Showing posts with label Himesh Reshammiya interview. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Himesh Reshammiya interview. Show all posts
Nose no limits; How Himesh Reshammiya became a Lord and a meme
3:19 PM
Mohua Das (THE TIMES OF INDIA; September 7, 2025)
These days, Himesh Reshammiya enters the stage like Batman might. He doesn’t walk on so much as emerge through smoke and trap door in black flared cape and sunglasses. The cap is firmly welded to his head and has become the leitmotif of his Cap Mania Tour, with a giant red replica looming over the stage.
“The cap happened because I lost my hair. It was the best look possible then but created an emotional connect,” he says. The admission is oddly disarming. His camouflage attempt spawned parodies but made him instantly recognizable. The transplanted hair that followed has been mercurial too — silky curtains, poker-straight spikes, side-swept bangs, retro shag. And while the hair styles may change, the nasal twang remains non-negotiable. Only some artists can turn what they were once mocked for into a punchline. Himesh, now 52, does that with ease. On stage, he asks fans: “Naak se gaaun kya?” (Should I sing from my nose?) and the stadium roars back, “Yes!”
That twang has carried him further than even he’d imagined. Along with Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Coldplay and Ed Sheeran, he’s made it to Bloomberg’s Pop Power List. Debuting at No 22, he is the first Indian to do so. The feat, he says, isn’t a fluke. “My strength has always been as a composer who knew how to spot the X-factor. My voice needed Himesh the composer to deliver those 50 back-to-back hits.”
It sounds faintly absurd phrased that way, except for one thing. The ranking is based on seven data-driven metrics including live revenues, ticket sales, digital song streams and social media following. “The numbers have spoken, so I've nothing to add,” he deadpans.
He’s had his share of critics. About ‘Jhalak Dikhla Jaa’, which released 20 years ago, he recalls, “People loved the song and I got awards, yet they asked, ‘Arre naak se kyun gaa raha hai?’ (Why are you singing nasally?)”
Fast-forward to 2025, and fans dressed in HR-emblazoned caps and jackets watch Reshammiya sing ‘tera tera… surroooor’, the song that launched a thousand memes and is now chanted by Gen Z in sold-out stadiums with the kind of fervour you usually witness for boybands and cricket finals.
The Delhi and Mumbai concerts saw 50,000 turn up. When Mumbai sold out, fans flew to Delhi where the concert was over two nights because one wasn’t enough. Though the show was meant to close at 10 pm, Himesh informed the crowd, “Aaj main mood mein aa gaya hoon,” and carried on for another hour. Nobody complained.
This is the same man who once baffled linguists by releasing an album titled ‘Aap Kaa Surroor’ with the respectful ‘Aap’ not even used once. Instead, it was Tera on a loop — Naam Hai Tera, Tera Fitoor, Tera Mera Milna, Tera Aana, Tera Deewana — like a Freudian fixation running through his discography like a watermark. Now, after two decades, five movies, a hair transplant, a vocal-cord surgery that gifted him a second bass octave, and a six-pack, he has been rebranded by fans as ‘Lord Himesh’.
His unlikely comeback began with Surroorgasm. Not a medical condition but a meme page that mutated into a stan account with nearly 1.5 lakh followers on Instagram.
Soon came spin-offs like Himesh Doing Things. Exhibit A: Himesh as a gym bro downing protein. Exhibit B: Himesh slow-walking through a desert in a black trench coat embodying global warming. Exhibit C: Himesh licking his lips diagonally for the first time. “I love it,” he says about his meme-ification. His listeners, he insists, were always there at parties, weddings and clubs. “Even when the films didn’t work.”
Every singer, he argues, has a USP. The nasal twang is his. “It’s not a gimmick,” he insists, but a lineage. “Even Kishore da (Kumar) loved K L Saigal saab, who was nasal. Our roots have always been nasal.”
But the “real Himesh” he explains, is about smuggling complex ragas to unsuspecting masses, the way a parent sneaks veggies into a child’s sandwich. “Sometimes it’s a pure raga, sometimes a mishra raga. Sanam Mere Humraaz, for instance, was raga Bhairav in disguise,” he holds forth. His trick, he says, is simplifying India’s musical DNA until everyone can hum it on the bus.
Something he learnt from his father, composer Vipin Reshammiya, one of the first to plug electronica into Bollywood. “Composing was in my blood. But he taught me how to compose for the common man with high-standard notes.” Armed with that formula, Reshammiya built himself an arsenal of 350 songs — tragic ballads, shaadi bangers, heartbreak anthems — you name it.
He has his own homegrown focus group of family, neighbours, school friends. He plays them a tune, watches their reactions, and sorts the track into cool urban, desi, or universal. If they love it, it stays. If they don’t, it gets tweaked until they do. He now has a library of more than 2,000 songs. “Even today, I compose one a day.”
The point, he adds, was never to stay a ‘panchwa gayak’ (fifth backup singer).” Playback felt too small a box. “Michael Jackson never sang for Tom Cruise, did he?” His ambition was to be “a complete package. Voice, composition, visual character.” His signature chant: “Jai Mata di, let’s rock!” is part of the package, and it works equally well in stadiums, on Instagram, and at Vaishno Devi, where he’s performed half a dozen jagrans in recent years.
But his way back into the public imagination was ‘Badass Ravi Kumar’, a retro ’80s-type action film released in February where he leans into his memes, sprinting across Florence’s Duomo roof, slicing villains in half, and gnawing on an unlit cigarette because the line goes: ‘Woh cigarette peeta nahi hai par cigarette ke bina jeeta nahi hai (He doesn’t smoke but can’t live without his cigarette).’ “The film’s tagline was ‘logic is optional’,” he deadpans.
And it lived up to it. It’s the sort of absurd that saw fans on Reddit and elsewhere induct ‘Badass Ravi Kumar’ into the “so-bad-it’s-good” hall of fame. The Rs 20-crore film made over Rs 25 crore in its first run and unleashed the sort of delirium in theatres that big stars now crave as multiplex footfalls thin. Apparently, OTT platforms are now fighting over rights. “I just needed one film to give me that ‘hit actor’ tag that connected with the youth,” he says, fully aware that Gen Z discovered Ravi Kumar first and only later dug into Reshammiya’s catalogue of nasal bangers.
In a curious prequel to his pop stardom, while most 17-year-olds were solving algebra, “I produced my first Hindi show, ‘Andaz’ in the ’80s,” he recalls, starring heavyweights like Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Poonam Dhillon, Prem Chopra and others.
Ask Reshammiya about hobbies, and he valiantly says, “Cricket and board games.” His wife, sitting nearby, cuts in. “He’s giving you fakeology! Basically, he eats, sleeps, drinks, travels, dreams only films. He has no hobbies!”
Reshammiya laughs but doesn’t protest too hard. “We’re lucky that our hobby is our profession.” If Sonia keeps him grounded, she’s also the reason his cap matches his cape. “She’s my stylist and says heads should turn when I enter a room. My curated look and fitness are part of the job.”
So, what other summits does he want to scale? “I’m a very bad dancer,” he admits, “but I’m going to learn so that in ten years I can perform with a six-pack.” Before you raise an eyebrow, he talks about his next project: “An English-language global pop blockbuster.” He says he’s already written and sung 15 tracks, due this December.
And will it be nasal? He doesn’t flinch. “See, my basic texture will always be there. But the grammar, production, composition… those will be genuinely international.”
The nose, it turns out, knows no borders.
