With Baisakhi approaching, singer-composer Sukhwinder Singh reflects on the festival that shaped his early years. Known for chartbusters like Beedi, Taal Se Taal, Fashion Ka Jalwa, Haule Haule, Kar Har Maidan Fateh, Jai Ho, and more recently Doubtwa, Sukhwinder shares memories of celebrating Baisakhi in his village. In this exclusive conversation with BT, he speaks about his musical beginnings, the global rise of Punjabi music, and his hope for a drug-free, healthier Punjab.

Baisakhi is a celebration of all your efforts throughout the year. Farmers reap their harvest, sell their grains, earn so, it’s also the vaisakhee (or crutch), ek sahara hai jo aapko aane wale saal mein kaam aaye. Yeh poore Hindustan ka New Year hai, khaas taur par Punjabiyon ka. Baisakh pehla mahina hai, pehla season.

I have beautiful, fond memories of Baisakhi from childhood. In Punjab, you’ll see one colour everywhere during Baisakhi, safed. White kurtas, white dhotis, white padgis. It represents purity, celebration, chamakta hai. Main bachpan mein bhi white libas, white chappal and padgi pehenta tha and I’d sing shabads at the gurdwara. I was just seven when people first heard my voice, and it was Gurbani. Guru Granth Sahib is the only scripture iss Brahmand mein where every hymn is based on a Raag. That’s the deep, divine connection between music and spirituality we have. Today I have worn a blue turban, signifying courage, patriotism and spiritual strength.

On Baisakhi, main gurdwara mein mattha tekta tha, and the whole town would be buzzing with rang-birangi Punjabi songs. I’d sing boliyan, rhythmic couplets that bring people together. Also, bhangra is huge during Baisakhi! The energy would be electric. There’d be competitions everywhere, and it's said that on Baisakhi, more than sawa lakh dhols beat together across Punjab. Though it’s a farmers’ festival and marks a new year, Baisakhi belongs to everyone, every religion, every community.

Kam se kam do kilo mithaiyan kha jaata tha, and not the kind you go out and buy! Mithaiyon ke langar lag jaate the. Jalebi was the star, followed by imartis, rasgullas the size of apples, and crunchy patisas, (similar to soan papdi). But our favourites were always from the langar, because they were free and full of love! I remember I used to get sweets from everyone in the village because I’d sing for them. Aur sabse zyada pasand tha crispy, garma-garam jalebiyan!

One big highlight used to be kushti! Every village would have a wrestling competition. And the prizes? Pure desi style! Winners would get 100 kg of ghee, a giant cannister of milk, 500 kg of almonds. I remember seeing wrestlers gulp down a kilo of ghee right after winning.

The culture and purity. The air, the food, even the silence has healing in it. No pollution, no cement, no chaos. Pind di mitti is magical. I still apply Multani mitti to my face regularly. No makeup. Gaon ki mitti ka asar hi alag hota hai.

Baisakhi ek din nahi hota for us, its like Diwali, the buzz is for a week. This year, I’m performing in Ras Al-Khaimah, and from there I’ll fly straight to Amritsar. I’ll have langar ki mithai there. Even though I can get sweets anywhere, there’s nothing like the taste of langar. Uska swad hi kuch aur hai. I’m also wearing a special seven-coloured turban this time, satrangi pagdi. Isse badi Taj Poshi kya hogi? On Baisakhi, I forget I’m a celebrity and sing wherever I feel like. I’ll eat jalebis, laal surkh gulab jamuns, and doodh-patti ki chai (tea without water, just milk).

Aadat pad gayi thi gaane ki bachpan se. I gave up kites and all those fun childhood games because music had taken over. I didn’t need much, just a harmonium, a percussionist. Back then, people around me, my mentors, believed that if a child was drawn to music, it meant he was straying from studies. But for me, music gave my soul peace and my heart joy. Itna energy aur sukoon milta tha, how to stay away from that? So I chose music and left everything else behind. I went go to Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple) and would sing bhajans and shabads. The aura there, wahi mera maata-pita ban gaya.

