'Kids should not participate in reality shows'

Congratulations on your new song "Ki Hoye" from Byomkesh Bakshi…

Thank you very much. "Ki Hoye" is a wonderful number. It has a bit of jazz in it and a very strong feel of the old Bollywood hit "Babuji Dheere Chalna".

Tell us about your career so far as a playback singer.

Of course, "Ki Hoye" is not my first film song. It follows my first Bollywood release for the movie Alag (2006), the music of which was composed by Aadesh Shrivastava. Next in line was "Chupi Chupi Raat," a duet with Rupankar for Anjan Dutt's Chalo Let's Go. This was actually my first playback in Bengal and the song became quite popular. Then there was Cross Connection followed by Madlee Bangalee and now it's Byomkesh Bakshi.

When did you start singing?

I'd a penchant for music from a very early age. I started taking music lessons from Pandit Ajoy Chakrabarty when I was about two and a half years old. Since then I've learnt various different forms of music like western opera, semi-classical, ghazals and thumris.

How has the journey been from singing on the stage of SaReGaMaPa to singing for films?

SaReGaMaPa happened when I was in the 10th standard. It was followed by Ek Main Aur Ek Tu where I was declared winner along with Aishwarya from Bihar. After releasing a couple of albums in Hindi with Aishwarya and in Bengali with composers like Joy Sarkar and Rupankar, I eventually ventured into Bollywood. I also did a few corporate projects as a part of the contract with Zee TV.

You are also training as an operatic singer. Please tell us about it.

Opera is basically an enactment of a play through vocal improvisations. The technique I am learning right now can be used in today's Bollywood singing. Music here is changing every six months. We have a lot of hip-hop, pop-rock and jazz influence on Bollywood music these days. So I think my training in opera will considerably help me as a playback singer.
 
You have been working with Anjan Dutt for quite some time now. How has the association been?

Well, working with Anjan Dutt and his son Neel has been a wonderful experience. Honestly, I almost fell from the seventh floor when I got a call from Neel to sing for Chalo Let's Go. That is how the first song happened and I was lucky enough that it became a hit.

Tell us about your association with the reality television circuit.

For singers like us reality shows provide a great platform, but they are not without their negative sides. Firstly, there is a lot of stress involved in reality shows, and this breeds jealousy and ill feeling among the participants. Secondly, I feel kids should not participate in reality shows because somewhere down the line these shows rob them of their innocence. They perform, dress and behave like grown-ups. There should be an age limit for people to participate.

What are your next singing projects?

This year I have a quite a few projects lined up in Bengal and Bollywood. I am eagerly awaiting my playback for Kangana Ranaut in the new film called Tannu Weds Mannu, where I've worked with Sunidhi Chauhan. Apart from that, I have a song in a film called Aaj Phir Jeene Ki Tamanna Hai, which happens to be a comeback film of yesteryear actors Shatrughan Sinha and Rekha. As far as the Tollywood circuit is concerned, there is a movie called Fight which features three of my songs. There's another where I've composed and also written a portion of a song.


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