The Score Magazine - Archive June 2015 issue! | Page 35

Before coming to Mumbai, did you imagine yourself in
the role of music director rather than that of singer?
Frankly speaking, No. I have always dreamt to be a singer & for that
I learnt classical music for 7 years & I have gone through rigorous
practice to become a professional singer. But deep inside I was also
fond of composing ghazals so sub-consciously I was a composer in the
making.
My Guru Ustad Gulshan Bharti was my inspiration and today
whatever I know about music the entire credit goes to him.
What would you say is the most valuable lesson to take
away from your reality show experiences?
According to me, one must not take reality shows that seriously. It's
just another game show and one’s life should not depend on it. I am
also against kid’s reality shows. Children should not be exposed to
the glamour world at such an early stage.
Are you still having difficulties with work in Mumbai?
Or has the association with Bhansali ji paved the path
to better work now?
It will never be easy to keep up to the industry expectations. One
has to work day in & day out to be noticed. And with so many talents
around I have to be very careful of what I present to my directors.
I am one of the luckiest to work with a legend like Bhansali ji. I have
learnt a lot working with him & it is definitely helping me in my
work.
What do you think would really draw you to a film or a
musical project? What kind of music are you looking to
compose?
As a composer I should know every genre and I should be capable of
composing any form of music. My personal favourite is Ghazals &
love songs and sometimes if I am in a very good mood I would love to
compose party or dance numbers.
We're seeing an increasing number of new faces
in Bollywood. Do you feel under pressure from the
competition?
No doubt there's a lot of competition but I am confident about my
style of composing. In fact I like competition, they keep
me in check!
Which singers and directors
are you most keen to
compose for?
The scenario is different
now. Earlier every
composer wanted to
make their mark by
working with the big
names, but today
there are so many
new talents, be it
singer or director
who have their
own unique style
of working. For
e.g. my first
film was with
Director
Omang
Kumar, who himself made his debut in Mary Kom as a director &
the film has gained lot of appreciation, it crossed 100 crores & won
the National Award too. So, yeah, I would love to work with sensible
directors who understand talent & music.
Do you feel addicted to the control afforded to a music
director yet?
It's not an addiction yet. But yes, the sense of responsibility will make
you addicted to become a better musician.
Now that you're a composer, have any new musical
influences added to your artistic impulses?
New, not really but I am a huge fan & highly influenced by Nusrat
Fateh Ali Khan & A. R. Rahman. I have learnt a lot from their
music & if I’m able to create music even a bit like them it will be an
achievement for me.
You've trained in classical music for six years. Do you
think it is possible to make it in music, or even make
good music, without classical training?
Composing is a completely different high & no one can teach you to
create music. It's a quality that should come naturally. But one can
definitely improve it by practicing. Also any form of musical training
can surely help in creating music.
Tell us a bit about your days in Lucknow. What is the
musical atmosphere like in your hometown?
Lucknow is not my home town, I was born & brought up in Bihar. I
came to Lucknow to learn classical music. As Lucknow is known for
its musical culture. I studied music from Bhathkhandey University
for 2 years & then I started learning from the Lucknow gharanas
famous classical singer Ustad Gulshan Bhartiji.
I had my ups & down in Lucknow as I was new to the town all by
myself. Thank god that I learnt tabla from my father at home & that's
what helped me in Lucknow to make some money by teaching kids.
What were your first days in Mumbai like?
My Mumbai journey started with the reality show 'Sa Re Ga Ma Pa'
2008 so the excitement was pretty high! But the reality hit when I was
eliminated. Yes it was tough to keep up to Mumbai's fast growing life
& I had to start all over again! But 'Dil Ye Ziddi Hai' so giving up was
not a choice at all.
I am very grateful to my mentors of 'Sa Re Ga Ma Pa', Shankar
Mahadevan & Adesh Shrivastav who guided me a lot and gave me
a lot of confidence to be what I am today. It is very important to be
around positive people in tough times and they were the ones. I'm
also very grateful to Sandeep Singh who was the CEO of Bhansali
Production who introduced me to Bhansali ji after watching my
performance in Indian Idol 5.
After having worked with Priyanka Chopra, do you
think making the transition from actor to singer is a
challenge?
Priyanka is a very talented personality. Music is in her blood as she
belongs to a musical family. As everyone know before Mary Kom,
Priyanka was already known internationally as a singer for her song
'In My City'. So for her, I don’t think the transition was a challenge. It
came to her very naturally.
Any upcoming projects that we can look forward to?
Yes. Many :) I have composed for a comedy & a romantic film. You
will surely see some good music coming in soon.
The
Score Magazine
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