Punjab ke log zindadil hote hain, they live life king-size, even while staying within limits, maryada mein. Dushman ke saamne bhi unki awaaz khuli hoti hai, and that same energy shows up in our celebrations, our music. That’s why our instruments are bold too, dhol baja toh dharti hile. Punjab’s spirit, its poetry, its raw power, people all over the world feel it in our beats. There’s no small-scale celebration in Punjab! I’ve added Punjabi flavour to Bollywood with Aaj Mera Jee Karda (Monsoon Wedding), Chaiyya Chaiyya (Dil Se), Layi Vi Na Gayee (Chalte Chalte) and more. The rhythm, the vibe, the energy, it’s infectious!

I wish for a drug-free Punjab. Punjab ko isse bhaitareen Baisakhi ka tohfa koi nahi ho sakta. I want my Punjab to return to its original glory — strong, healthy, proud.

Punjab abhi duwidha mein hain. Paani tak ka problem hai. One of the oldest rivers there has become black with chemical pollution. Punjab ke safed libas mein dard ke dhabbe hain.

Jalebi! And in savoury, samosa with teekhi chatni.

Ki haal hai? So simple, yet full of warmth.

Aaj Mera Jee Karda, it captures the Baisakhi spirit perfectly. And of course, Jugni, Jugni!

Jai Ho from Slumdog Millionaire won the Oscar in 2009, in the Best Original Song category. Composed by AR Rahman, penned by Gulzar and Tanvi, the song was sung by AR Rahman, Sukhwinder Singh, Mahalakshmi Iyer and Vijay Prakash. Recently, filmmaker Ram Gopal Verma claimed that the song was composed by Sukhwinder Singh. The singer clearly denied it and told us the story behind how the song came into being.

“Mujhe bhi Ram Gopal Verma ji ka video aaya hai. Woh jo keh rahein hain uske baare mein mujhe bilkul bhi kuch nahi pata," he says.

Elaborating on the how Jai Ho was recorded, Sukhwinder says, “A R Rahman presented the first draft of Jai Ho to Subhash Ghai. Mujhe laga ki iss gaane mein kuch baat hai. However, Subhash Ghai ji ne kaha ki the character in his film is a tapori and the song is too decent for that, so it won’t work. He wanted a tapori type of song, so he told Rahman saab to compose another song and he agreed to do it after a while.”

Sukhwinder adds, “When they took the decision to compose another song, Subhash Ghai ji and Rahman saab apni, apni gadi mein baithe, aur chale gaye. Only a few people were left in the studio, Gulzar saab, few of the musicians, recordists and me. Sabke chehere pe zara si udasi aayi thi ki yeh kya ho gaya. Mujhe laga ki iss Jai Ho gaane ka kya hoga. So quickly I took a decision and told everyone, ‘Come on, let’s sing this song’. But Gulzar saab said, ‘Ki gaana toh ab dusra banana hai’. Tab maine kaha ki woh ‘zari wale neele aasman ke tale’ is something special. Jitna bhi experience kiya hai music ko, I can say that I’ve never heard a line like this. Itna khubsoorat likha hai, isse kam se kam gaa toh de ek baar. So, then Gulzar saab told me, ‘Ki if you really want to sing this song, go ahead’.”

Sukhwinder further explained how he started dancing while recording the song, which eventually was selected by Danny Boyle for his Oscar-winning movie, Slumdog Millionaire. “I had the music already, and so I told my recordist to put up three microphones and he was surprised. Then I sang Jai Ho in the three different mics. I was literally dancing from one mic to the other when I was singing the song and quickly the recording was done. Gulzar saab ne mujhe mathe pe choom liya. Maine pucha, koi khaas baat? He said, ‘Ise kehtein hain music se mohabbat karna. Tumhe ishq hai music se!’ Uske baad sabha samapt ho gayi, I gave a CD of that recording to Gulzar saab and I sent one to Rahman saab,” he shared.

