What ails Reshammiya?

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Monika

@monika.goel

Sparkler

Posted: 19 years ago

What ails Reshammiya?
By: Shaheen Parkar
March 11, 2006

Himesh Reshammiya

What's vexing music composer Himesh Reshammiya? Viewers observed a sullen Reshammiya at the recent Zee awards when he was adjudged Best Singer. He opened his acceptance speech by saying, "Hope this proves a point. I will be even better next year. I am grateful to God, dad and Salman Khan."

Earlier, at the MTV awards where he reaped two prizes (Best Singer and Music) he began by saying, "Yeh awards maine kharide nahin hai!" He has received the Filmfare award for Best Singer as well as the Stardust awards for Best Singer and New Talent. With a bagful of honours, why does he appear so upset — and what's he so bitter about?

I'm not arrogant

"Nothing, absolutely nothing," claims Reshammiya. "I am thankful and grateful to everyone for the response my songs have fetched.

Maybe, I am not good at humour; or maybe my straight-faced look makes people think it's attitude. But it's not that way at all. If that's what people felt after watching me on TV, let me clear it — Himesh is not bitter about anything. I am not arrogant. I am happy to be recognised as a hit singer and composer."

So what provoked him to say what he did at the Zee and MTV events? "That's because basically I am a music composer. Some people in the industry felt, 'can Himesh sing?' I am a trained singer; I have received classical training. All the tracks I have sung so far have been chartbusters.

So also is my album, Aap Ka Surroor. I just wanted to say that a composer can sing too — and be hugely successful. Moreover, there was this cyclone when we landed at Mauritius for the Zee awards — so it was just a bit uncomfortable and that maybe showed up on my face.

As I always say, I am grateful to the Almighty for giving me success, for dad for guiding me and for Salman for remembering and giving me that promised break as composer."

With regard to the MTV awards, he claims, "The event had a lot of fun and young elements, with a lot of wisecracks being made by everyone. I did my bit too. I said, 'Hello, yeh awards maine kharide nahin hai!' If that was construed as arrogance, it was wrong. I guess I can't play to the gallery."

Rahman nawazi

Reshammiya says he is not carried away by success. "It is difficult to consistently give hits. I treat every film as my very first. The industry works from Friday to Friday. I have to better myself. Moreover, I am not promoting myself as a singer. It is Himesh Reshammiya the composer who decides whether Himesh Reshammiya the singer fits in."

Would he sing for another composer? "Only if it the composer is A R Rahman. I respect him a lot and he was the first to tell me what a great track Aashiq Banaya was," says Reshammiya.

Himesh's films include…

Deepak Tijori's Tom Dick and Harry —he has sung the Jhoom Jhoom track
Abbas-Mustan's 36 China Town — rendered the title track
Satish Kaushik's Milenge Milenge
Feroz Nadiadwala's Phir Hera Pheri and Fool and Final (has sung one number in Phir Hera Pheri)
Anil Sharma's Apne
Pankaj Parasher's Benares
Dharmesh Darshan's Aap Ki Khatir