An Interview with Kumar Sanu
Oberoi
I'm sure all fans/critics of Sanu are waiting to hear what he has to
say about his refusal about the Filmfare Awards, his acting in a hit
Bengali film and his debut into music direction !!
So, read of Kumar Sanu ... in his most controversial interview !!
AN INTERVIEW WITH KUMAR SANU - by Vishal Oberoi (17)
3:00 PM, 18th of February, 1998 : I approached the talented singer,
Kumar Sanu, in his hotel room in the
Crown International Hotel, Dubai. A man of many facets - playback
singer, music director, producer, and
most recently, actor. As he packed his bags to return to Mumbai, after
a power-packed concert in Dubai, the
previous night, he decided to have a chat with me.
Q) Who has been your main source of inspiration ?
A) My father has definitely been my guide. I have sung and practised
with him. However, my main source of
inspiration has been, the late Kishore Kumar, who was my guru,
spiritually.
Q) You are multi-faceted .. singer, actor, music-director, producer.
How come you are trying so hard ?
A) I wish to show the public that I am capable of various things. I am
a good composer, a singer and now, I have
begun to act, too. Since I am competent, I want to evince my various
aspects to my fans.
Q) Could you tell us more about your first-time acting experience in
the hit Bengali film ?
A) It is titled Gaane Bhubon Bhariye Debo, which means “I will fill
the world with my music”. It is the story of a small
town singer who eventually makes it big. It is, not surprisingly, a
musical with 14 songs, two of which are in Hindi.
The story of Gane Bhubon... is very close to my heart. It deals with
his career, his successes, his failures and his
love life. The film also features some of the best Bengali artists
from Calcutta.
Q) Is it an autobiography ?
A) It is not at all autobiographical, although some personal moments
have been enacted. The story is of a playback
singer, who struggles long and hard, before achieving fame. Being a
singer myself, it came very naturally.
Q) Could you recall any particular incidents during the filming of
this movie ?
A) On many occasions, unruly mobs of people would come, and cause a
large disturbance. Sometimes, matters
got out of hand. However, all I had to do was take a mike in hand and
control them, with a song. I was then, truly
moved by the power of music. Those experiences are very special to me.
Q) Didn’t you lose a lot of songs, during the 1 and a half years you
were filming the movie ?
A) I don’t think that it hampered my career. As the saying goes,
“Absence makes the heart grow fonder”. I think it
was a great advantage for me, that the public were given a change, and
budding singers were given opportunities.
I think that after 7 and a half years of singing, which I considered
as a monopoly by me , this gap has made sure
that people don’t get bored of my voice. Many new singers have also
come up in this time, but that does not bother
me, since talent always shows in the end.
Q) After winning 5 consecutive Filmfare Awards, you recently refused
any more awards from Filmfare.
Why ?
A) This is because there are so much tension and many worries, before
and after the award. Before the award, I
am worried about whether I will win it or not, and afterwards, there
are accusations and rumours that the award was
won by unfair and corrupt means. I wanted to avoid that, and thus
refused the Filmfare awards. I feel that it is an
insult to our art.
Q) Do such underhand tactics exist ?
A) Definitely, politics and underhand means of award-rigging exist in
Mumbai. When I won the Filmfare Award, 5
times consecutively, it was always a team effort. Whenever I won it,
the music director and lyricist also won it for the
same song and film. Therefore, it was teamwork, which won us the
award. However, in the past two years, the
awards for playback singer, music director and lyricist have been
totally different, and show no sign of teamwork.
This shows that the awards are simply governed by politics and
prejudice, and are being given to keep everybody
happy, and not to respect their talent.
Q) What about the upcoming Lux Zee Cine Awards ? Are they as
democratic as they seem ?
A) I think that those awards too have been politically manipulated.
This is clear from the fact that I have received
only one nomination there, while Udit Narayan has recieved three, and
Abhijeet does not even have a nomination. I
don’t think the public opinion is being portrayed at all, because it
does not change so much in a matter of weeks.
Q) Your voice is capable of various types of songs. Which are you most
comfortable in ?
A) I enjoy romantic songs, because as a person, I am very romantic
(GRINS). I also enjoy singing semi-classical
songs, which are melodious.
Q) You recorded 28 songs in one day, which was a record. How was that
particular day ?
A) It was an ordinary day, and it just happened. Everybody was in a
hurry, and I had planned to do as many songs
as I could. I didn’t know that I had achieved a record, until I got a
call from Guinness from London, and I felt
absolutely elated.
Q) What do you think of pop music ?
A) I cannot stand pop, because it is sung by people who have no
talent. It cannot be classified as a form of music.
Our cultural music is built on a foundation of melody, harmony and
soft instrumentation. This invasion of our music
by pop, is ridiculous. According to me, pop songs are all “one night
stands”, and do not have a life, unlike
melodious songs from films.
Q) Today, music is digitised, synthesised and computerised. Has it
made your work easier ?
A) As part of the invasion of our culture by the West, I feel that the
only good that is come out of it, is the track
facility of recording, which has improved our methods of playback
singing. It has improved clarity and made it
easier for us to sing, which is definitely to our advantage.