Around a week later Sukhwinder got a call from Rahman. “He told me, ‘Hello Hollywood singer’. I asked, “Hollywood?”. Rahman said, ‘The song you sang, Jai Ho, has been selected by a Hollywood director’. This was the song that was almost rejected. Bas iske aage peeche mujhe kuch pata nahi. Maine Jai Ho gaya hai, compose nahi kiya. Mere se zyada toh koi haqeeqat nahi janta na,” says Sukhwinder.

In giving voice to Ranbir Kapoor’s Balli in Shamshera, Sukhwinder Singh chanced upon an opportunity he had been seeking for long. “Working with a composer like Mithoon is desirable for every singer. When I would head to the recording studio, I would feel like I was part of a mehfil. I had heard that this was the manner in which Raj Kapoor [worked with his team]. After experiencing it, I wish that each project can be approached in a similar manner. In this process, everyone is given the chance to present their idea and enhance the final work. The team is also receptive. If I suggested that I would like to try something different, they were always keen to let me give it a shot,” says Singh, adding that occasionally witnessing the shoot at director Karan Malhotra’s behest worked in his favour.

“I have three songs in the film. Parinda is symphonic. Mithoon belongs to Pyarelal ji’s [Sharma] family. His father [Naresh Sharma] was among the best music arrangers we’ve had. Mithoon has a great understanding of how to mix music. Parinda is played against the film’s background score, across scenes of romance, action and drama. It has been designed to enhance the film’s score. Creating one piece that’s suited for different aspects was a new, but enjoyable process,” says the singer of first of three tracks rendered by him.

“The other two are earthy songs that are heavily influenced by drums, and needed a performance. I believe, that’s a gift I have — regardless of whether I am on the stage or in a studio, I am always performing in accordance with the character.” 

Shamshera marks Singh’s fresh collaboration with Kapoor, for whom he previously sang Kar Har Maidaan Fateh (Sanju). 

Up next, he joins hands with Vishal Bhardwaj’s son Aasmaan, for his upcoming directorial venture, Kuttey. “I have sung for his father, and I was the first choice for him.”

Singh is currently also creating a music master-class at the behest of a production. He intends to teach students aspects relating to the lifestyle of musicians as part of the course as well. “I intend to make this educational and entertaining, and not complicated. I am also working on creating pure folk music with international musicians.”

Sukhwinder Singh is happy that he got an opportunity to perform live at a private event in Lucknow, after a very long time. Sukhwinder, who has been performing virtually during the lockdowns, says that they hold less charm than a live interaction with audience. “Virtual performances are good, but what an artiste craves is a live interaction with the audience,” he says.

Ask him if he is nervous performing live in this Coronavirus pandemic and Sukhwinder says he is, but the excitement of a live performance is more. “There is definitely some nervousness regarding performing live in this pandemic, but I have to ensure a livelihood for my musicians. With nothing happening the musicians are facing a very hard time. So in fact, for this show, I have charged 40 per cent more than their usual fees so that they can sustain themselves and their families,” he says.

Sukhwinder adds, “Main bhi koi millionaire toh hoon nahi, mujhe bhi kamayi karni hai. And we have to help others, too, in whatever we can. These are difficult times for everyone and we have to make do with what is being offered.”

The singer says that the band takes all precautions during their show. He says,“We are taking all precautions regarding maintaining social distancing, masks, etc. In case of a private function, there is no problem of a crowd. Besides, I take good care of myself. I remain at home, I have got myself vaccinated, maintain all protocols so I am okay, that way.”

Sukhwinder recently appeared as a celebrity guest on Indian Idol. He has previously been a judge on a few talent hunt shows. Ask him if he is in favour of the judges praising all performances and he says, “My first condition to appear as a judge on a reality show is that I will not lie. I will not falsely praise any contestant.”

He further adds, “Tell me one thing, isn’t it corruption and lying to praise a contestant even for his bad performance? I cannot say to a bad singer that you have sung like Miyan Tansen. It is wrong. I am harming the youngster by giving him false praise. If a contestant is not performing well, I will not say ‘waah’ for him or her. Instead I will give a positive criticism, which is what we as judges should do. We should point out their mistakes so that they can improve upon them. Praising them for their bad performance is in fact harming them, and we, as seniors shouldn’t indulge in that. One needn’t be rude and brutal in their criticism, it can be given in a softer way too. That’s why you don’t see me in reality or talent hunt shows so often.”

