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Sukhwinder Singh, the popular Bollywood playback singer broke into the big league with his track Chaiyya Chaiyya from Dil Se, (1998) which featured superstar Shah Rukh Khan adding an eternal appeal to the song. The number became a worldwide hit and even caught the attention of Hollywood filmmaker Spike Lee who used the track in his film Inside Man.
For the last decade, Singh has consistently belted out one hit track after another. Last year was phenomenal for him as he
lent his vocals to two tracks that have since become almost national anthems: the title track from Chak De! India and
Dard-E-Disco from Om Shanti Om. We caught up with Singh for an exclusive chat during his recent visit to Dubai.
How satisfying was 2007 for you from a professional point of view?
It was a great year. I had some wonderful numbers that gave me opportunity to explore different shades of my vocal skills,
whether it was Chak De! India, Dard-E-Disco or Jhoom Baraabar Jhoom. Luckily, most of these tracks were highly popular and much appreciated by everyone.
If you had to choose between the Chak De! India title track or Dard-E-Disco, which one would it be?
I would opt for both the tracks as both are special numbers. I watched Shah Rukh Khan working in Chak De! India as a coach with serious undercurrents and then later, in Om Shanti Om, he had developed a six-pack physique and looked stylish. So, I realised that with Chak De! India I had to send a serious message with a lot of passion, while Shah Rukh's stylish looks in Om Shanti Om forced me to provide the extra energy and bring a lot of style to the song, and yet be highly entertaining.
So, despite both these songs being different, they individually had their own appeal, and it is great to feel that these songs
were the most popular numbers.
Right from Chaiyya Chaiyya, you seem to share a special chemistry with Shah Rukh. What is the secret behind this success?
Music has its own charm and divine feeling along with the entertainment factor. I try my best to blend these elements and that gives a fine balance to a number. I have been lucky to get some great tracks and I always give it my best while the songs are translated superbly onscreen by Shah Rukh Khan's magnetic screen presence. I have to admit, Shah Rukh Khan is lucky for me. In fact Chaiyya Chaiyya got me
compliments from Steven Spielberg when the track was used in Spike Lee's Inside Man.
How do you prepare for stage shows when you are about to perform in front of a large audience?
To be honest, when I am set to give a stage performance, I don't plan the whole show. I am aware of just one or two tracks that I am going to perform when the show begins, and later on I keenly observe the audience and perform my next tracks based on their reactions. It is basically the vibes that I receive from my audience that help me decide my future course of the
show.
Lately, you have been composing music for some prestigious films. Can you tell us more?
I have composed music for some films in the past but, of late, I am getting the opportunity to do different projects. Recently, I composed the soundtrack and background score for Raj Kumar Santoshi's Halla Bol. It was a film with a strong
social message and therefore my score had to suit the film's theme. My music for Subhash Ghai's Black & White also generated a good response. In fact, I have performed a number in the film.
So with your multiple talents, will we see your career shifting towards acting like Himesh Reshammiya?
I am already acting when I have to perform on stage (he grins). On a serious note, in India, singers are usually associated with playback singing while in Western countries the singers are considered performing artistes. So it is best for me to be restricted to playback singing as I am happy lending my voice to Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Sanjay Dutt and other top stars. Yeah, if these stars quit films, then may be I can think of acting.
What's in store for your fans this year?
Besides my music for Black & White, I have sung some lively tracks for Tashan with Vishal-Shekhar and that is something they can look forward to. I will also be doing an international project for Vishal Bhardwaj.
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