Music is an important part of every love story-Himesh Reshammiya
8:38 PM
Himesh Reshammiya discusses taking the 11-song soundtrack of Happy Hardy And Heer across India via his multi-city tour in a bid to establish the music before the film's release
Sonia Lulla (MID-DAY; December 9, 2019)
Having landed in the city only hours ago after departing from Abu Dhabi, where he had accompanied Himesh Reshammiya for his UAE concert, the musician's manager is too weary to instantly comprehend our request for an interaction. But when Reshammiya gets on a call an hour later, he, in fact, is bubbling with energy. The exhaustive multi-city tour that he has been on to promote the music of Happy Hardy And Heer — accompanied by his new role as judge of Indian Idol 11 after he replaced Anu Malik — doesn't seem to have debilitated him at all.
And if his Instagram posts are anything to go by, the overwhelming reaction to the film's 11-track soundtrack during his city tours could have a lot to do with his current state of mind. "The reception has been great. [Listeners] have been reacting to songs like Arijit's [Singh] Heeriye, Teri meri kahani, Aashiqui mein teri 2.0 and Cutie pie. In the past, musical hits in Bollywood have been [created] when the film's music was released before the film itself. People have appreciated a soundtrack as well as they have this one, after a long time," says Reshammiya, who has finished gigs in Pune, Kolkata, Jaipur, Mumbai Surat and Baroda, and will head to Delhi, Punjab, Indore, Lucknow and Banglore in the upcoming weeks.
Despite juggling duties as musician and actor for Happy Hardy And Heer, the screenplay of which has been written by wife Sonia Kapoor, Reshammiya makes his acute skills as a businessman evident when he says, "Music is an important part of every love story; case in point being films like Sajan, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and Tere Naam. Today, filmmakers unveil a film's promo, along with one or two songs, a month ahead of its release. Then, if the film does well, the soundtrack may receive attention. But, pure love stories have stopped being made because people have stopped establishing the film's music before its release. In the past, [producers] would release the music seven months in advance. If the music worked, the film would work. So, we knew that the music of Happy Hardy And Heer had to be popular, and that it should connect with viewers before the film's release."
Among an assortment of romantic tracks, heart-wrenching numbers and playful offerings, the singer has retained his trademark song, Aashiqui mein teri, giving it a contemporary rendition, since the hook line: Aashiqui mein teri, jayegi jaan meri, pretty much establishes the film's theme.
A quick scan at the soundtrack will reveal that Reshammiya has roped in a wide array of singers, right from the top brass (Arijit Singh, Udit Narayan), to budding and even débutante singers (Kumar Sanu's daughter Shannon K in her Bollywood debut, and Aaryan Tiwari). It also features his latest find, Ranu Mondal, belting out one of the film's crucial numbers, Teri meri kahani, which, he says, "needed a Lataji-kind of alaap".
Even though the established singers admire his work, Reshammiya particularly has the younger brass in awe of his methods, with the latter always referring to him as the ideal mentor. "I always tell singers that they are [appointed] for a song because their tone works for it. But, singing it in accordance with a composer's notes, is crucial. The modulations should be in sync with what he has written. For instance, when Arijit sings, he takes a song to another level without meddling with the notes. That marriage leads to a hit track."
I agree that there is a creative bankruptcy, but remixes should be stopped-Himesh Reshammiya
8:11 AM
Recreating his hit Aashiqui mein teri, Himesh admits Dadlani is 'justified' in his stand against rehashed songs; says original composers should be given credit
Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; November 14, 2019)
Himesh Reshammiya is back — with his signature cap, nasal twang and his old ditty. Even as detractors argue that the countless reprised versions of old gems is a sign of the music industry's creative bankruptcy, the actor-singer-composer has revisited his 2006 chartbuster from 36 China Town, Aashiqui mein teri, for his next, Happy Hardy And Heer. "This is Aashiqui mein teri 2.0 as it has a fresh tune. Of the six phases in the song, three are completely original while we have retained the [original composition] for the remaining part. Since my fans love to see me in my cap avatar, I decided to don the look for this song. I have also retained the nasal twang that they like so much," says Reshammiya of the song that drops online today.Tell him how his peer Vishal Dadlani has continually criticised the trend of remixes, and Reshammiya tries to view both sides of the argument. "I agree that there is a creative bankruptcy, but I don't think remixes should be stopped. Vishal is justified [in his stand]. If due royalty and due credit are given, and the necessary permissions taken, then there should not be any issue. However, when the credit is given to the original composers, it has to be prominently [displayed], instead of being mentioned in small [font size] on YouTube. I also feel that [those recreating a song] should seek the permission of music composers, and not just the music label."
Criticism may simply be a point of view-Himesh Reshammiya
8:11 AM
In conversation with Javed Ali, Himesh Reshammiya on unconventional singers and tackling negative feedback despite rendering multiple chartbusters
Sonia Lulla (MID-DAY; August 26, 2019)
We catch Javed Ali and Himesh Reshammiya in the midst of an unusually long day. As they take a breather during the shoot of a reality show, it will only be moments before they step into another equally long leg before the day comes to a close. They will be weary, we're certain, and also partly disappointed. But put them together to discuss music, and they are anything but that. If we meet them again, we'll certainly ask them what keeps them fuelled during days that run this long. For now, we let them do the asking.
Javed To Himesh
Having judged so many reality shows, what do you think about the talent in Superstar Singer?
I've done so many reality shows, which have got good TRP ratings. After a point, you begin to wonder how the team will scout for better talent than the ones we see. But this team has sourced such fine singers. There are so many reality show singers doing well now, including Aman Trikha and Mohammad Irfan. But, this team got us to notice how talented kids can be, despite the skilled singers we've seen in the past. And indeed [we were impressed].
You have rendered about 700 blockbuster songs. How do you deal with criticism?
I don't react to it because if someone criticises the song, it is because that person has a point of view. It's not necessary that his point of view is right. The verdict is always given by the audience. Ninety-nine per cent of the time, my songs have not faced criticism. But for that one per cent who harbours that point of view. More than criticism, it is a point of view. For instance, when Aashiq Banaya Aapne released, people found [my voice] nasal. But in the same year, I rendered 50 hits. Yet, the awards came in for the first song only. The fact that it was nasal was a new aspect. After that, 5,000 nasal singers came, and they were all accepted. I'm happy that the audience's verdict [was in my favour]. And I'm still trying to win over that one per cent who has that point of view.
Given that there are so many biopics being made if you had to pick an artiste whose biopic you'd like to work on, who would it be?
A 100 per cent, even though it will take a lot of effort to pull off, it will be Kishore Kumar's. Who wouldn't want to work on a biopic of Kishore da? Being a musician, I understand his mindset. Now, I have done almost 10 films as an actor. I am trying to learn the nuances of getting into the character. That's also what I've tried to do with my upcoming film, Happy Hardy And Heer. You'll notice an improvement in me as an actor. My journey started from a singer to a judge, then a live-performer and an actor. I like the music of the film too, and I hope people like it. I play two characters. One is an NRI Gujarati, Hardy. Another is a sardar. All the characters are very Indian, at heart. Whether or not it is a double role is something we'll learn through the film. We did several workshops for it.
Your wife Sonia ji [Kapur], is also a Punjabi. Did you take any tips from her?
Yes. My wife is a Punjabi, and my heroine Sonia Mann is also a Punjabi.
Since we're on that subject, tell us how you met her?
She was hosting my shows. There was an emotional connect. We'd known each other for a while, and friendship grew into love.