Singer Sukhwinder Singh is upset. With the way the film industry is portrayed, the vilification of celebs, drug charges — everything. Not that he denies the problems.

“Itna negative hota jaa raha hai. It started with Coronavirus, then Sushant’s (Singh Rajput) death, then the thing with China. Drugs are a problem in the entire world, yet the film industry (is singled out),” he asserts.

The 49-year-old Chaiyya Chaiyya (Dil Se; 1998) hitmaker adds: “Stardom is built with hard work and dedication. People yearn for a glimpse of these celebs. Social media gives an opportunity and people say whatever they want.”

He points out that while people who consume drugs are caught, there is hardly any focus on suppliers. “Maamla jald se khatam ho jaayega. Actors (could) say they take drugs in small quantities to improve their mood. They at least work, but many others sit on the roads, near the gutter. Here (in the industry), the percentage must be five, par badnaami 100% mil rahi hai,” he says.

He gives his own example — he has sung songs such as Bidi Jalai Le (Omkara, 2006) without even looking at one in real life. He says, “Drugs utna hai nahi film industry mein jitna ragad diya gaya hai. If it were such a problem, people wouldn’t be able to shoot! People who troll think ‘Hum kabhi Ranbir Kapoor, Ranveer Singh ya Varun Dhawan se mil nahi sakte, chalo unki band bajaate hain’.”

Tell us about the making of Gallan Goodiyaan.
I was invited by Shankar Ehsaan Loy, with whom I have worked on more than 7-8 songs, to sing this number. Believe it or not, I was shocked when I first heard Gallan Goodiyaan for Dil Dhadakne Do. It was a very difficult scale for me to understand and sing to. But Shankar convinced me I could do it. By this time, even Farhan Akhtar entered the studio. I know him because I had done playback for him in Bhaag Milkha Bhaag. Farhan hugged me with so much energy and warmth that I was inspired and got some ideas. So, I took permission from Farhan, Shankar, Ehsaan and Loy, if I could add some of my own inputs and they obliged.

While working with big music directors, do you give your inputs?
Yes. As singers, we have to give our inputs. There was a time when Lataji, Ashaji, Kishore da, Raj Kapoor, Rafi saab used to sit in recordings and discuss every song. But today, there is so much aggression and most singers don't have that much time. But I have time, because I believe in going slow, so that I can enjoy everything. I don't want to miss out on life. I can observe better. I believe I am the tortoise, who will the race in the end.

We hear you're doing a non-film album.
Yes, it's called Mastila. This is my dream project. Technically, I have worked on this album for six months, but if you ask me, I have given it my entire life's experience till date. Yet, I won't say it's something that hasn't been attempted before because that would be foolish. It's a romantic and flirtatious album. I am singing in whispers throughout! A lot of talented artistes - lyricists, composers and female singers - have also worked on this project with me. The album has four videos, which will be shot in Kashmir, Amsterdam, Paris and Ukraine. I plan to release it this month.

Why did it take you so long to come out with this album?
I sang Nasha Hi Nasha Hai more than 12 years ago. After that, I was busy doing playback for films. During this phase, music companies started asking singers for money to release their non-film albums, which I thought didn't make sense. Also, I couldn't understand digital marketing. The moment I did, I decided to come out with my own album.

Did you expect to win a National Award for Bismil?
Not really. I missed getting it for Chak De! India. At that time, I thought it was very deserving because it's a patriotic song. But the experience of getting this award was amazing. I performed to Bismil (Haider) with a guitar and got a standing ovation. Even the President acknowledged it. I got to meet talented people from all over the country. After the ceremony, I met everyone at the after-party. I specifically carried a camera so that I could take pictures with them! Even if I hadn't sung Bismil, it would have won because it was created by people like Vishal Bhardwaj and Gulzar.

