Notes from a singer- Kunal Ganjawala

Notes from a singer

He just got luckier. His coy smile and eyes filled with gratitude bear witness to the contentment he is enjoying these days.

His simple demeanour tells you he is still learning to soak in the new-found celebrity status, after a six-year-long period of "rejections, dejections and humiliations". And that makes him more humble than his peers.

He tries to reach all, oblige all and seems scared of displeasing anyone who shoots a query at him or asks for an autograph. "On the last leg of the 20s", this is Kunal Ganjawala for you.

The man whose voice mesmerised you with its sensuous appeal in Murder's "Bheege Honth", made you sway with "Channa Ve", and now sets your tap toes tapping to "Kaal Dhamal", an item song which Shah Rukh Khan and Malaika Arora have danced to together after "Chaiyyan Chaiyyan" in Dil Se.

Chance encounter

And believe it or not, this talented, largely self-taught singer, now learning classical music from Sudhir Mitr of Mumbai, never aspired to be a singer.

"I was not even a bathroom singer. I began singing only when I was ragged by my seniors as a fresher in Elphinston College, Mumbai. I was passing by them whistling a tune when a few of them caught hold of me and commanded, 'sing a song'. I was shocked. I said I never sang in my life. They said 'jhoot bolta hai. When he can whistle tunes so well, why can't he sing?' They caught hold of my neck saying, they would throttle me if I didn't. With great difficulty I sang "Nazar ke samne" (Aashiqui) and "Ik din bik jayega" (Dharam Karam). They spared me then but made me sing in college festivals later."

From here Kunal gained some confidence. Famous singer Poornima Tripathi heard him and selected him for the Malhar festival at St. Xavier's.

That was in 1992. And here he met music director Ranjit Barot who gave him a chance to sing one line in A.R. Rahman's "Vande Mataram" remix.

"Ranjit had great confidence in me. He introduced me to lyricist Mahboob, Anu Malik and many others. He has a great contribution in my achievements today," says Kunal.

"In my six years of struggle, I faced lots of rejections. I wasn't allowed to enter studios, made to wait for several hours and even simply commanded never to venture inside. But by then, I had developed immense confidence and decided to become a playback singer," recalls Kunal.

Urdu too

Alongside training his vocal chords, he is learning to correct his Urdu diction with the help of Mahboob, besides reading Mirza Ghalib and Gulzar.

"I have read Gulzar's saab's poems. I am very fond of them," he states.

Now this devotee of Sai Baba is booked for the "next couple of years" and has more than 50 songs in his kitty for the future. Forthcoming films in which he has sung include Krish, the sequel to Koi... Mil Gaya, and Kya Kool Hai Hum.

His golden earrings indicate he is gingerly picking up the trend. "No, I am wearing them since childhood. It's a custom in my home. I am a Kshatriya Rajput," he clarifies.

So there!

RANA SIDDIQUI

Source : http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mp/2005/04/30/stories/200 5043003120200.htm