Himesh To Javed
We have an old connect, since Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, and I really like the way you sing. We will also work on a lot of songs, and we will work on a hit song together very soon. Since we're currently associating on Superstar Singer, tell me which contestant is likely to win?
Everyone in the top 16 is distinct in their own way. Personally, my favourite is Sneha. She is learned and belongs to a family that's [known] for their music. Sometimes, some people perform in such a way that it takes you by surprise. I think Konkona is good too, as is Nishtha. Among the boys, I'd pick Mauli, Shoaib and Fazal.
Is there a song from the '90s that you'd like to remake?
While I have done a few recreations in films like Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai. But a song like Pehla Nasha from Jo Jeeta Wahi Sikander, which is very close to my heart.
I think it will sound great in your voice.
When I came to the industry, I had rendered several remixes, which became superhits. These include Bin Tere Sanam and Kya Khoob Lagti Ho. My [career] began with remixes. But perhaps I'd remake a song like Pehla Nasha, or Kuch Na Kaho [1942: A Love Story].
Having done so many stage shows, has there ever been an incident related to a show that was odd?
I've always earned love from audiences. A long time ago, I was performing for a college event. You can understand the kind of energy that the crowd has. A few students had lost control. They began breaking chairs. I won't forget that experience. But, they apologised for it later.
Have you ever had a fistfight when you were back at school?
When I first arrived in Mumbai, I used to live in Andheri. We didn't have a car then, and on one occasion, my father and I had to travel by bus. As soon as the bus arrived, it didn't stop and kept driving ahead slowly. My father had caught the handle and because of the movement, was about to fall. I lost my cool and slapped the conductor. The people in the bus supported me.
What have you learnt from your guru Ustad Ghulam Ali?
To always do what your heart pleases.
I think every singer would like to sing in Salman Khan's movies-Iulia Vantur
10:04 AM
Salman Khan’s ‘good friend’ Iulia Vantur on turning singer and the way ahead
Upala KBR (DNA; December 5, 2016)
At first glance, Iulia Vantur looks prettier than in her pictures. While talking, she’s guarded and knows what to say. Bright, confident and quite charming, one can realise why she has won over Salman’s heart. Salman Khan’s close friend and 36-year-old Romanian model-television actress-news anchor Iulia has sung with Himesh Reshammiya for Every Night and Day and Just You and Me. The songs seem to be a reflection of her and Salman Khan’s relationship. Here, she talks about singing, acting and plans for the way ahead…
Are you trained in singing?
A bit. (Himesh Reshammiya butts in, saying, ‘I think that she’s perfectly trained. As a composer, I feel that’). I liked to sing as a kid. When we used to play as kids, I used to sing in school. Every year for Christmas — that was my concert moment — I would sing during school plays and loved it. I never thought I will do this as a serious project. I never thought I would sing for an album till Himesh asked me to.
What’s different between singing on stage and for an album?
I don’t know (laughs), but singing in the studio was a very good experience. I loved it and Himesh’s team is so good. I had a good time in his studio and so, I would like this to happen again.
Is it true that Salman is putting together a six-track music album to launch you as a pop singer in India?
No, no. There are many things which are coming out, which are not true. I don’t know what will happen next. I have no idea.
Himesh and you owe your singing career to Salman. Himesh has become famous today. Do you also expect the same?
(Himesh butts in, “She will become bigger even more than me! God willing, Every Night And Day will do well, and if you listen to the song, it goes to another level because of her voice. As a composer I think she’s done full justice to the song) Himesh, you are too kind. To answer your question, no. This song happened by chance. I did not expect it. Honestly, I have no plans, but I think God does and I will follow that. I don’t know what, but I will be there.
Himesh began as a composer, then singer and then got into acting. Do you also see yourself getting into acting?
No, not at all. My career was something else in Romania – hosting, news anchoring and all. I tried acting in Romania in a theatre play and I tried in other places. Though I loved the experiences, I decided against taking up acting as a profession. I didn’t want to make a career out of acting.
Would you like to shift here full-time if you got more opportunities to sing in India and took it up as a career?
I have no idea. We will see. Que sera sera, whatever will be will be… That’s a beautiful song, actually.
Do you see yourself singing in Salman’s movies?
I don’t know. I think every singer would like to be in a space where they get to do that.
Himesh Speak
Salmanbhai first made me hear her voice over the phone. Iulia was singing the theme of Teri Meri from Bodyguard which became the germ of the song.
While thinking of this music video, I had composed a song with her voice in mind. It’s fresh with the right pitch and absolutely natural. I messaged her, sent her the scratch and she immediately said that she liked the song and that she would do it. Iulia came to the studio and recorded the song in two hours flat and it was very surprising as I didn’t have to go to the machine to pitch it correctly. She is so natural and super talented. She never goes out of pitch in terms of sur which is very rare and is a great quality for a singer.
On a scale of one to 10, I would give her straight 10 and any composer would do that. When a singer is in perfect pitch, you can tell if it’s auto-tuned or not. Her voice is untouched. We have just added some delays, otherwise, we have not tuned it as it’s perfectly in sur. It’s a divine voice, a mainstream heroine voice and the diction is perfect which is where everyone was curious as she was singing in Hindi. She got it right. Now I won’t be surprised if she will become fluent in her Hindi dialogues, too. We are very confident of doing something again together – maybe something in the live space? A lot of radio people also want her to sing.
Salman bhai understands music well-Himesh Reshammiya
2:02 PM
Himesh Reshammiya conveys gratitude to the Bollywood superstar for giving him a breakSoumya Vajpayee Tiwari (MID-DAY; November 15, 2016)
Himesh Reshammiya is returning to the independent music scene after a decade with a new album, Aap Se Mausiiquii. His last record, Aap Ka Surroor, was a hit. The singer-composer says, "Keeping a low profile is a conscious decision. I'm okay with being selective, even if it means doing only two films a year. I have a record of delivering hits and, therefore, I'm answerable to my fans."
'Aap Se Mausiquii' is a collection of 10 original songs plus 15 remixes by India's top DJs — Aqeel, Chetas, Akbar Sami and Kiran Kamath. "I didn't want to come up with an album just for the heck of it. I waited for the right time and tracks. I'm happy with the outcome."
Himesh, who has acted in over 11 Hindi films and signed three new projects, says composing music is his first love. "Himesh, the singer, became successful only because Himesh, the composer, gave him good compositions. I could do so many films as an actor since I became popular as a composer," he says, adding that he is grateful to Salman Khan for giving him his big break with 'Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya' (1998).
"Salman bhai is instrumental in making me what I am today. He is extremely generous, a mentor to many in the industry. He understands music well. I'm glad he loved my album and tweeted about it." Does he dream of sharing screen space with Salman in a film? "He knows his job. He takes the decisions. Nobody questions them."
It’s easier to achieve six-pack abs naturally-Himesh Reshammiya
7:51 AM
Himesh Reshammiya on his one-and-a-half year journey into the six-pack abs world
Upala KBR (DNA; February 19, 2016)
For his last film, The Xposé, Himesh Reshammiya lost
20 kgs, but for his next he’s gaining muscle. He tells us that he sports
six-pack abs in the film, but that he achieved it sans the use of
steroids or other muscle-inducing supplements. Himesh tells us how...
Role call
“My character Raghu is dark, edgy and intriguing and gets to do action too, so I had to look lean and powerful. But now fitness has become a way of life with me. It is the most important thing in my life after music. I can work 18 hours a day because I am fit now.”
