Music producer and composer Ricky Kej made India proud when he bagged the prestigious Grammy Award earlier this year for his New Age album - Winds of Samsara. The big win reaffirmed his stand on pursuing the kind of music he truly believes in and not giving in to the commercial diktats of mainstream and Bollywood music.

"Previously I used to feel bad when I would refuse the Bollywood offers, I used to feel that 'even I want to be famous in my own country,'" says Kej during an exclusive interview with IBTimes India. "...But the Grammy has really, really given me that recognition-- that I can refuse them without any problems at all now because I know that my own music has been appreciated."

Kej is one of the few independent artists who has managed to make a mark in the international circuit on his terms. In his latest interview, the composer opens up about life after the Grammy win, his meeting with the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, upcoming albums and his desire to collaborate with Batman v Superman composer Hans Zimmer.

Check out the exclusive two-part interview below:

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