Q) Why haven’t you recorded private albums, like Udit Narayan and
Abhijeet ?
A) I think that private albums are definitely a prerogative diversion,
especially since Bollywood is in doldrums, due
to various problems such as murders, corruption, etc. I have
undertaken a few private albums in the past, but now,
I have directed the music for one album, as well as sung the songs
with Ms Alka Yagnik. The album is called
“Kaise Kahoon” and is due for release, soon. The music videos are
being shot in Ooty.
Q) Which is your favourite song from your entire career ?
A) If you have sung 7,500 songs , I don’t think you could select a
single song from it (LAUGHS).
Q) What are your views on “lifting tunes” ?
A) It is disgraceful. They say that they have been “inspired”, but
they are simply copying songs. It is simply a
means of achieving success, very easily, using such shortcuts. They
are making a mockery out of our music, and it
is very shameful for us to talk about it. I hope that it is stopped
Q) Who are your favourite singers ?
A) I really love Elvis Presley. I appreciate the fact that his voice
was melodious, unlike the current genre of foreign
music, which consists of wails and screams. Among the Indian singers,
I like Kishore Kumar, Mohd. Rafi, Lata
Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle and others.
Q) You have broken many records. Which is your ultimate record ?
A) I will tell you when I break it (LAUGHS). Currently, I am planning
to perform a playback recording over the
Internet, whereby I will be able to sing a song in another country,
and it can be recorded and released here in India.
Q) How is your aspect of stage performance different from aspect of
playback singing ?
A) Once I record a song, I need to wait for 6 - 8 months to get the
public reaction. While, on stage, I receive instant
applause and cheering, and that I feel is more satisfying.
Q) Your message to your fans in the UAE ?
A) Like Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose said, “You give me blood, and I
will give you freedom” , I would like to say
“You give me love, and I will give you good music” (LAUGHS).
Comments to Vishal Oberoi (Interviewer) :
obe...@emirates.net.ae
vis...@cyberdude.com
Veena S Nayak
On Wed, 11 Mar 1998, Oberoi wrote:
> AN INTERVIEW WITH KUMAR SANU - by Vishal Oberoi (17)
>
>
> Q) Do such underhand tactics exist ?
> A) Definitely, politics and underhand means of award-rigging exist in
> Mumbai. When I won the Filmfare Award, 5
> times consecutively, it was always a team effort. Whenever I won it,
> the music director and lyricist also won it for the
> same song and film. Therefore, it was teamwork, which won us the
> award. However, in the past two years, the
> awards for playback singer, music director and lyricist have been
> totally different, and show no sign of teamwork.
> This shows that the awards are simply governed by politics and
> prejudice, and are being given to keep everybody
> happy, and not to respect their talent.
I would be interested in Mr. Sanu's interpretation of the Filmfare
Awards, if those five conscutive awards won by him had gone to
the music director instead. Using his argument, if the MD wins
the award, the playback singer and lyricist also win it for the same
song since it is teamwork.
>
> Q) What about the upcoming Lux Zee Cine Awards ? Are they as
> democratic as they seem ?
> A) I think that those awards too have been politically manipulated.
> This is clear from the fact that I have received
> only one nomination there, while Udit Narayan has recieved three, and
> Abhijeet does not even have a nomination. I
> don’t think the public opinion is being portrayed at all, because it
> does not change so much in a matter of weeks.
In other words, if I am nominated or win the award, it's a reflection
of public opinion and a mark of respect for my talent. If other
singers get more nominations then it is a clear case of political
manipulation and rigging.
>
> Q) You recorded 28 songs in one day, which was a record. How was that
> particular day ?
> A) It was an ordinary day, and it just happened. Everybody was in a
> hurry, and I had planned to do as many songs
> as I could. I didn’t know that I had achieved a record, until I got a
> call from Guinness from London, and I felt
> absolutely elated.
>
> Q) What do you think of pop music ?
> A) I cannot stand pop, because it is sung by people who have no
> talent. It cannot be classified as a form of music.
> Our cultural music is built on a foundation of melody, harmony and
> soft instrumentation. This invasion of our music
> by pop, is ridiculous. According to me, pop songs are all “one night
> stands”, and do not have a life, unlike
> melodious songs from films.
Of which I record 28 in a day. However, these must not be confused with
one-night stands; the very fact that I am singing them infuses them
with life and melody.
>
> Q) Which is your favourite song from your entire career ?
> A) If you have sung 7,500 songs , I don’t think you could select a
> single song from it (LAUGHS).
Translation: I don't remember any of them.
>
> Q) What are your views on “lifting tunes” ?
> A) It is disgraceful. They say that they have been “inspired”, but
> they are simply copying songs.
Unlike myself of course: I have been inspired by Kishore Kumar, but I
am not simply copying him. I have worked very hard at developing an
original style.
> are making a mockery out of our music, and it
> is very shameful for us to talk about it. I hope that it is stopped
As a step in that direction, does Mr. Sanu refuse to sing songs that
are copied?
Veena