By R.M. VIJAYAKAR
Special to India-West
LONDON - He has had an eventful journey of traversing variegated terrain. Himesh Reshammiya, son of musician and composer Vipin Reshammiya, first began as a TV serial producer, and beginning with the huge hit "Andaz," churned out several soaps and sitcoms as producer-story writer and music director (of the usually popular title-tracks).
He next turned music director in films with a single but chartbusting song in "Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya" (1998), making a mark slowly but surely with hit tracks in "Hello Brother" and "Kya Dil Ne Kahaa" and then hitting consecutive highs with "Humraaz," "Chura Liyaa Hai Tumne" and finally hit the big time with "Tere Naam." In 2005, he turned singer with "Aashiq Banaya Aapne," scored a whopper, and went on to belt out a series of super-hits that included T-Series' biggest-selling album ever "Aap Ka Suroor" in whose music videos he popularized a makeover that included a frayed cap, a jacket, a stubble and a forlorn look.
Come mid- to late 2006, Himesh stormed the U.S. with a series of spectacular solo concerts and finally Oct. 29, he launched his "Aap Ka Suroor" concert in London with three announcements that highlighted lots more moonlighting.
Himesh Reshammiya will endorse an exclusive Denim Jeans and Cool Casuals range for Future Group with a multi-media blitz. Future Group, which owns Pantaloons and Big Bazaar, also launches a fashion label branded M3 retailed at Big Bazaar with four lines of young India-related apparel titled after four super-hit songs, "Jhoom," "Jhalak," "Suroor" and "Aashiq." M3, an acronym for "Mega Music Movement," will also boast of merchandising (caps et. al.), music stores, music cafes, juke box, M3 series of live concerts, M3 as a music label and also reality TV.
They will also join Himesh Reshammiya in promoting and establishing his father's dream for 30 years, the H.R. School of Music, a state-of-the-art music school. Each school will be based on a 25,000-sq.feet premises and designed by world-renowned Italian architects with the best of Indian and international musicians as teachers. Originally to open in the four metros (two schools each) and launching in Kolkata in early 2007, there will be ultimately 50 such institutions around the country. The courses will be divided as per genres (Film, Sufi, Sufi-Rock, Vocal Classical etc.) into about 10 divisions with three levels of courses in each - Amateur, Professional and Hobby, which will range from three months to two years.
Himesh Reshammiya launches himself as an actor with "Aap Ka Suroor - The Movie," to be launched in January 2007 and shot in a single schedule over 9 countries. To be released in June 2007, the mega-budget film will have nine new songs and two new heroines, one of whom will be Indian. Said to be semi-autobiographical, the film will star Himesh as HR, a rock star, and will be directed by Prashant Chadha (who has directed all his music videos) for producer Vijay Taneja. Himesh's styling will be done by Roopa Chadha, the woman behind his current makeover.
India-West met Himesh Reshammiya for a quick Q and A at London's Wembley Arena. Excerpts of an interview follow.
Q: What happens to your prolific career as composer?
A: I will score music only for three films and one album a year. The busy phase is over, and my last few films' non-performance and the advice of my well-wishers have been like lessons for me. God and the industry have given me so much that it is definitely payback time. My music school is not a charity drive, but money-making is not the agenda and so the fees will be completely affordable to all - it is business plus vidya. Music is making amazing strides and I want to make it a lifestyle statement and change the youth of the country. We have high-tech malls, gyms and multiplexes, why not have a truly modern music school that makes your talent flower? For example, I have seen amazing talent in businessmen, doctors, journalists and engineers. Their hobby can be channeled if desired into a profession. My school will admit those from 6 to 60 years of age.
Q: You write two to three tunes daily. What happens to them?
A: I will choose the best, besides making new ones. That exercise will continue - it is riyaaz for me. But I have a 95 percent success rate that I should not spoil with overwork.
Q: What made you bring an unprecedented 70 reporters from India all the way to London?
A: Ninety percent of the media has been completely supportive all along and this is my way of thanking them. As for the remaining 10 percent, I have to thank them, too, for keeping me in the news by misquoting me on everything from what I never said - like attacking Sonu Nigam, or calling myself a rock star on par with Bryan Adams! Their desire to convert my image into an arrogant brat after getting success also helped.
When I started out, these people said that a young TV producer could never compete with the big names then. But my very first serial and its title-song were whopping hits. I faced the same skepticism with my first film, in which my only song was the film's biggest hit despite other composers' contributions. When I began singing with "Aashiq Banaya Aapne" they called the hit music a fluke. But 30 "flukes" followed in less than 10 months, and all that they were left with was to attack a nasal voice and make fun of my looks. Now after these announcements, especially the movie, they will positively certify me as a lunatic. But I have not come into the industry to make a fool of myself. Main jo kar rahaa hoon soch samajhke kar rahaa hoon!
Q: To what do you attribute such a phenomenal degree of success?
A: I attribute it entirely to God's will. Success is a combination of talent, hard work, blessings, good wishes and His will. I know that so many others are as talented and hard-working as I, maybe even more, but they lack somewhere in the rest. And I feel blessed that God has willed me so many blessings and good wishes. |
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