Musician and singer Nandini Srikar, best known for Duaa from Shanghai,on her upcoming song, and the state of indie music in India
Srishti Ghosh Shinde (BOMBAY TIMES; February 14, 2014)

You’re not a playback singer in the traditional sense of the word. But you’ve carved a niche for yourself in Bollywood. How did that work out for you?
I had a flourishing career in a software company. I left all of it to pursue my dreams of working with music. My family wasn’t sure if I could make it, since the decision seemed quite impractical then. However, when they saw me composing music, producing it and getting better opportunities, they encouraged and supported me. They understood that I knew my job well. However, I never wanted to become a fullfledged playback singer, as I wished to do something different. I am more into indie music, which has very few takers in this country. Moreover, I never wanted to restrict myself to just singing, I wanted to compose and produce as well. But I do feel that the playback singing scene is changing, with the industry trying to break the monotony and bring in new voices.
 
And that’s going well for you?
I feel there should be more variety. One particular voice is not meant for every song. I am glad the industry has opened up to a lot of new voices. It is a very good sign for singers. Since Bollywood has conquered it all, there’s not even a single section of society that is not affected by it. This means a lot of opportunities to new people who will get a good audience.
 
Duaa, one of the most iconic songs of your career, even features as your callertune...
As usual, Shekhar called up, and gave me this beautifully written song. I remember meeting Arijit Singh for the first time that day. It’s a small song, with just one mukhada and one antara, however he told me that he wants me to do a long alaap towards the end. What makes it this song so special is the alaap, and it was there in the final version just the way I sung it, without any editing. It was very rare to include such a long alaap in a Bollywood song.
 
Tell us about Bhare Naina from RA.One, which was quite well-received.
There’s a long story behind Bhare Naina, When Vishal and Shekhar approached me to sing the song, quite a few singers had already recorded for it. However, they were looking for something different. When they gave it to me, they said, “Do whatever you feel with it, sing it your way”. I felt like playing a rugby match, where I could just get hold of the ball and run with it anywhere on the field. I gave it a classical touch with a lot of harkatein… and conveniently forgot about it until about a year and a half later, when Vishal called me to attend the promotions of the film. They made it sound very appealing.
 
You’ve been an indie artist for a long time. What’s the scene like now?
It’s quite sad. People don’t want to listen to it. They are happy with song-and-dance numbers. Moreover, there are a lot of limitations when it comes to indie music here, since it requires doing concerts and playing live, which is difficult here. In a country like ours, being talented is not enough.
 
Any suggestions for improvement?
People these days don’t buy music, they just download it for free. I think people who really like music and are passionate about it should buy albums, if not all, of their favourite artists at least. And, what’s the cost of a song these days? It’s hardly 6 or 7, not more than that.
 
What’s the live music scene like?
There is hardly any live music happening here. Firstly, there’s a huge dearth of good venues for a live show. Whatever is available is at nearby residential areas or places where a lot of loud noise is restricted. Moreover, the government regulation of the 10 pm deadline has spoiled the live scene completely. Singers can’t get up early in the morning and have a concert in the afternoon and finish by evening. Music needs a certain ambience, which is only during evenings, and no one comes to a concert before 8 or 9 pm, and then we have to wind up by 10 pm. Even if we do it, the audience doesn’t want to listen to indie music or our compositions, they want us to sing Bollywood, old melodies, etc. It’s very stressful, though there are a few places that promote live music, and there are some hardcore followers who respect this form of music.
 
What do you do when you are not working?
I read a lot! I read books on astrophysics, space missions, etc. I find them very interesting; I also love neuro-science. I understand they might all sound like male-centric topics, but that’s how I have been. I have always ventured into zones not meant for women.