Fodder for the power machine
“I worked out for a year-and-a-half at 48 Fitness with my trainer Pankaj. No eating after 8.30 pm, no eating till 7.30 am and no carbs but only protein after 3 pm. No ice creams or chocolates at all, but on Sundays I could cheat a bit. I am a vegetarian but I started eating eggs for the high protein, so I could build my body. The body needs 120 gm of protein every day and though you get vegetable protein, it comes with a lot of fat. The toughest part is not eating after 8.30 pm because once you start eating after that, your body metabolism starts slowing down and you put on weight. I love watching TV every night, so not eating at that time becomes a problem for the first three-four months, but now it’s a habit.”
The fear factor
“Now I am so scared of putting on weight that I am conscious of what I eat. You start looking better than what you used to and then it’s difficult to go back to where you were. I put on muscle for Tera Suroor but I didn’t lose weight and get into shape in terms of toning. That timing is important and you have to eat every 90 minutes. You can’t keep your stomach empty as your metabolism rate as to keep getting lower. I also had lots of green tea and black coffees.”
Working it out
“I work out six times a day 45 min per session and not more than 45 min also. I followed a heavy workout which had weight-training five times a week and just once day was for cardio,” says HR.
Going the natural way
“You can get six-pack abs in five-six months and not the 18 months that I took, but then you have to use steroids, which I didn’t want to, at this stage. It is possible to get it but it just takes a bit longer. Also without the steroids, you can’t get that kind of a beefed-up body, but as I needed a lean look, so I was happy. Of course, it requires a lot of discipline and dedication.”
TIPS
* Eat ice creams and chocolates once a week
* Stop eating after 10 pm as your body can’t digest after that. Your body keeps converting everything into fat
* Wake up early by 7.30 am
* Eat small meals even 8-10 meals a day and 30 percent of what you normally eat. Now I eat 2,600 calories, whereas earlier, I’d consume 1600 calories and still put on weight. Metabolism rate goes up and you’ll never feel hungry and lose weight.
Fitness Tricks
* Do weights, inculcate the right eating habits and have at least 120 gm of protein ever day
* Have eight meals a day
* No rotis or rice after 3 pm. Maybe an omelette in the evening?
* Sabzi, chana, soups and salad and vegetables like broccolis for dinner.
Salman Khan has been the backbone of my success-Himesh Reshammiya
7:38 AM
Debarati Sen (BOMBAY TIMES; November 27, 2015)
Himesh Reshammiya has donned
many hats music director, singer, actor, producer, writer and
lyricist with élan, but he reveals he enjoys composing music for films
immensely as his fans motivate him to do so. The versatile artiste is
on a high right now as the sound track of Prem Ratan Dhan Payo (PRDP)
has been lapped up by music buffs and is topping the charts. In a
candid chat, he tells us how compos ing for PRDP made him nostalgic, why
he is indebted to Salman Khan and what makes his compositions popular
among the masses. Excerpts...
How did you bag PRDP?
It happened thanks to Salman bhai. He recommended my name to Sooraj ji (writer-director Sooraj Barjatya). The movie had his style of music.
There are 10 songs in the movie and each of them is a far cry from your earlier compositions.
Yes, the PRDP album is completely different from what I have done before. My songs have usually been contemporary, but for this movie I opted for Indian melodies and soft mellow numbers. This was done according to Rajshri Productions' style of music. The music in Sooraj ji's films is completely in sync with the subject and the way he looks at every scene in detail. He is never insecure as a filmmaker and that's what makes him the legend that he is today. His brief to me was to come up with pure melodies that are in tandem with the situations in the movie. I am happy that the title song is the most downloaded and dubsmashed track. It is great to know that it has broken huge records. I am glad that the songs have been appreciated by critics and music lovers alike.
The sound of this album is very 90s, the time you started off. Was it nostalgic for you?
Yes, it did make me nostalgic as it's the kind of music that I started with in Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya. I am truly indebted to Salman bhai for giving me a break with that movie, which has resulted in my journey of so many super hit songs worldwide. He has a good ear for music.
You and Salman Khan have been a hit combo. What kind of an equation do you share with him?
Salman bhai has been the backbone of my success. He is my brother and the most generous human being I have ever come across. I believe he is truly blessed by God.
Earlier, only one singer lent his voice for the character of Prem. But in this film, many artistes such as Aman Trikha, Shaan, Neeraj Sridhar, Mohammed Irfan, Vineet Singh, Shabab Sabri and even you have sung for him. What prompted the decision?
I used new singers as well as established names, keeping in mind their range and voices that would suit Salman bhai's personality as Prem. All of them are talented. Musicians and singers, new or old, are my colleagues and not contemporaries. It makes me really happy to collaborate with each of them. I'm working with a lot of singers and musicians for my future projects too.
What's your formula for being consistently popular with the masses?
It's nothing but God's blessings. There is also tremendous support from the film industry and my parents. The key factor of my motivation is the immense love of all my fans and the audiences worldwide. Whenever I perform live, it motivates me to compose better music. I forget my previous hits and start making music like a newcomer. I am grateful to God for having given me this huge fan base that inspires me to make better music each and every day.
What are your future projects?
As a composer, my immediate release is Vinay and Radhika's Sanam Teri Kasam, and as an actor there are two films of mine which are under production. After the success of The Xposé, I have been very selective as an actor, composer and singer.
How did you bag PRDP?
It happened thanks to Salman bhai. He recommended my name to Sooraj ji (writer-director Sooraj Barjatya). The movie had his style of music.
There are 10 songs in the movie and each of them is a far cry from your earlier compositions.
Yes, the PRDP album is completely different from what I have done before. My songs have usually been contemporary, but for this movie I opted for Indian melodies and soft mellow numbers. This was done according to Rajshri Productions' style of music. The music in Sooraj ji's films is completely in sync with the subject and the way he looks at every scene in detail. He is never insecure as a filmmaker and that's what makes him the legend that he is today. His brief to me was to come up with pure melodies that are in tandem with the situations in the movie. I am happy that the title song is the most downloaded and dubsmashed track. It is great to know that it has broken huge records. I am glad that the songs have been appreciated by critics and music lovers alike.
The sound of this album is very 90s, the time you started off. Was it nostalgic for you?
Yes, it did make me nostalgic as it's the kind of music that I started with in Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya. I am truly indebted to Salman bhai for giving me a break with that movie, which has resulted in my journey of so many super hit songs worldwide. He has a good ear for music.
You and Salman Khan have been a hit combo. What kind of an equation do you share with him?
Salman bhai has been the backbone of my success. He is my brother and the most generous human being I have ever come across. I believe he is truly blessed by God.
Earlier, only one singer lent his voice for the character of Prem. But in this film, many artistes such as Aman Trikha, Shaan, Neeraj Sridhar, Mohammed Irfan, Vineet Singh, Shabab Sabri and even you have sung for him. What prompted the decision?
I used new singers as well as established names, keeping in mind their range and voices that would suit Salman bhai's personality as Prem. All of them are talented. Musicians and singers, new or old, are my colleagues and not contemporaries. It makes me really happy to collaborate with each of them. I'm working with a lot of singers and musicians for my future projects too.
What's your formula for being consistently popular with the masses?
It's nothing but God's blessings. There is also tremendous support from the film industry and my parents. The key factor of my motivation is the immense love of all my fans and the audiences worldwide. Whenever I perform live, it motivates me to compose better music. I forget my previous hits and start making music like a newcomer. I am grateful to God for having given me this huge fan base that inspires me to make better music each and every day.
What are your future projects?
As a composer, my immediate release is Vinay and Radhika's Sanam Teri Kasam, and as an actor there are two films of mine which are under production. After the success of The Xposé, I have been very selective as an actor, composer and singer.