Many musicians and singers from Bollywood are coming out with non-film albums. Is it for better visibility?
Maybe it's their strategy; maybe they are getting a good response. I don't know about others but I don't have that greed, because if I work keeping this in mind, I won't be able to concentrate. When I sing, whether it's a recording or live on stage, I dedicate all my energy only to singing. Visibility doesn't matter.God has blessed me with a good voice. My voice is my identity. Earlier, one of my music videos was converted into a film. People thought I was a hero of a movie. That's why my new album won't be picturised on me alone.

Your style of singing is earthy and rustic. What are your thoughts on new singers who are also following this style?
I take it as a compliment. There are so many singers in this industry; some of us are bound to sing in a similar fashion. I don't believe in competing with them. Competition works only in school, not in the music industry.

What are your upcoming projects?
There is an interesting number called Patli Gali, which I have sung in Meghna Gulzar's upcoming film Talwar. I have also done a song for Beyond Bollywood, an English musical play that will be performed in London.

Like a seasoned pied piper, Sukhwinder Singh knows what it takes to make the audience sway to his tunes. With over a thousand live concerts to his credit, he has performed practically in every big city in India and the world over, but Mumbai's Bandra Fort is one of his favourites, even though he has performed here only once before, for the 175-year celebrations of the Times of India. As the livewire singer gets set to perform here for the second time for the Times Celebrate Bandra festival tomorrow, he tells us that even though he stays in Juhu now, Bandra will always remain his first love. Excerpts:

BANDRA WAS MY FIRST HOME IN MUMBAI
“When I came to Mumbai, Bandra was where I stayed. It's here that I met Laxmikantji of Laxmikant-Pyarelal, at Mehboob Studios, and that was special for me as a singer. Then, I experienced the charm of the Mehboob Studio-Carter Road-Bandstand stretch. It's like a festival is going on in every corner.People here are too stylish. And I think I am one of the top 10 stylish people in India, so I feel an instant connect. In fact, I have got a nice new haircut for the concert. I went to a fancy salon in Bandra and told the guy, “Boy, I am coming to perform in your area. Let this Juhu boy look like a Bandra boy .“

BANDRA FORT IS VERY COSY
“Last year when I performed here, Salman Khan had come and the show had gone on for four hours. People kept requesting for more and I had to fold my hands and request them to let us conclude it. The best thing is that it's very cosy. It feels like performing at a family function. The first time also I had performed for the Times of India and I feel emotionally thankful to them for introducing me to such a wonderful audience. It reminds me of Russia where they have these stunning jazz performances with greenery all around. I would love to sit in the audience myself, at this place.“

THE CONCERT IS ABOUT ENTERTAINMENT, ENTERTAINMENT, ENTERTAINMENT
“Besides my popular songs like Jai Ho and Dard-E-Disco, I have quite a few surprises planned. I will perform an Egyptian version of the song Bismil from Haider and an Opera act with Russian performers. The stage doesn't allow you to follow rules and I am all for improvisation. The audience will be flabbergasted with my show. I performed as a nine-year-old for the first time in England three decades ago and was full of energy, and to date, I feel the same way. The concert is going to be about entertainment, entertainment and entertainment and I will also be singing many songs for my two Bandra boys -Salman Bhai and Shah Rukh Khan.“

DATING AT CARTER ROAD AND SHOPPING AT LINKING ROAD IS MIND BLOWING
“I've had the cops scold me at Carter Road for sitting with girls and I still shop at Linking Road for shirts, T-shirts and bermudas. There's so much in Bandra, plus the beautiful girls and handsome men always make for a fantastic sight. Kuchh toh baat hai Bandra mein.“

Sukhwinder Singh will perform on November 29 at Bandra Fort, 7pm onwards. Complimentary invites can be collected from the Times of India building, Dr DN Road, Fort, on a first-come-first-serve basis from 10 am-5 pm

Sukhwinder Singh's latest number, Happy Budday from Kill Dil, is being hailed as the newest birthday celebration song. Now, the singer is all geared up for his upcoming release Zed Plus, in which he will be seen in a different avatar -that of a sutradhar. In a free wheeling chat with Bombay Times, he reveals his plans of starting a music institute, and also hints he will get married within the next six months. Excerpts.

