SINGER-anchor Sonu Nigam, has become a hot favourite on the boob tube with his immensely popular television show Sa Re Ga Ma. He has paid a price for it though. His playback singing career has had to somewhat take a backseat. In an attempt to break out of the image of a television anchor, the man has latched on to the pop bandwagon and has just released Deewana, the pop album that is breaking all records. In a tête-à-tête with Smita Iyengar he discusses his rise to fame and his desire to break out of all worldly shackles to create a small utopia of his own..
You have the image of a small town boy, making it big in Bollywood.
How do you react to that?
I am not a small town boy! I was born in Faridabad, which is close to Delhi, and was brought up in the capital. We had our own ups and downs. My father, a very talented singer, tried his luck in Mumbai, but being a self-respecting man couldn't go around asking for work. Uncertainty loomed large and he went back to Delhi.
Did you have a godfather in the music industry?
No, not really. Although Gulshan Kumarji promoted me, things really did not come on a silver platter. But my career graph soared after I sang Achha Sila Diya Tune Mere Pyar Ka for one of his films.
Are you into music direction too?
Apart from composing songs for my own albums, I am also composing
songs for Sujeet Kumar and his son Jatin's serial, as well as for my friend Babul Suprio. But I don't intend being a full-fledged music director, as singing is my first love.
Sa-re-ga-ma has been your launchpad. Will you continue anchoring the show, despite your other engagements?
At one time I did think of quitting, but I am glad the producer
Gajendra Singh persuaded me to stay on. And look at how the show has soared with programmes even being staged abroad. We are also planning a grand millennium party!
What is your approach towards anchoring?
When I was offered Sa-re-ga-ma, the first thing I did was to
understand the meaning of the word `host'. A good host is one who
respects his guest. I try to underplay my role, because it is a show where we judge the musical talent of others. So I try to make the participants feel comfortable, instead of displaying my own talent.
You have this image of being a sweet-innocent guy, is that really you?
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Nothing about me is fake. I am nice to people who are genuine. I hate hypocrites and manipulative people. I am very forthright and don't fear the consequences even if it's a big shot in the industry as I have come up the hard way. I believe that I deserve what I have.
Have you had acting offers by any film director or producer?
Yes, but nothing worthwhile has come my way. All the offers that I have had are ones as a singer. I would love to act in an art film. I can never see myself chasing girls around trees.
It's said that you first create the mood for a song before doing the actual recording. How?
I did this for the song Yeh Dil Diwana in the film Pardes. Now, this song was a rock number and people had billed me as someone who sings only soft romantic numbers. I had to convince Subhash Ghai, the director-producer of the film and the film's music composers Nadeem Shravan, that I could do this song. So, I jogged, did flying kicks around the mike, till I got completely exhausted. All this to get into the mood, as I wanted to surpass Shah Rukh Khan's acting with my singing. And I did.
What do you plan do in the future?
I want to earn enough money to make my family secure. Then quit the film industry, settle in the countryside, and build a cozy cottage on a farm, lots of cows, buffaloes and poultry with no radio or television. I want to go back to living like a human being, instead of a machine.