All my singers are unconventional yet accepted by the industry-Himesh Reshammiya
7:46 AM
Is what music composer and coach Himesh Reshammiya is looking for in the The Voice - India
Sneha Mahadevan (DNA; June 11, 2015)
Along with working on his acting career, Himesh
Reshammiya is also juggling as a coach on The Voice – India. Here he
talks about what he likes about the show and what he is looking for.
Excerpts...
What prompted you to take up this show?
The concept was very unique, different and successful in different countries. For a coach, this whole process of blind auditions and selecting the voice, only on the basis of the sound was very interesting. Also, the buzzer round and then convincing the contestant to come into my team in a very entertaining way, was fun. Also, I as a composer, am always looking for new voices. A lot of singers have come up through reality shows and I am glad I can help that.
What is the one thing that will make you turn your chair around?
Definitely a voice that can sound unconventional. A very unconventional melody, sometimes might not work universally, which is a pressure as a composer for me to deliver. After 650 hit songs, the pressure is not just to give a good song, but to give a good superhit song. I need to make compositions that are fresh and I have been reinventing ever two years but they have to be universally appealing, yet different in terms of sound. All my singers are unconventional yet accepted by the industry.
So all these contestants you choose, will you be grooming them after the show as well?
In every reality show, if I have promised a break, I have always done that. That’s one added advantage being a composer that at the moment if I am looking for and selecting a voice, I know what kind of songs it can work for. I can help with the practical implementation of those songs in the industry.
How is your bonding with the other judges?
Fantastic. Mika and Shaan have both sung many songs for me. That relationship is great. We have been working together since so many years now. I have done reality shows with Shaan and Mika both. Sunidhi I am working with on a reality show for the first time but since we have been bonding in studios for so many years, that chemistry is still intact. This is tongue-and-cheek, healthy, fun rivalry. It is entertaining. You are fighting for a contestant and not for a personal reason.
Salman Khan singing a special track for Himesh Reshammiya
8:00 AM
Sneha Mahadevan (DNA; May 22, 2015)
Salman Khan sung for most of the tracks in Kick and even in his upcoming production, Nikhil Advani’s Hero, he has lent his voice to two tracks for the film. And now he’s doing a special track with his composer friend Himesh Reshammiya.
Himesh has heard the final versions of these tracks. At the outset, he clarifies, “I am not composing for Hero,” adding, “But the songs that he’s doing are brilliant. He is outstanding in it. Listen to that song and you will know what I’m talking about.”
He offers his take on Salman the singer. “His pick-up sense is great. He doesn’t take hours to rehearse. As a composer, you just let him know the notes and then just the rehearsal. That’s it,” Himesh says.
Of their special track together, he says they’re not sure yet when and where they’ll release it. “We have worked on a track that he has sung very well. I am doing this track that will be a single. Actually, Salman bhai makes a bank of his own songs and he likes doing that. He will be the one who will decide where it has to go. It could go in one of his films or even release individually.”
He concludes, “I take advice about everything from him. He is a mentor, brother, friend and I owe my success to him. He has been there for me from the first film so for me, he is my Godfather.”
From music to muscle: Himesh Reshammiya's metamorphosis down the years
7:53 AM
Ankur Pathak (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 13, 2015)
GUNS AND ROSES: LOVE, SEX AND VIOLENCE (2015): After last year's surprise hit, The Xpose, Himesh Reshammiya went underground and didn't show up even at award shows despite being nominated for his Kick score. The reason: He was getting into character to play Raghu, a tattooed Mumbai gangster who sets out to Ireland and Greece to rescue his lost love. The film will roll in August and is being directed by Ravi Rai, brother of Raanjhanaa director Aanand L Rai. "I've been in the gym with my trainer six days a week, 90 minutes a day. I don't eat after 8.30 pm and no carbs after 4 pm. My diet includes grilled chicken, eggs, protein shakes, but no steroids. I've gained five kgs in pure muscle," he says. Get set for Rowdy Reshamiyya.
THE XPOSE (2014): Dhokla, fafda and gajar ka halwa went out of his diet as Himesh spent six months getting in shape to play '60s superstar Ravi Varma, shedding 20 kgs along the way. "It taught me the importance of getting 'into character' and gave me the confidence to experiment with the role of a gangster," he says.
AAP KA SURROOR (2007): The podgy Gujju bhai with the nasal twang, inspired by the success of the album, turned actor. "I was an amateur then, today I am more experienced. The cap became a sensation," he recalls.
KARZZZZ (2008): The topi was quickly abandoned following a hair transplant. "I experimented with long hair for the first time in the Karz remake but the film didn't work," he sighs. However, he kept the tresses in Radio (2009) in which he played a popular RJ going through a marital crisis. "But the reactions to my hair weren't too encouraging so I decided to do away with the look forever."
DAMADAMM (2011): This film arrived with Shah Rukh Khan's superhero flick, RA.One, with Himesh playing the average Joe. "I didn't have to work too hard on the look but I was conscious not to put on any weight," he points out.
It took us 20 days to record Jumme ki raat as everything had to be perfect-Himesh Reshammiya
9:37 AM
Roshmilla Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; June 26, 2014)
A year ago, producer Sajid Nadiadwala decided to branch out as a director with the Hindi remake of the Telugu hit Kick, and announced that it would kick off the Eid celebrations in 2015. To underline the fact, the film's promotions triggered off with Mika Singh-Palak Mucchal's duet Jumme ki raat.
Composer Himesh Reshammiya admits that since he was scoring an Eid song for the first time, he had the original Jumma song crooned by Amitabh Bachchan in Hum in mind.
"This Jumma song was always a part of the script. I knew I had to create a dance anthem. So, I thought of doing something as big as Jumma chumma de de," he reveals.
However, he's quick to point out that though the track is dedicated to the composers of the original song, Laxmikant-Pyarelal, it is very different from the '90s chartbuster. "Not a single note is the same. It is only the word 'jumma' which gives it a nostalgic feel," Himesh reasons.
The mukhda was written by Shabbir Ahmed keeping the audio in mind, and the antaras were written by Kumaar according to the situation in the film. "It took us 20 days to record Jumme ki raat as everything had to be perfect—from the lyrics and the composition to the sound," recalls the music director, who kept reworking the track till he was completely satisfied.
Interestingly, it is Salman Khan, the film's lead, who gave Himesh his musical break in Bollywood when along with Jatin-Lalit and Sajid-Wajid, he signed him to give the music for his 1998 film. Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya, produced by Vashu Bhagnani, Bunty Walia and Salman's younger brother Sohail Khan who also wrote and directed it. "The challenge even then was to create a new and popular tune on the words which had fired the imagination of the audience earlier with a hit melody (from Mughal-E-Azam). I'm thankful to God that in both cases, Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya and Jumme Ki Raat, he blessed me with a melody which is very different from the original songs," says Himesh.
After Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya, Salman and Himesh had given many hits together, including Dulhan Hum Le Jayenge and Tere Naam. After a brief hiatus the two partnered in Bodyguard in 2011, followed by Kick. Himesh is also giving the music for Sooraj Barjatya's Prem Ratan Dhan Payo.
Getting back to Jumme ki raat, Himesh says the song was composed to appeal to a universal audience, the youth in particular, and Salman's fans. "It has a contemporary beat with heavy base guitars, but at the core, the composition is very Indian. And it is this fusion that works for the song," he explains.