What is keeping you busy these days?
My song Happy Budday has become popular. So, I have been approached by an event company to perform for a unique function in Thiruvananthapuram. Around 73,000 people are going to come together to celebrate their birthdays and the organisers want me to sing this song for them on the occasion! Apart from this, I recently visited Maulana Azad National Urdu University in Hyderabad along with Gulzar sahab and Vishal Bhardwaj, and we gifted the university a special song. Gulzar sahab has written the lyrics, Vishal has composed the music and I have sung it. This song has a message - it teaches that Urdu is a universal language and doesn't belong to any particular religion. Though it was for educational purposes, the three of us really enjoyed working on this collaboration.

What are your future plans?
I am going to start a music academy. Along with singing, there will also be emphasis on yoga, meditation, dancing and exercising. It will be one of the best technical institutes around, as there won't be any rigid rules. It will have a friendly atmosphere - I won't behave like a boss or teacher. I will be the sexy guruji! One of the reasons I am starting this academy is because I want to change my singing style in the coming years. I am going to sing in an operatic style. In fact, I even plan on doing stage performances with the academy students. Our shows will be a mix of Indian opera songs and circus acts. We will also have Russian, Mexican and English music influences. We will be using the works of poets like Khalil Gibran, Ghalib, Gopaldas Neeraj, Dushyant Kumar and Jan Nisar Akhtar. We are also taking inspiration from the Kanjor community, who are entertainers from Germany. I have already started work on the concept. It will have a cinematic touch and will be highly entertaining.

Apart from singing, what other activities interest you?
In my house, I have a gym, a meditation and yoga section, and a place where I pray to Lord Shiva. I am a spiritual person and it has even helped me in my singing. I believe that action with relaxation is the best chord of life. So while we need to work, we also need to relax ourselves, because when we take a break from working, we get time to introspect and our realisation power grows. You have to enjoy life too. Otherwise you cannot shine in your career. Flirting also helps! I like to be in the company of beautiful women.

Speaking of beautiful women, is there a special one in your life?
My intuition is I'm going to get married in the next six months! As a child, I had an intuition that I would be part of the music world and that came true. I have a similar feeling now. I am prepared for marriage. I have mentioned this before - I want to get married to a village girl, as I want to experience rural life. I want to buy a house in the village and get into farming. As for the girl, she should be simple. She shouldn't be a gold-digger or treat me like a celebrity. It doesn't matter what her social status is or whether she has any money. I won't be taking a single penny from the girl I will marry. Even her wedding sari will be bought by me. I think the reason why I haven't found the right girl is because I don't socialise much. But it will change soon.



Whether it's the passionate ballad Bismil in Haider, the groovy birthday anthem Happy Budday in Kill Dil or the peppy Satakli from Happy New Year, Sukhwinder Singh pretty much masters every song he lends his vocals to. The singer, composer and lyricist talks about his upcoming projects, competitors and his mantra to succeed in the industry.

What are you currently working on?
Dr Chandraprakash Dwivedi, who made the movie Pinjar, is directing a very different kind of film, called Zed Plus. Hrishitaa Bhatt and I are playing sutradhars in it. We have composed 3-4 songs that have been picturised on us. It was a great experience, as we shot in Mandawa (Rajasthan) at a heritage palace. Though I have faced the camera before, this was a different experience as I got to work with a very passionate and intelligent filmmaker. I have also recently sung an English number for the international play Monsoon Wedding, based on the Hindi film by Mira Nair. We have composed this English song on a Pahadi raga; this will be the first of its kind in the world. 

How do you choose your songs?
I don't put conditions on the kind of songs I want to sing. Luckily, I have always been offered peppy, dance-based numbers. In fact, in my entire career, I have never sung sad songs, except for Layi Vi Na Gayi (Chalte Chalte). But during live stage performances, audiences dance to even that song! Music directors usually come to me with celebratory songs. Maybe because I cannot be bound or ordered to sing a particular way; I am spontaneous and I sing very randomly. There is a common saying about me in the industry: 'Yeh pinjre ka sher nahi hai, yeh toh jungle ka sher hai.'

