In conversation with Guardian 20, the singer speaks about his musical inspirations and about reviving old classics.
Q. You started off with Sa Re Ga Ma Pa L’il Champs, becoming one of the most popular singers in India today. How has the journey been so far?
A. The journey has been amazing. I have been singing since the age of 11. And with every passing song, my voice has matured. I have sung for some prominent films like Taare Zameen Par and Bhoothnath, “Chiller Party” being one of the most popular songs. And then I got on as an adult playback singer in Jai Ho with Salman Khan. After that, my journey went smooth as I recorded for Bollywood films like Hate Story 3, Hero and also sang for non-films like “Main Rahoon Ya Na Rahoon”. So, the journey kept on going and I am really happy that I continued doing what I wanted to. As a kid, I always wanted to be a singer. It’s been a great journey from then, all the way to now.
Q. Which film do you think was your biggest break?
A. I think Hero was one of the biggest breaks, because that song really meant a lot to me. I got a lot of popularity and commercial success, thanks to that film and that song.
Q. You come from a musical background. Does that help you with your career as a singer?
A. Actually, it’s just that you are part of a family which is very knowledgeable and has been with the music industry for a long time. So, you get good guidance. But at the end of the day, it’s your own personal talent. If you have the talent, then you would get good chartbusters and hits. It has nothing to do with the family you belong to. It is all about individual capacity and talent. There are many people who have come from great families but couldn’t make it in the industry because probably they didn’t have the ability to live up to the expectation of people, or deliver something of their own.
Q. You have been releasing a lot of singles and reviving many of the old songs. What is the idea behind it?
A. The idea behind it is that many people of this generation do not know that these songs existed, and being able to revive these songs and bring them to the notice of young people is a great way of acquainting them with the golden melodies of that era. But the presentation is new so that they are able to connect to it. My presentation is more “pop”.
Q. But do you think when old songs are re-sung, they lose their originality?
A. Well, that’s a tricky thing. If you do it well, then it’s not a problem. But when you don’t do it well, people will criticise it. The originals were very successful, and if people do not connect with the original’s feel, then you are in a bad state. Because then, you have not only failed at recreating it, but also destroyed the original flavour of the song.
“There are many people who have come from great families but couldn’t make it in the industry because probably they didn’t have the ability to live up to the expectation of people, or deliver something of their own.”
Q. What kind of music do you like listening to?
A. I like listening to pop music and a lot of English stuff. I rarely listen to my own songs or Bollywood numbers. I don’t listen to Bollywood songs because my musicality is much more Western. It is very important to listen to a variety of music as it helps in bringing new ideas to the song.
Q. Could you talk about your just-concluded world tour?
A. It was my debut world tour. Someone from the industry at the age of 21 has done this! It was amazing, because at this age to be able to pull the crowds for me was unimaginable. It was like a dream come true.
Q. Tell us about the experience of working together with your brother Amaal on projects.
A. Actually Amaal and I, whenever we do a song together, the best part is that the relationship that we share as brothers also comes out. For me, this is a very tough question because he is a very hard task-master and we believe in delivering the best. So, I have to work extra hard for his songs and we made together songs like “Main Hoon Hero Tera” and “Tumhe Apne Banane Ka”, which have been very successful. So, I am glad that whenever we have collaborated, the songs have come out very well.
Q. What kind of music would you like to give to your audiences this year?
A. I have lots of surprises for this year. I have my own non-film single this year with different types of music. It will be pop-dance singles.
Q. The ’90s was the time of independent musical albums. Do you think we’ll witness the return of indie music in this country in 2017?
A. I think it’s going to be great. The trend is coming back. I think it is bigger than Bollywood. After you get the recognition and popularity, and are featured in a music album of your own, then things get bigger. I am looking forward to creating a lot of songs.