The number has been choreographed by Ahmed Khan and picturised on Salman and his leading lady Jacqueline Fernandez. "It's a song with a lot of attitude and who better than Salman bhai to carry it off," smiles Himesh.
On their part, Sajid, Salman and Bhushan Kumar who has bought the film's music rights, are equally thrilled with Himesh's latest chartbuster. After Hangover, Salman is likely to sing a remixed version of Jumme ki raat too for Kick.
I can talk to Yo Yo Honey Singh even at 2 am-Himesh Reshammiya
3:06 PM
Kasmin Fernandes & Bryan Durham (BOMBAY TIMES; May 3, 2014)
They
are both popular Bollywood singers and music composers-turned-actors,
loved by the masses and discussed by the classes. While Himesh
Reshammiya is calm and composed, Yo Yo Honey Singh is a restless bundle
of energy, we discovered in a candid chat with the two, who are
co-actors in upcoming film, The Xposé. Excerpts:
How did the Himesh-Honey casting happen?
Himesh: There’s this character named KD (Kenny Damania), who had to have style, grey shades and yet, also has to sing a song. Hero bhi hai, villain bhi hai. When I thought of Honey, we had been working together for three years. We’ve given some great songs together that were commercial hits. So, I just called him up, he came and I was very happy that he accepted the role.
Since you guys are good friends, did you accept the role dosti-yaari mein?
Himesh: Aisa kuch nahi hai. Kaam toh kaam hota hai. If someone is not comfortable, why will he want to work with you?
Honey: Five years ago, when I was a music director in Punjab, one of my songs was a hit. Himesh had called me in Chandigarh at that time to tell me how much he liked it. No one believed me. He is a second-generation music-maker. His father was a music producer, so he has a vision. Himesh told me I could act in the movie. He showed me how things work. Director Ananth Narayan Mahadevan also helped a lot. He is an institute by himself.
Honey, you’re already settled as a singer. What was the motivation to turn actor?
I don’t believe I’m a singer, I’m an entertainer. I write my own music, my own lyrics and I sing my own songs and act in my own videos. In the performing arts, acting is what I believe to be one of the toughest jobs. It’s lying proper... just looking into the eyes and lie. Ye maine socha ki karke dekhte hain.
Honey, you are making your film debut with a negative role. Why?
Honey: Main acting karna chah raha tha...
Himesh: Shah Rukh Khan sahab ne bhi negative ke saath debut kiya tha...
Honey: Woh toh bahut bada comparison ho gaya. People tell me I’ve become a hero now. I told them I’ve not become anything, I'll remain the same. Main Yo Yo honey Singh hi hoon, wohi rahunga. I loved the acting work. When sir called me, I had been travelling a lot and so, was keeping quite poor health. It might sound strange, but I had a packed travelling schedule. I found the shooting to be quite fun. At least, I got to stay in the same city for 20 days. I was here four days and on the last day, I thought to myself, ‘What am I still doing here?’ It was a very different experience compared to the life I had been living till then. It’s a nice feeling to have 15 people around you, asking you if you want to eat or drink anything.
Himesh: Honey makes 13 entries in the film. And all the entries are clapworthy. The larger-than-life setting helps. You will also feel like laughing at the traits of the stars of that time.
Honey: Unka plus point tha ki uss time paparazzi nahi tha. Toh woh sab kuch khule mein karte the. I thought to myself, ‘These days, the media will find two kids going on an outing and ask them what they are up to’. But in the sixties, when I heard what all was done khule-aam, I was quite shocked. I was told that this was how the industry functioned at that time. I found that very interesting.
Honey, have you been offered more roles after the promos came out?
I did this role with very little preparation, out of masti, to see what happens. I will approach my next role properly. Seekh kar aaoonga. And if people don’t like, I will learn more. Phir toh pukka karoonga. Sab kuch chhodke yehi karoonga. Right now, I want to focus on my music. I have been appreciated the most as a performer. I am doing what I have learnt and worked at for 10 years. Bollywood songs chal jaate hain. Last year, I had given Lungi Dance, Party All Night and Sunny Sunny, but I also gave an independent song called Blue Eyes, so that my young fans have something to relate with. I am working on five of my own singles. I am going to be in Los Angeles for a month for this.
You are also part of a new talent show on TV?
I am giving inputs for a show where they are looking for a raw star, like me, for instance. I tried to learn everything, but I didn’t have money, the circumstances weren’t right or the family wouldn’t let me. Toh main sab kuch chhod ke lag gaya ki yeh karna hai. Jab main sadak pe aa gaya toh main socha survival bhi zaroori hai. I worked as an apprentice for music programmers and sound engineers and learnt along the way. I became a music director in Punjab. When I was making many albums, I couldn’t find good lyrics, so I started writing my own. I started bettering my writing, understanding what slang is and how real people talk. Then I decided to go pan-India, so I started improving my Hindi speaking, writing and understanding. Delhi slang is different from Mumbai slang. I am learning even now.
Himesh, what is common between the two of you?
Honey has a heart of gold. He thinks with his heart. Success inke sar par nahi chadhi. He is a good human being and an intelligent guy. He is someone you can talk to at 2 am about anything. He is also a visionary, he has a different way of looking at things. As a composer, I have done 115 films. I have seen many people come and go, but agar koi lamba tik sakta hai toh woh Yo Yo Honey Singh hai.
Which Bollywood actress would you like to work with in the future?
Himesh: Deepika Padukone. I don’t know whether she would do a film with me, if at all. But she did say on record that if I offered her a film, she would do it. If I get a script that has a role worthy of her, I’d love to work with her.
Honey: Shraddha Kapoor. She is very urbane. The new set of Bollywood actresses can be girls-next-door and divas as well. If I do another role, I will do an urban film like my videos, which I shoot in international locations like LA. But when I talk, I sound like a regular guy talking to a girl. I would act with Shraddha because she knows international stuff as well as local.
Honey, what are these actions you do in your songs?
These were a few of the steps my choreographer had come up with, while we were shooting Blue Eyes. We do this every time we want to say ‘classic’ or ‘wonderful’. This other sign is like a very positive energy sign of the pyramids.
Is that a birthmark on your left arm?
Yeah, it’s a birthmark... stamped by God that I’m his special son.
You must have found the costumes in the film quite interesting...
It was fun. As Himesh said, at that time everybody was larger-than-life, on screen and off screen as well. We were wearing old-school suits.
You’ve become an icon for kids in a very short time...
It might seem short to you, but it takes time to reach throughout India without any help. If everyone knows you in India, it feels like people know you in seven continents. There is a diversity of people and cultures here. It took me time. I was working in Punjab for seven years. After singing in Hindi films, apne gaane bhi dheere-dheere chalne lage hain. Kids who follow me have been doing so for a long time. They know my Punjabi songs too. Now, I want to go international.
Does your popularity limit you in terms of lyrics?
Not at all. I am an entertainer, not a scholar. Main kisi ko sunane, sikhane nahi aaya. I am here to entertain. If I am making songs like Blue Eyes for those over 18, I am also making Bhoothnath Returns for the kids. It is the parents’ duty to tell their kids that Yo Yo Honey Singh bahut achha hai. Uske yeh gaane suno, woh mat suno. I write what I see. I make songs for fans, they relate to them and play them at parties. Aunty pe main gaana bana chuka hoon (Aunty Police Bula Legi), the new song I am making is called Uncle Ka Double Standard. Jitni hypocrisy Hindustan mein hai, woh hum kholenge. Bachche apne papa ko yeh gaana sunayenge.
