Features: Magazine | Literary Review | Life | Metro Plus | Open Page | Education Plus | Book Review | Business | SciTech | Friday Review | Young World | Property Plus | Quest | Folio |

Mushy times again

Abhijeet's third non-film album "Lamahe" is full of romance

JUST FOR FANS Abhijeet says good music is his only weapon

Usually private albums of popular singers don't become as popular as their film songs. But singer Abhijeet Bhattacharya's non-film albums, "Aashiqui" and "Tere Bina", released some time back, were chartbusters. Encouraged by this, Abhijeet has come out with his third non-film album "Lamahe".

Well known for his romantic numbers, the singer says after "Aashiqui" and "Tere Bina", "Lamahe" was a challenge.

"It took me two years to release it because I try to maintain the standard of my music. `Lamahe' has nine tracks, all romantic, sung by me and my co-singer Prabhati Mukherjee."

Asked about the increasing popularity of remixes, he points out, "My album `Tere Bina' faced stiff competition from `Kanta Laga' but still went down well with the audience. My only weapon is good music. I am not desperate to sell my album. I create music for my fans, not for money."

For this singer the road to popularity has not been smooth. Born in Kanpur in a middle class Bengali family, Abhijeet came to Mumbai in 1981 to study Chartered Accountancy but left it halfway to pursue singing. He started off by singing cover versions of Kishore Kumar. Then R.D. Burman gave him the first break in Dev Anand's Anand Aur Anand.

He saw success with songs such as "Har kasaam se badi hai kasam pyaar ki" and "Chandni Raat Hai". After that there was no looking back. He rose to stardom with numbers such as "Zara sa jhoom loon main" (Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge). But the song closest to his heart is "Chand Taare" from Yes Boss for which he bagged the Filmfare Award.

On the new singing talents coming through reality shows, he says, "The organisers of the talent hunt shows care only for money.

There is a lot of real talent in India. But instead of providing a platform for the new singers these shows focus on the financial and regional background of the participants."

He describes Himesh Reshammiya as "one of the most gifted and qualified singers today. Nasal tone is not wrong. Legends such as K.L. Saigal, Noorjehan and Mukesh were known for it. I cannot sing the way Himesh sings."

On actors singing in films, he says, "It's just fun. Actors can never replace playback singers."

BHASKAR PANT

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail