Watch the Blockbuster Interview of Pushpa 2 singer Nakash Aziz with Lehren Retro. The multilingual Pan-India vocalist talks about his experience of singing for actors like Allu Arjun, Salman Khan & Shah Rukh Khan in Pushpa 2, Bharat & Fan and also sings some of the hit numbers for us.. The mega musician elaborates upon his first encounter with musical maestro A.R. Rahman & reveals some exciting details about his relationship with hit-machine Mika Singh & Pritam Da. Watch the heart to heart podcast session with senior most journalist Bharathi S Pradhan featuring Nakash Aziz on your favourite digital destination, Lehren.
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00:00Gopitala gaavana kutadsi, bikku manta reklu mudsi, vana kutu unde nide tappavada
00:07Pedda gadda laga mabbul payna, haddu dati ekri vayinte
00:12Varsamayina daal vanchi, kalla ginda kurdeida
00:16Pushpa, Pushpa, Pushpa, Pushpa, Pushpa, Pushpa, Pushpa, Raj, Pushpa, Pushpa
00:21Tu hai sodde ki botal, main banta tera, main to handle karu
00:28Har tanta tera, mere dil ke mobile ka tu, unlimited plan ho gaya
00:38Main tera hai, jab raho hai
00:41Aj ki shaam lage, picchar ka
00:48Picchar ka scene koi
00:50You know I did that, I tried to imagine, I tried to be him
00:54Afghan jalebi, maashuk pharebi, gayal hai tera diwana
01:02Bandook dikha dikha ke kya pyaar karegi, chehra bhi kabhi dikhana
01:10Bhai waah, bhai waah
01:21It's so wonderful to have you here, Nakash
01:24My pleasure, it's my pleasure, absolutely my pleasure
01:26You know, we've all gone crazy listening to one Pushpa, Pushpa, Pushpa, Pushpa
01:33You must be saying Pushpa, Pushpa in your sleep now
01:36No, it's been great actually because ever since Pushpa 2 was announced
01:42A lot of people have been asking me, have you sung in Pushpa 2?
01:46The film has been announced, but I hadn't got a call from Devi Shri Prasad who is the music composer
01:53So with a very heavy heart I was telling people that no I still haven't sung anything
01:58But it was really very good to finally hear from him
02:05And be part of the first song and I think it's a great launch for the second part
02:10But which of the film was ready?
02:13Knowing Devi Shri Prasad and you know, it's a trade that all great composers of our time have
02:20I think they keep working even till the day the song releases
02:24So I think he'll be at it
02:27Like A. R. Rahman is a nightmare for producers
02:32I think he's a beautiful dream, you know
02:37I have to go back to where it all started
02:40I say that in your case, Lakshmi Ghar Chali Aaye
02:45Because you were in Malad and you just happened to meet A. R. Rahman
02:50In the recording studio
02:56I happened to be doing a show where A. R. Rahman was the judge
03:03It was a show where there were a lot of playback singers participating
03:06And they were competing against each other
03:08And for one of the playback singer's jodi which was Roop Kumar Athodji and Sonali Athodji
03:15We were doing the tracks for them
03:17And all the work for that show was happening in one particular studio
03:25Which was Aditya Modi, it was his studio
03:29And we were working in that studio and we loved the vibe of the studio
03:34So we started doing our independent music work also there
03:38So once we had a booking, say maybe from 3 to 6 we had a session booking
03:43And we were told that you know from 6 o'clock to 9 o'clock
03:476 o'clock onwards is Rahman sir's booking
03:50So we were like okay, we'll vacate by 6.45
03:55And it so happened that he came in early that day
04:00And he was so kind that he thought that he was intruding
04:08Whereas we were thinking that we cannot be in A. R. Rahman's space
04:12Because he is such a legendary music composer
04:15So he came in and he was like oh I am sorry, I am sorry
04:19So we were like no no sir, please come, we are just heading out
04:23Then he asked us what are you doing
04:25And then he got to know that we are working for the same show
04:28And then he heard our work and he offered us a job right there
04:33Oh wow!
04:34So we used to have this very, by we I mean me and my partner Sargam
04:39Who we both composed together
04:42So we were like, so we were so scared that our machine is broken
04:50We had like a makeshift computer in which we used to work
04:54So we were thinking that if Rahman sir sees our machine
04:58Then he will say no no, thank you, you can't do this
05:02So we were in that stress
05:04And fortunately or unfortunately I don't know
05:08It did not happen that day
05:10Because he said that you know he had completed most of the job
05:14So that didn't happen
05:17Then suddenly 6 months later, Aditya Modi again reached out to me
05:21And he told me that you know Rahman sir is asking
05:24If you can just conduct a session for Sarod
05:29And it was for the movie Delhi 6
05:32So of course I was, I left everything and went
05:35You went there
05:37One of the questions I wanted to ask you
05:39You have sung Pushpa in Telugu and in Hindi
05:43Yeah
05:44How many languages do you know and how are you so comfortable with so many languages?
