Like in the case of all other entertainment shows on TV, the nationwide lockdown had halted shooting for Zee TV’s Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Li’l Champs. When it was last on the floors on March 16, in the judges’ seats were the 90s’ golden trinity of playback singing — Kumar Sanu, Udit Narayan and Alka Yagnik. Shooting has resumed and the weekend show will be back with new episodes from July 18 (weekends at 8pm). But Sanu and Udit have made way for Javed Ali and Himesh Reshammiya. The channel insists that they opted out of the show due to prior commitments as the season is getting extended beyond the planned period due to the enforced break.

Ali, the voice behind hits like Jashn-e-bahara (Jodhaa Akbar), Jab tak hai jaan (title track), Nagada nagada (Jab We Met) and Naina lage (Dabangg 3), chatted with The Telegraph after the first day’s shoot.

Belated happy birthday (July 5)! How did it go?

Thank you. I was in Delhi. Kuch kiya nahin. Just enjoyed with my mother and family. I went with my kids and spent some time with them. I just returned to Mumbai for the shoot for Sa Re Ga Ma Li’l Champs to start. Once this is over, I will go back to Delhi.

How many episodes are left?

I think about 30. We will shoot for 15 days.

How is it shooting amid a pandemic?

Corona ne payron mein beriyan daal diya hai. We are taking enough precautions. There is no live audience any more. Even the 30-member jury has been cut down to 15. When the make-up artists are coming to us, they are clad in full PPE (personal protective equipment). We are shooting at P3 Studios in Malad, which is 15 minutes from my residence. That studio is lucky for the show. We shot there in 2017, creating a record for being the longest-running season of a reality show (which had Bengal boy Shreyan Bhattacharya winning jointly with Anjali Gaikwad). It ran for close to nine months.

How did the first day go?

I was very excited on the first day. The experience was amazing. The channel needs to be complimented for taking so many precautions. I was a bit scared as to how things would be. But once I reached, I forgot we were in corona world. The way the children performed, they made us forget everything else. People are in so much trouble, under so much stress. We want the audience to forget their worries during the show, music has that kind of power.

Is it a bother to constantly be alert about whether you are touching a surface and need to sanitise?

Yes. Kuch toh khayal rakhna padega. This is the first time I went somewhere physically after the lockdown. We have to keep these safety precautions in mind, the situation is such. We are praying that we can freely live our lives again.

How was it reuniting with Himesh Reshammiya and Alka Yagnik?

We know each other from another show (Superstar Singer on Sony) that we did together. So our bonding is very good. Here we are seated at quite a distance, at separate tables, so we do not need to keep face shields on during the shoot. In between shots, when we are chatting, we are putting our face shields on. Earlier, we sat at a table and could discuss what marks to give. Now we have to coordinate through eye contact for that. It was a new experience.

How difficult is it to step in midway through a show? You have done it before in Indian Idol, when Anu Malik had to step down (after the #MeToo controversy).

I have been on this show before, so I have an idea about it. Uditji and Sanuda are legends. They have their own style. We will interact with the kids in our style. I can pick up details about them in the first one or two episodes. Our experience helps in that.

Will the spontaneous element be reined in on the part of the judges? You can’t go and hug a kid any more.

True. We need to maintain social distancing. We will devise some other way to show appreciation. Even the audience applause is missing. We and the jury will make sure they get appreciated.

Is it true that you changed your surname in tribute to Ghulam Ali?

I took permission from my father to change my surname from Hussain to Ali. When I was small, I was bent on being trained by Ghulam Ali. He used to stay at a common friend’s place whenever he came to Delhi. At first he was reluctant as he would be there (in Pakistan) and I here. But later unhone mujhe shaagird banaya and I used to train under him as well as accompany him to concerts when he came here.

What are your memories of Wajid Khan who passed away recently? You have sung several songs for Sajid-Wajid.

Wajid bhai was a fantastic musician and like a brother to me. I recorded his last song, a single called Id mubarak. It is on YouTube. Even in ICU, he was composing on the music keyboard app on the mobile. He had undergone kidney transplant around October. I met him after that. Then I heard he had got infected and had to be hospitalised again.

What is the future of concerts?

We did some concerts online. I also did a corporate event online. These things will take off. Some studios are opening. Small projects are starting. How long can one sit at home? Kaam toh karna padega.

How did you use the time amid the lockdown?

I recorded 10-12 songs during lockdown, all on my phone. Of them, six-seven were on Covid-19. The rest were private songs — bhajans, jingles and motivational songs.