Himesh Reshammiya's music is a super success, did you have fear that Vinit, your competitor (who was trained by Himesh) would grab all the limelight inspite of you being the winner of the Sa-Re-Ga-Ma-Pa Challenge 2005.
"No, I don't feel that way at all. I know Himeshji's songs are chartbusters currently, and I appreciate his work. Whatever he touches turns to gold. It doesn't happen to everyone. Vineet is in his gharana, so he might get a lot of work from Himeshji, but that does not affect me, because I'm not here to work only with one musician. My mentor is Ismailji, but that will restrict me from singing for any other gharana."
Did you even once wish to be trained by Himesh?
"They both are great in their own rights. Himeshji has been delivering series of hits, but that does not mean my guru's gharana is any less powerful. I will sing with Himeshji too. I have already sung a song for him, and if given an opportunity I want to sing for him in the future. He knows exactly where my voice fits in, and he's told me he'll make me sing to a rocking number very soon."
One hand Himesh's music is super successful; on the other hand, certain sections of the media and audiences have been highly critical.
"I believe - Jo jeeta wohi sikander . When I won, there was controversy around me too. Some thought I was deserving, some thought I wasn't. But I didn't pay heed to all that, the papers can publish what they want. The truth is for all to see, inspite of the negative publicity and people talking about his nasal voice, he's the only one who has given a series of hits, and everyone is grooving to his songs. What more proof of success than this?"
Your mentor, Ismail Durbar had said that "Debu har waqt ek lamba race ka ghora hai . How did it feel being appreciated by him?
"Gurus know their shishya better than they know themselves. He believed in my potential, more than I ever did. I am fortunate to get a guru like Ismail Durbarji. Even if I lost the race, I wanted Ismailji's gharana of music to be victorious."
You recorded your fist solo-album, now that you've become a mainstream singer, who do you consider your toughest competition?
"I started my career on an empty slate, and I have a long way to go. I know there is stiff competition out there, but I am also aware that I've talent, and if I'm blessed with the stroke of luck I've enjoyed so far, I think I've a chance to prove myself. I have so much to do now, I can't stop to think about my competitors."
Do you think Nazia Hasan's Disco Deewaney era is coming back?
"Like fashion takes a complete circle and comes around, even music does. No one could believe that bell-bottoms and short kurtis would be revived in the fashion circuit. Likewise, noone ever thought that the melodies of the sixties would be recycled and remixed to this extent. But any piece of work that's brilliant (be it a film or a song), is also timeless.
From a small town in Assam, to the city of dreams, Mumbai. Yours is a filmi story?
"Its not so filmi, it's more real. I was in Mumbai much before I appeared on television; I even recorded songs for serials. I have recorded a solo song for Javed Akhtarji and Pritam for a film that never released. Me and my wife Vandana would always think... hamara number kab aayega?
Even the fact that I'm in Mumbai is a miracle; I wouldn't come to Mumbai if it wasn't for my wife. Assam is very far from Mumbai. I started with nothing but my dreams and prayers of loved ones."
Music Corner
Geet - Hui Sabse Parayee
Advocate Anjali Awasthi
