aboard a cruise to celebrate Bengal’s enduring influence.
MUMBAI: Bengal is about to make fresh waves on the Hooghly and this time the current is pure conversation. CNN-News18 is taking its iconic Town Hall format to the waters of the iconic Hooghly River on 20 April 2026 with a special edition titled ‘Bhalobasa Bengal – Inspiring Bharat’. The floating event will celebrate the state’s rich cultural legacy and how its ideas, creativity and spirit continue to shape the rest of the country.
The unique riverside setting draws on Bengal’s history as a cradle of reform, art and intellectual thought. The speaker line-up mirrors that diversity: cultural heavyweights Mithun Chakraborty and Sreenanda Shankar will share the stage with trailblazing “Devis” such as Tanya Sanyal (India’s first woman firefighter in aviation), Ipsita Chakraborty (Kolkata’s first woman bartender) and Reshma Nilofer Visalakshi (Nari Shakti awardee and marine pilot). Music will flow through the celebrated pianist-vocalist duo Sourendro and Soumyojit, while public life and governance will be represented by Smriti Irani, Leander Paes, Saira Shah Halim, Keya Ghosh, Rekha Patra, Roopa Ganguly and Babul Supriyo.
CNN-News18, editorial affairs director, Rahul Shivshankar, said the event honours voices that carry Bengal’s legacy forward. Smriti Mehra, CEO – English & Business News, Network18, added that Bengal’s stories resonate far beyond its borders, especially as the state heads into polls.
From the first woman to battle flames in the skies to legendary actors who shaped Indian cinema, the gathering promises a rich mix of inspiration, courage and candid dialogue. In a city where culture has always flowed as freely as the river itself, CNN-News18 is turning the Hooghly into a floating forum for ideas that matter.
Tune in on 20 April on CNN-News18, CTV and YouTube to catch Bengal’s heartbeat in full flow.
