put on the backburner. However, I am planning to release my single sometime around this year. Preferably, it should hit the stands ahead of the festive season and I’ m going to appear in my first music video shot ever.
Earlier, you had expressed your desire to collaborate with the Mozart of Madras A. R. Rahman …
Oh yes, if only God willing( smiles). Let me keep my fingers crossed! But now am even greedier. You may add two more international names on the list— Ricky Martin and Enrique Iglesias.
Tell us something about your recently concluded World Tour— Generation Next of yours.
Well, that was a thrilling experience and a very fulfilling one. A series of concerts was jointly organized by our international promoter Farhath Hussain and the leading event management company of Cineyug. Mainly, it was mainly a US tour and I could visit seven places touching down from Dallas, Houston, New Jersey, Washington DC, Boston, Los Angeles to San Francisco.
Practically, all my shows were housefull. The amount of appreciation and fan-adulation I got from these places was simply amazing. The brand of Aashiqui 2 has reached the skies it seems. It’ s nothing new that mainstream Bollywood music is popular world-wide. But when you witness a dense crowd of mixed populace ranging from Chinese, Africans, Brits, Americans, Indians, Pakistanis to Bangladeshis swinging to your music, then it feels surreal and commendable. The ambience was super cool and tapping the pulse of a live audience is always liberating from a claustrophobic studio.
It was really surprising to get an encore of Tu Jo Hai from the Emraan Hashmi flick Mr. X as it was yet to release then. But the song was already a craze over there.
My upcoming trip from July 22 till August 10 will see me travelling from Chicago, New York, Toronto, Leicester, London to Holland.
You have also sung in regional languages like Tamil, Kannada and Telugu which are literally tough on the tongue. So for you as a musician, language is no barrier...
I have studied at a school where Sanskrit was a compulsory subject till class 10. And Sanskrit by default is the mother language of most Indian vernaculars. So I guess if you are conversant in the root language, you can smoothly pick up other provincial lingos. Same applies in my case. Although comprehending the meaning of the word was cumbersome at times, I managed to pull it off with credence.
Given a chance, would you seriously consider acting offers as you do possess a pleasant personality and may look good onscreen as well?
No way! Acting is a different ballgame altogether. It’ s a distinct art from music-direction. Not many people would remember that my elder brother( Ankur) and I had chipped in as music-composers in Aashiqui 2. But that was a small cameo and we both portrayed a character which is so routinely part of our regular lives. But if someone asks me to serenade a heroine, sing and dance with her, emote in love-scenes and do stunts and action sequences like a seasoned pro, then sorry, that isn’ t my cup of tea!
It is almost impossible to find friends in a competitive industry like showbiz, more so in times of distress. But you did bump into an angel like eminent filmmaker Tigmanshu Dhulia in your worst possible hour. What do you have to say?
Well in your question lies the answer hidden. And you’ ve said it yourself. I completely agree that seldom would you come across real buddies to rally around you with a show of strength and solidarity in the moment of peril and grief. But that’ s what Tishubhaiyya did. It requires a lot of heart to come out in the open and support a guy who is put on the wrong side of the law.( Incidentally, in May 2014, Tiwari was detained on charges of alleged harassment, complained by his girlfriend). He is now more like a family to me and I can call him 24X7. These relations you see, are beyond any professional parameters. I have a great personal equation with director Mohit Suri too. Even my close bonding with lyricist Sandeep Nath( of Sunn Raha Hai fame) is at a brotherly level.
You have also signed up a film with him …
Yes, Tishuji has given me work when I was mentally in shambles. It is his forthcoming project titled Yaara. He is not only a talented director but a wonderful person as well. The film is a tentative 2015 release.
Can you shed some light on your upcoming musical duties in Airlift and Rocky Handsome?
The song in Airlift( an upcoming action-thriller starring Akshay Kumar and Nimrat Kaur) is of interesting genre— a dance number in a nutshell. While Rocky Handsome( featuring John Abraham and Shruti Haasan as lead pair) is a very emotional film and close to my heart. Right now, it is too early to either discuss or declare these songs in detail. But both films are slated for release this year only.
You have already playbacked for actor Ranbir Kapoor in Roy. Which other hero would you want to lip-sync your dulcet numbers?
Of course the big three— the shaandaar( magnificent) Khans. Though I have sung the Dil Darbadar track in Aamir Khan’ s PK which only emerged in the background but hasn’ t directly sung for him. Besides, King Khan SRK and Salmanbhai are on my wish-list.
Had you not been a musician what would you be?
I wouldn’ t be on this planet only. I think I was born to be a musician and in my head, I can’ t think of any other vocation to describe myself.
The Score Magazine
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