Are you fazed by competition and the new crop of singers in the industry?
Competition works only in sports, not in the field of music. When you sing, the only thing you win is hearts... I don't make a list of how many songs I have in my kitty. I just go with the flow. If I keep counting how many songs I have sung or how many awards I have won, I won't be able to sing wholeheartedly. For a passionate person like me, it's difficult to maintain a patient, slow and steady approach towards work, but I have trained my mind into doing that. Being aggressive doesn't work. After singing for Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, it took me six months to get my next song! But I believe it's okay even if I sing only 10 songs a year; they should be sung well.

Who are your music inspirations?
I have learned a lot from my seniors. I haven't seen a single picture of Kishore da or Rafi sahab not smiling during a performance. Even today, I am learning from Lataji and Ashaji. Lataji may have retired from singing in movies, but even at her age, she practises daily for hours. As for Ashaji, whether she is travelling in an aircraft or cooking in her kitchen, she is always doing her riyaz. These people have set an example for me. Despite being legends, they don't believe in increasing the count of their songs; they only believe in singing to the best of their abilities.

Sukhwinder Singh, 43, is a Shiv Bhakt, who seems to be waiting for his Salman bhai to get married. He believes that you can entertain only with happiness and not with hesitation that will come into you if you are competitive. While yoga has calmed him down completely, he is still a late lateef. His latest song Bismil from Vishal Bhardwaj's Haider again is distinctive of Sukhwinder's style and is beautiful. Over an hour-long conversation at his house over parathas and maa ki dal, he talks to Bombay Times about his guru AR Rahman, his respect for Salman and why he could never have a big bank balance. Excerpts:

Let's talk about your childhood?
I was born in Amristar. When I was five, I saw a dream. There was a white palace, where all the people were made up of milk and looked white, the grass was white, clouds were white. Only I was in colour and wanted to get into this palace, when my dream broke. I opened my eyes and was shocked to hear a song that was very soothing with my entire concentration there. I suddenly became aware that the song was not playing, but I myself was singing it as it was coming from my throat. I was not exposed to any music till then and did not even know what name to give it. I would get up every morning and hum and I started listening to music instead of playing with toys and flying kites. I started visiting and living in dargahs, as there was music there from where I imbibed Sufism.While growing up, I got the feeling that I had somewhere entered the white palace and that the palace itself was Maa Saraswati. We lived a comfortable happy life, but I lost both my parents when I was nine. I became a single child and was brought up by Maa Saraswati and never felt that I was alone. There were some people who found talent in me and they took me to Leicester in London to make me a singer and study there, but I was always made only for music and was only interested in that. I loved it there, as London showered so much music on me and I cut my first album when I was about 13. I composed the song Tutak Tutak Tutiya at 13 that was sung by Malkit Singh that became a big hit. I then came to India and made my first album Munda Southall Da that sold over 1.7 crore cassettes. I then joined Laxmikant-Pyarelalji but after Laxmiji died, I went to Punjab to study music. By this time, I had no connection with my family and was on my own there. I also got interested in 100 metre running, apart from music. I started preparing for Olympics and would practise running from 8 at night to 5.30 in the morning, after which I would do riyaz on my tanpura for two hours. My interest in classical music took over everything and I decided finally to come back to Mumbai to become a music director.

How did Chaiyya Chaiyya happen?
I struggled for many years till AR Rahman's Bombay released. I made CDs out of my music and gave it to all his musicians hoping that they would make him hear my voice. Someone did, and he called me to Chennai. That day, he was also waiting for a writer and he thought I was the writer. He saw me and said, 'You have come?' He introduced me to Govind Nihalani, who narrated a situation to me. I wrote Mujhe Rang De the song and he was impressed. I then confessed to Rahman that I was actually not a writer, but was a singer and that I would like to sing what I had written for him as against reciting it. He asked me, 'You sing?' I said jokingly, 'Yes, I am Sukhwinder Singh.' I sang just two lines and Rahman held my hand and took me towards the steps of his dargah in his house. His dargah is divine and I later came to know that he reads his namaaz there and also sometimes, goes to sleep there on his mother's lap. That night he told me, 'Come and relax here and take rest.' He had found something in me. He asked me to stay there and I sang my childhood Thaiya Thaiya song. He took me to Mani Ratnam in his car and said, 'He is the voice of India and he will sing for your film Dil Se.' and I sang Chaiyya Chaiyya.