The 1960s had a lot of big stars. Himesh, why is your role modelled particularly on Raaj Kumar?
People say that, not me. Somewhere, he has seeped into the character. It was designed by Ananth. He felt that Raaj Kumar’s journey was interesting, from a cop to a superstar to a very arrogant man, always misunderstood. We needed a grey character like him in the film.
You’ve worked with Ananth Mahadevan over a period of time...
He’s a sensible guy. He has worked very hard on our characters, even on the junior actors. He has been lucky for me. I first tasted success when I was 16 years old, working with him on serials. Later, as a composer and singer, my earliest hit Jhalak Dikhlaja was in his film. My music for Dil Maange More was appreciated. In my hit film Aap Kaa Surroor, he was an actor.
How did the Himesh-Honey casting happen?
Himesh: There’s this character named KD (Kenny Damania), who had to have style, grey shades and yet, also has to sing a song. Hero bhi hai, villain bhi hai. When I thought of Honey, we had been working together for three years. We’ve given some great songs together that were commercial hits. So, I just called him up, he came and I was very happy that he accepted the role.
Since you guys are good friends, did you accept the role dosti-yaari mein?
Himesh: Aisa kuch nahi hai. Kaam toh kaam hota hai. If someone is not comfortable, why will he want to work with you?
Honey: Five years ago, when I was a music director in Punjab, one of my songs was a hit. Himesh had called me in Chandigarh at that time to tell me how much he liked it. No one believed me. He is a second-generation music-maker. His father was a music producer, so he has a vision. Himesh told me I could act in the movie. He showed me how things work. Director Ananth Narayan Mahadevan also helped a lot. He is an institute by himself.
Honey, you’re already settled as a singer. What was the motivation to turn actor?
I don’t believe I’m a singer, I’m an entertainer. I write my own music, my own lyrics and I sing my own songs and act in my own videos. In the performing arts, acting is what I believe to be one of the toughest jobs. It’s lying proper... just looking into the eyes and lie. Ye maine socha ki karke dekhte hain.
Honey, you are making your film debut with a negative role. Why?
Honey: Main acting karna chah raha tha...
Himesh: Shah Rukh Khan sahab ne bhi negative ke saath debut kiya tha...
Honey: Woh toh bahut bada comparison ho gaya. People tell me I’ve become a hero now. I told them I’ve not become anything, I'll remain the same. Main Yo Yo honey Singh hi hoon, wohi rahunga. I loved the acting work. When sir called me, I had been travelling a lot and so, was keeping quite poor health. It might sound strange, but I had a packed travelling schedule. I found the shooting to be quite fun. At least, I got to stay in the same city for 20 days. I was here four days and on the last day, I thought to myself, ‘What am I still doing here?’ It was a very different experience compared to the life I had been living till then. It’s a nice feeling to have 15 people around you, asking you if you want to eat or drink anything.
Himesh: Honey makes 13 entries in the film. And all the entries are clapworthy. The larger-than-life setting helps. You will also feel like laughing at the traits of the stars of that time.
Honey: Unka plus point tha ki uss time paparazzi nahi tha. Toh woh sab kuch khule mein karte the. I thought to myself, ‘These days, the media will find two kids going on an outing and ask them what they are up to’. But in the sixties, when I heard what all was done khule-aam, I was quite shocked. I was told that this was how the industry functioned at that time. I found that very interesting.
Honey, have you been offered more roles after the promos came out?
I did this role with very little preparation, out of masti, to see what happens. I will approach my next role properly. Seekh kar aaoonga. And if people don’t like, I will learn more. Phir toh pukka karoonga. Sab kuch chhodke yehi karoonga. Right now, I want to focus on my music. I have been appreciated the most as a performer. I am doing what I have learnt and worked at for 10 years. Bollywood songs chal jaate hain. Last year, I had given Lungi Dance, Party All Night and Sunny Sunny, but I also gave an independent song called Blue Eyes, so that my young fans have something to relate with. I am working on five of my own singles. I am going to be in Los Angeles for a month for this.
You are also part of a new talent show on TV?
I am giving inputs for a show where they are looking for a raw star, like me, for instance. I tried to learn everything, but I didn’t have money, the circumstances weren’t right or the family wouldn’t let me. Toh main sab kuch chhod ke lag gaya ki yeh karna hai. Jab main sadak pe aa gaya toh main socha survival bhi zaroori hai. I worked as an apprentice for music programmers and sound engineers and learnt along the way. I became a music director in Punjab. When I was making many albums, I couldn’t find good lyrics, so I started writing my own. I started bettering my writing, understanding what slang is and how real people talk. Then I decided to go pan-India, so I started improving my Hindi speaking, writing and understanding. Delhi slang is different from Mumbai slang. I am learning even now.
Himesh, what is common between the two of you?
Honey has a heart of gold. He thinks with his heart. Success inke sar par nahi chadhi. He is a good human being and an intelligent guy. He is someone you can talk to at 2 am about anything. He is also a visionary, he has a different way of looking at things. As a composer, I have done 115 films. I have seen many people come and go, but agar koi lamba tik sakta hai toh woh Yo Yo Honey Singh hai.
Which Bollywood actress would you like to work with in the future?
Himesh: Deepika Padukone. I don’t know whether she would do a film with me, if at all. But she did say on record that if I offered her a film, she would do it. If I get a script that has a role worthy of her, I’d love to work with her.
Honey: Shraddha Kapoor. She is very urbane. The new set of Bollywood actresses can be girls-next-door and divas as well. If I do another role, I will do an urban film like my videos, which I shoot in international locations like LA. But when I talk, I sound like a regular guy talking to a girl. I would act with Shraddha because she knows international stuff as well as local.
Honey, what are these actions you do in your songs?
These were a few of the steps my choreographer had come up with, while we were shooting Blue Eyes. We do this every time we want to say ‘classic’ or ‘wonderful’. This other sign is like a very positive energy sign of the pyramids.
Is that a birthmark on your left arm?
Yeah, it’s a birthmark... stamped by God that I’m his special son.
You must have found the costumes in the film quite interesting...
It was fun. As Himesh said, at that time everybody was larger-than-life, on screen and off screen as well. We were wearing old-school suits.
You’ve become an icon for kids in a very short time...
It might seem short to you, but it takes time to reach throughout India without any help. If everyone knows you in India, it feels like people know you in seven continents. There is a diversity of people and cultures here. It took me time. I was working in Punjab for seven years. After singing in Hindi films, apne gaane bhi dheere-dheere chalne lage hain. Kids who follow me have been doing so for a long time. They know my Punjabi songs too. Now, I want to go international.
Does your popularity limit you in terms of lyrics?
Not at all. I am an entertainer, not a scholar. Main kisi ko sunane, sikhane nahi aaya. I am here to entertain. If I am making songs like Blue Eyes for those over 18, I am also making Bhoothnath Returns for the kids. It is the parents’ duty to tell their kids that Yo Yo Honey Singh bahut achha hai. Uske yeh gaane suno, woh mat suno. I write what I see. I make songs for fans, they relate to them and play them at parties. Aunty pe main gaana bana chuka hoon (Aunty Police Bula Legi), the new song I am making is called Uncle Ka Double Standard. Jitni hypocrisy Hindustan mein hai, woh hum kholenge. Bachche apne papa ko yeh gaana sunayenge.
The 1960s had a lot of big stars. Himesh, why is your role modelled particularly on Raaj Kumar?
People say that, not me. Somewhere, he has seeped into the character. It was designed by Ananth. He felt that Raaj Kumar’s journey was interesting, from a cop to a superstar to a very arrogant man, always misunderstood. We needed a grey character like him in the film.