05:48I know Marathi, Hindi, English
05:51But I can sing
05:55I cannot sing in Malayalam very well
05:57Is what I feel
05:58Because it takes a lot of time for me to understand Malayalam
06:02Because the language has a lot of
06:06Different na's and valyas
06:08I don't know what all is there
06:10I don't have any idea about that
06:12But yeah Tamil, Telugu
06:14I can listen to what the person is saying
06:16And I can try and imitate it
06:19I have heard a lot of Tamil growing up
06:21Tamil music
06:23So Tamil you are able to pick up
06:26That's what they say
06:28I don't know how well I am doing it because I don't understand the language
06:30How did that come up?
06:33So I think DSP
06:37DSP I don't know he
06:39So every composer I don't know they see something in me
06:42DSP is Devi Sri Prasad
06:44Raksha Devi Sri Prasad
06:46I don't know they somehow
06:48Every composer sees something very different in me
06:50And you know what Devi Sri Prasad
06:52Got out from me
06:54Was a surprise to me also
06:56And I never knew a song could be rendered in that way
06:59Because it's a very
07:02Bachchan-esque kind of approach that
07:05I do for the songs that
07:07I record for him
07:09Who is like me
07:11The one who can win over me
07:13Is me
07:15You know it's like
07:17That kind of a rendition
07:19So I have that in my voice
07:21But he discovered it
07:23So I think that's how
07:25Hey kid
07:27This is my den
07:29That was lovely actually
07:31And my den is Hindi but you say something else in Telugu
07:33This is my den
07:35Just tell me that
07:37This is my den
07:39So you knew how to say it in Telugu
07:41No
07:43We really
07:45Devi Sri Prasad really worked a lot on that
07:47And he was
07:49Very particular about
07:51Even though it sounds spoken there is a tune to it
07:53Right
07:55There is a beat
07:57And a tune
07:59So he was able to
08:01Pronunciation is an easy thing
08:03Telugu, Hindi
08:05Pushpa also
08:07Pushpa too, I noticed that Mika has sung
08:09The Hindi one with you
08:11But it's somebody else in Telugu with you
08:13Deepak Blue
08:15Deepak Blue is sung
08:17In Tamil and Telugu
08:19Right
08:21But you are common to all of them
08:23Yeah
08:25This is my fate
08:27But can you tell us
08:29How is it different
08:31The mood is the same
08:33So
08:35I recorded it in Telugu
08:37So
08:39I ask the meaning of each line
08:41And if
08:43There is a particular word
08:45Where I
08:47Like if somebody is explaining the meaning
08:49Like in this song
08:51There is a line
08:53When he sits on his feet
08:55You know
08:57The style is different
08:59So
09:01So
09:03So I kind of
09:05Try to bring that
09:07You know like
09:09Something
09:11Shoe drop movement
09:13Of course
09:15In the last film
09:19So
09:21In Telugu what did you sing
09:23And what did you sing in Hindi
09:25It's the same thing
09:27But in Telugu my part is different
09:29In Hindi it's the
09:33It's that part
09:35And in Telugu
09:39It's that one
09:41Okay
09:43So you are comfortable
09:45Absolutely
09:47I actually
09:49It won't be wrong to say
09:51That I live for this
09:53It's always been music
09:55From the time you were born
09:57I would say
09:59Because I am a very big fan of movies
10:01Okay
10:03And I think
10:05Long time back
10:07I had seen Appu Raja
10:09And my
10:11And my mind was blown
10:13You know just watching these movies
10:15And then suddenly my dad introduced me to Terminator
10:17Okay
10:19So
10:21He was very excited
10:23Because
10:25He used to live in Mumbai
10:27So he asked me to play Terminator
10:29So daddy was very excited
10:31That's when I got introduced to
10:33Arnold Schwarzenegger, James Cameron
10:35Big names
10:37James Horner
10:39So that's how
10:41You know and I aspire
10:43I hope that one day
10:45I can be part of a movie
10:47Not just the music
10:49Really?
10:51As in you would like to be on screen
10:53Anything is fine
10:55Okay
10:57On screen, producing, writing, story
10:59Directing
11:01I think directing is a very big headache
11:03But I would like to take that headache at least once in my life
11:05Just to experience it
11:07So it's not going to be
11:09You don't want to stick to just music
11:11You would like it to go
11:13Yeah I think music
11:15Because
11:17What I have experienced in life personally is
11:19I have done so many odd jobs in music
11:21Which I never thought
11:23I used to always think
11:25Making a song
11:27Means you write, you compose
11:29You produce
11:31And you sing
11:33And
11:35You feature as an artist
11:37That's what my idea of
11:39Being an artist is
11:41And what are you doing in a song?
11:43You are just telling a story
11:45What are you doing in a film?