What is Rahman like?
Rahman set up a studio for me in Mumbai that was financed by Jhamu Sughand, as Rahman used to compose for all his films. I asked Rahman, 'You consider me a singer, then why are you making this studio?' And he said, 'You are a music director. Whenever I am working with you, I feel that two composers are working on the song.' Rahman is a very genuine person. Jai Ho just created unnecessary conflict. If he did not want to take me to the Oscars, then the day the song got nominated, he would not have called me and congratulated me saying, 'Hi Sukhi, your song has been nominated. We will go and perform together.' After that, I did not get a call and I did not ask and till today I have never asked. But why should I be upset when my Godfather, my guru and my teacher was on stage? I need to be happy. For me, my passion and profession have come together. While the passion came through my dream, Rahman gave me my professional platform. He does not have either jealousy or competition inside him and he is the only one, who will give top breaks to absolutely fresh people. After knowing Rahman for many years, he confided in me in a rare moment that he is blessed and that some divine power follows him all the time. He told me, 'There is a soul that travels with me all the time showering ideas on me.' There are 2-3 hours at night during which you should not even touch Rahman. His sun rises at midnight. After Jai Ho, he became scared of coming in front of the media as he was being questioned and he was not having an answer. Then three years later, his silence broke and he called me one day out of the blue and said, 'Come Bhopal. We have a show tomorrow.' I said, 'Okay.' I jokingly said I will come in my swimming suit.

Talk about yourself?
As a child, I was blessed by a peer sahab in Jalandhar. I was bowing in reverence, when he threw a coin at me and I stood up. He told one of his students, 'I have given him a coin as money will never accumulate with him but will never finish either.' Ek fakir baba ka zubaan pe aana aur Saraswati ka zubaan pe aana, suna hai ki barabar hota hai. What he said has turned out to be completely true in my life. My other name is Help Centre. 25% of whatever money I make goes to the leprosy centre. I land up helping anyone who calls me for help as a result of which my bank balance has never crossed more than 10 lakhs ever. I used to stay in a rented place and have just shifted to my own house only two years back, for which I pay an EMI. I have seen many Diwalis, where even being a Sukhwinder Singh I have been at home with just Rs 500 or 1000. I can satisfy my needs with even Rs 20 in a day. I enjoy all kinds of colours in my life. I am also a flirt and romantic, but meri aakhein tarasti rehti hain ki kisi ko zaroorat toh nahi hai kisi cheese ki.

You have worked with both Salman and Shah Rukh a lot. Talk about them?
Both do their work with complete honesty. While Shah Rukh does it with perfection, Salman does it with masti. Salman woh aadmi hai ki kahi mil jaye toh main uske pair chhoo loon. If there would be five people from the industry who are desireless, Salman will be one of them. Look at his fitness. Just to meet people's expectation from him, he is ready to do all kinds of things and make so many sacrifices. He is naughty, and the most handsome guy. But dil ka darvesh hai where he feels that if he speaks the truth then it will reach his fans. He is not at all aggressive when it comes to his career and he works with so much sukoon. I know of thousands of people whom he has helped.

Any plans of marriage?
I want to get married now. I am attracted to a few girls but I don't have a person in front of me. Rahman in my Bhopal show asked me, 'Where is the tiny Sukhwinder? I really want to see him.' I also got that feeling. But girls don't take me seriously as I am a big flirt. I was such a good flirt but us par bhi nazar lag gayi hai. Everyone has the right to have a wish and I don't know why, but I want to get married to a village girl.

What makes you a Shiv Bhakt?
I pray to him in every breath. When you are a Shiv Bhakt, one you become extremely romantic and second you don't have any hatred towards anyone. Actually, I am not his bhakt. I am his chamcha.