Oops! Left out one KK clone Babul Supriyo.
Playback singer Babul Supriyo shows you how to make your dreams come true
You were called a clone of Kishore Kumar, then of Kumar Sanu. How difficult has it been for you to establish your own identity?
Every new artiste goes through a legitimate period of struggle. There are very few singers in the industry who have an absolutely original voice. Nearly everyone starts out by modelling their voices in the manner of a more successful singer. In my case, it was Kishore Kumar and later Kumar Sanu. See, the fact of the matter was that if my voice wasn't enough to charm music directors or critics, any arguments in my favour obviously weren't going to work either. So instead of wasting my energy trying to convince them that I'm not like this, that or the other, I simply let my singing do the talking.
But you did consciously try to ape Kishore Kumar. Didn't you feel that would act as a deterrent while you were trying to prove yourself?
Well, playback singing is all about sounding like the 'hero' of the film. Kishore Kumar was noted for this. And as he was my idol, I thought the best way to succeed in this profession is to imitate him. Even though he's no more, to me his spirit still lives. I like to think that we share a guru-shishya relationship, like Dronacharya-Eklavya. Consciously or subconsciously, I may have ended up sounding like him.
And far from being a deterrent, people gave me work because my voice sounded like his. In fact I have been often asked to sing like Kishore Kumar or Kumar Sanu. I was called the 'Poor Man's Kumar Sanu'. If big singers weren't available or were too expensive, I was called as a replacement. That's pretty much what everyone does till they get their big break. When I entered the music industry in '93, I knew that I was in a situation where beggars can't be choosers.
But today, things have changed. I think I've carved my own identity.
How did you keep yourself motivated in the face of rejection? Give our readers some tips.
See, I've always known that my greatest asset is confidence. You have to be convinced of your own abilities. Disappointment, frustration are all temporary, so too, rejection. Belief in oneself is the only thing that should always be permanent. I saw every hurdle in my way as a test and I don't think I've done anything special. Everyone goes through it.
Everything that I have today — my home, my television, my office — I'd dreamed about. I used to sketch how I wanted it all to turn out and strived to make them come true. I like to think of myself as a sane man with an insane mind.
Describe your struggle.
Oh, it was pretty bad. I'm an only child and was used to certain comforts in Kolkata. After coming to Mumbai, I bid a goodbye to the lifestyle. I enjoyed, and even my well being to a large extent.
Among my first residences was a balcony. I had one mat, which I used to sleep on. When I was living in a lodge, I shared a bathroom with 30 other people. Every morning, I bought a fruit from outside the railway station (my breakfast) and then started checking out the studios. I remember sitting in Bus No. 356 trying very hard not to weep in frustration, after facing yet another rejection.
What made you press on?
I had an obligation towards myself.
I strongly believe that in the one life that you have, you should live it to the fullest. I didn't want to reach the age of 50 and have any regrets. To become a success in the music industry was a long-cherished dream and I didn't want to leave it at that.
I started with remixes and remakes. Whatever little money that came in kept me going. That's why even today I never sneer at remixes. It was these and the playbacks in small budget movies I did that convinced the music directors to give me the big break.
The turning point came with Hello Brother, the songs of which got me immense recognition.
Many new artistes are frustrated by bread-and-butter work. How does one survive the grind?
When you start off, it's better not to be extra choosy. Don't think of yourself as someone special. Never deride any work. In the field of playback singing, an artiste has little decisive power. The music director conceives an idea; we make it happen and give it shape. It's like an architect who makes a blueprint and then hires people to actually build the structure.
Work is work, wherever it comes from. Always respect it and give it your best. You don't need to be different to be good, you need to be good to be different.
It's only in personal albums that one may get some opportunity to experiment. A good team is a must.
So, you've become a success. Isn't it tough, keeping up with the rat race?
Yes. A man may be at the top, but there will always be a question mark on how long he can stay up there.
Because once you reach the acme, the only way left is down.
Mumbai has provided me the opportunity to make my passion my profession, but it's a stressful one. Everybody has some or the other stress or tension. It's just that celebrity stresses are made out to be bigger than they are. I've got to learn to cope with it, be more thickskinned.
How do you deal with the insecurities of success?
There's one doctrine I live by, and that is I should only compete with myself. My today should always be better than my yesterday. It's the only way one can grow as an artiste.
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