Baba returns

After a haitus of nearly a decade, Baba Sehgal is all set to bounce back into action with new albums, films and television serials.

New Delhi, Aug 25: Baba Sehgal is back. The original Indian rapper who made rap music a household name with his hit numbers like 'Thanda thanda pani', 'Aaja meri gaadi mein' and 'Hakuna Matata' in the nineties is back in a new avatar. After a haitus of nearly a decade, Baba is all set to bounce back into action with new albums, films and television serials.

Harjit Singh Baba, popularly known as Baba Sehgal, craved a niche for himself with his whacky Hindi-English lyrics, wild sense of humour and earthly rhythms thus bringing rap music to India in his own style.

"When I started rapping people used to think rap was all about fast and whacky lyrics. But now, thay have realised that rap is a distinct genre of music and are following it in a big way," says Baba.

"Rap is emerging in India now and I want to cash in on it, and exploit it in a manner that I could not do when I began," he says.

Baba is back in India after a stint in broadway musicals in the US. "I decided to take a break and to create the same success I had when I began my career," he says.

Stating that this was the age of remixes, he disclosed that the title song of his new albumb 'Welcome to Mumbai' was insipred by the spirit of Mumbikars during the recent deluge. This albumb, he said, wolud also have a duet with bangra king Daler Mehindi.

His other albumb would be a collection of "re-arranged" hits of his own like Aaja meri gaadi mein and Dil dhadke, and some new numbers that "woluld redefine the meaning of hip-hops in a desi way".

"Music scenario is changed totally these days. I have involved technicians from outside in my projects to get what I want, songs are different but the style is same," he says.

"The shelf-life of a music video these days is about seven to ten days. Only if the lyrics are good and the video is shot well, the song will be a hit," he explains.

Baba is excited about his acting projects too. "I am basically a performer and have to get offers based only on my performances, so I am using films and television as a launch pad, he maintains.

He is playing a charecter of "funny-villian" in the flim 'Thodi Masti Thodi Dhoom' with Sanjay Kapur and Hrishita Bhat and he has also signed a Tamil film too. Besides these he is acting in a "romantic comedy" series for Star Plus to be aired from October.