You’ve worked with Ananth Mahadevan over a period of time...
He’s a sensible guy. He has worked very hard on our characters, even on the junior actors. He has been lucky for me. I first tasted success when I was 16 years old, working with him on serials. Later, as a composer and singer, my earliest hit Jhalak Dikhlaja was in his film. My music for Dil Maange More was appreciated. In my hit film Aap Kaa Surroor, he was an actor.
I take my father's approval on every song I compose-Himesh Reshammiya
8:19 AM
Priya Gupta (BOMBAY TIMES; May 2, 2014)
Himesh Reshammiya, 40, has equal doses of creativity and business in his blood. While he is emotional, the commercial success of anything he does is of prime importance. He may have lost his older brother to a brain haemorrhage, but has Salman Khan as a brother. His school, Hill Grange High School’s motto of ‘Work is Worship’ has somewhere stuck in his brain. ‘Jai Mata Di’ may be his favourite slogan, but he is a follower of Shrinathji. Himesh’s father Vipin Reshammiya is both, his guru as well as a man whom he loves the most in the world. It is rare to find a father and son who express their love for each other so physically and we found Himesh doing just that. Ahead of their upcoming production The Xposé in which Himesh plays the lead role, we spoke to the father and the son. Excerpts:
CONVERSATION WITH VIPIN RESHAMMIYA:
How did Himesh get his first break?
Himesh would make me so proud even as a child. He was just six years old when he would come and listen to me composing. I would tell him, ‘Beta, suna na? Ab tum gao.’ Even as a child of six, he would sing the song with his own innovation. I buried my ambition of becoming a music director and concentrated only on him and taught him music. I introduced the electronic keyboard in India and would play with all music directors. In fact, I was amongst the most busy musicians and would make as high as 5000 per day, which was a lot of money at that time. I had enough money and started producing films. While I lost money in my first film, I subsequently made enough money in films like Insaaf Ki Jung and Shaktishali. God was always kind to me. My wife was very able and good. She is intelligent, religious and devoted and I believe that there is a supernatural person working in every person. When Himesh started composing music, even if I was sleeping, he would come to me at 3 at night and say, ‘Daddy aap utho, listen to what I have made.’ I could not refuse him ever. I would get up, listen to him and say, ‘Wah beta wah.’ As a producer, I had signed a film with Salman Khan and he would come home everyday. While the film didn’t happen, he became good friends with Himesh and loved his compositions. He remembered those compositions at the time of Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya and gave Himesh his first break. That album became a superhit and till date, remains one of my favourites.
Talk about Himesh as a son?
He is a wonderful child and is very loving. He has good sanskar. Even today, after getting so much success, every morning he will come to my room, touch my feet, then touch my wife’s feet, go for a bath, then do his suryanamaskar on the terrace, again come and touch our feet and then start his day. He is my obsession and I like everything about him. He is a wonderful soul and a sympathetic person. If a fellow musician comes and asks for help, he will not hesitate at all and will instantly help.
CONVERSATION WITH HIMESH RESHAMMIYA:
Do you believe in destiny?
I am a Gujarati, who is born and brought up in South Mumbai. My father was a top musician of his time. I had an older brother Jayesh, who died due to a brain haemorrhage when he was 21. I was just 11 then. My dad had started producing films and he had started a production company for him only. I was too young when my brother died, but I just told my dad that day, ‘I am there.’ I decided that I would make money and would always be with my dad. And from that time till today, I have been only focused on working and work for 18 hours a day. I never stopped working. My dad saw and tapped my ability from when I was very young. By the age of 16, I had 300 tunes which I had composed and were with me. I first became a music director of a Gujarati TV serial at the age of 16. When I was about 19 my first serial Andaaz came on Zee TV as producer. Andaaz was amongst the biggest soaps at that time with a big star cast and was successful. I then got my first break at 25 as a music director with Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya. The Mughal-E-Azam song on the same lyrics was a cult and thus it was that much more difficult to compose on the same lyrics. But it became a hit. It was Salim Khan sahab who heard the song Odh Li Chunariya and liked it and I owe my break to the complete Khan family, be it Salman bhai, Salim sahab and Sohail bhai, who was directing the film. I was 25 then. My first serial Andaaz as a producer was a hit, my first album as a composer Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya was a superhit, my first song as singer Aashiq Banaya Aapne got a Filmfare, my first film Aap Kaa Surroor was a hit, the first film I produced, Khiladi 786, became a hit. More than talent, it has been destiny for me. There are so many talented people in the industry. But I got my brother’s and my father’s blessing, so I got Salman bhai and success in everything I did in the first instance itself. Your being a genius is just destiny, time and luck. When your time changes, the talent naam ki chidiya doesn’t remain. The eternal truth is that it is destiny and some blessings that work in your favour.
Did you have a low period?
The lowest period was when my film Kajraare could not release in 2010 and released only on satellite. People thought I was being arrogant by not accepting offers to compose outside, but actually I was trying to be exclusive to compose for only my own films. It was at that time that I started my own company and started composing again. I gave five back-to-back hits in Bodyguard, Son Of Sardaar, OMG Oh My God, Bol Bachchan and Khiladi 786 and have now produced The Xposé.
How did you lose so much weight?
I lost 20 kgs over 6 months. I do heavy workout and don’t eat between 9pm and 10am. I was a vegetarian but have started eating grilled chicken for my protein intake.
Your experience of working with Yo Yo Honey Singh in The Xposé?
He is the highlight in the film and will be a very loved negative guy after the film is released. He is a man of heart and I know him from before he became Yo Yo Honey Singh. We used to talk and wanted to collaborate. We also did the song O Bawariya from Khiladi 786 that became a hit.
Talk about Salman Khan?
He is my elder brother. He had promised me a break and he kept his promise. He is a very generous and emotional guy. He works with everybody and I don’t ask him questions. I would feel bad if he didn’t work with me, but I am doing a few songs in Kick and am happy with that. Mr Bhushan Kumar has also been very important in my career. Out of 114 films that I have done, I have done 93 films with him. I can call him up at night and tell him a composition and within a minute he can understand the composition on the phone itself. Salman bhai has such a great sense of music that he catches the composition even faster than Mr Bhushan Kumar.
Did it bother you when people took digs at your nasal singing?
I feel every person has their own point of view. I value commercial success a lot. I enjoy composing the most as that is my core competency. The rest of the things I do, I am trying.
Many singers grudge that music composers are today singing their own songs. What is your view?
Salim sahab has always told me that if the industry has given you something, you should also give to others. So I try to encourage new talent as much as I can and work with a lot of new voices. Having said that, producers and superstars are not going to take it on the music director’s voice if they feel it won’t work. So if singers feel why are they singing their own songs, it’s because those songs are doing well. When the composer sings it, the soul of the song is there, which sometimes may not come out of the singer.
Who do you love the most in the world?
100% my dad. Our connection is from above. Apart from being my father, he is my guru. For teaching me I am indebted to him and my music is a reflection of him. He was so busy playing for other music directors with his music that he did not have the time to become a music director himself as he could not focus on his own music. So whatever he has inside him, he taught me. His love for me is unconditional. I still take his approval on every song that I make. I feel when if he gives the song his blessings, it will become a hit. There are times when I like a song and he doesn’t but I will still listen to him. I feel blessed to have him. He would like me to rest a bit, but he likes my dedication to my work. He invested his life behind me and was always confident about me. My only dua is that nothing should ever happen to him.
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