11:47You are telling a story
11:49And your dialogues are a song
11:51So that's how I look at it
11:53And I think
11:55That about life as well
11:57Life is also a song or a movie
11:59It just has a different background music
12:01And it has
12:03It's own folly, live folly
12:05Okay
12:07What was it like when you sang Jabra
12:09And did you know you were singing it for Shah Rukh?
12:11So
12:13I went to meet
12:15Vishal and Shekhar
12:17And I went to IRF
12:19So when I went to IRF
12:21I
12:23Saw this fan ka poster
12:25With Shah Rukh Khan
12:27Showing his back
12:29And there's fan written on top
12:31I was like wow this poster looks amazing
12:33You know
12:35And I went inside
12:37Left main jaate hi do toilet aata hai then the studio
12:39I went to the studio and there you know
12:41Suddenly the room has become so cold
12:43Because Vishal is there
12:45So suddenly room ekdum
12:47Thanda ho gaya
12:49Then they played me the song
12:51So I have this habit of writing the song
12:53So I told you know what
12:55I'll write the song first
12:57So I started writing
12:59Follow karu twitter pe
13:01Tag karu facebook pe
13:03Tere quiz mein google ko beat kar diya
13:05Mirror mein tu likhta hai
13:07Tu hai soda ki botal
13:09I was like okay
13:11Main banta tera, main to handle karu
13:13Tanta tera
13:15Why am I writing now?
13:17Plan ho gaya
13:19Main tera hai re jabra hai re jabra
13:21Fan ho gaya
13:23The moment I wrote fan
13:25I had to stop and I was like
13:27Is this for a fan?
13:29So of course for them it is
13:31Rojka hai you know
13:33Hum to Shah Rukh Khan ke saath kaam karte rahe hai
13:37So he was like
13:39Ya ya
13:41So then I was like
13:43Suddenly you know
13:45The pressure and anxiety
13:47And everything kicked in
13:49But then just when I went
13:51On the mic, so I heard the song
13:53And the song was crazy
13:55And it was in Vishal's voice
13:57When I heard it
13:59And it was sounding like
14:01Abhi release kar do
14:03It was sounding that good
14:05So I was like
14:07Main kya karunga isme
14:09He has done everything
14:11That is there to be done
14:13So then I thought
14:15Let me just enjoy this moment
14:17And
14:19So I thought of a few people
14:21I thought of Rahman sir
14:23I thought of Shah Rukh Khan himself
14:25And of course I was really grateful
14:27To God
14:29And God is always on my mind
14:31And I thought of God and you know
14:33I was thanking God that you know
14:35Here I am singing this song
14:37In IRF Studios
14:39And this is Shah Rukh Khan's song
14:43So thank you God
14:45And I was singing this song
14:47So I really had a
14:49I thought let me just enjoy this session
14:51It may never happen again
14:53So I just
14:55Enjoyed myself
14:57And when you were singing, what did you put into it?
14:59Which may have been
15:01Different from Vishal's scratch
15:03I didn't try to
15:05Overthink to be very honest
15:07Normally that is also a problem
15:09With I think
15:11Being an artist you try to
15:13Approach things in ten different ways
15:15There is thousand ways of doing something
15:17I just kept it simple
15:19And
15:21I did the very desi approach
15:23Because Vishal Dullani has a very
15:25Westernized and you know
15:27He is a very
15:29I don't know what the word is
15:31But he has got his style
15:33It's a very smart
15:35It's not rustic
15:37It's rustic also I don't know how to put it exactly
15:39It cannot be categorized
15:41Of course cannot be categorized
15:43But it is Vishal Dullani
15:45You know because that's a trademark
15:47So
15:49I thought I will just do
15:51What I can do
15:53And
15:55They are so kind
15:57To let me do my thing
15:59That I think that's what
16:01Happened I think the honesty
16:03Is what
16:05I was
16:07Having no expectations
16:09So when you sing Jabra Jabra Jabra
16:11At that time did you think
16:13Of Shahrukh Khan when you sang it
16:15That it should go with his face
16:17Not at all times
16:19Of course while recording
16:21We are doing three lines at a time
16:23Four lines at a time
16:25Means
16:27The energy
16:29150% energy
16:31At one go
16:33So
16:41I meant every word
16:49You know
16:51So then I went
16:55But then you know Manish
16:57Who is the director of the film
16:59He came and he gave this beautiful input
17:01Which also contributed
17:03He said you know
17:05Just do
17:07Do that
17:09Yeah
17:11Oh how nice
17:13So then there is so much little little
17:15Contribution which is kind of makes the
17:17Makes the final product
17:19Isn't it
17:21You have sung for Salman also
17:23And of course Saif also
17:25You haven't sung for Aamir
17:27Telugu
17:29Oh you have
17:31But I don't count that
17:33Thugs
17:35Thugs of Hindustan
17:37Okay
17:39What did you sing would you remember what you sang
17:41I think the song was
17:43In Hindi it's called Suraiya
17:45I remember the Hindi song
17:47I don't remember the Telugu words
17:56Something like that
17:58So you sang that in Telugu
18:00For Aamir
18:02So I remember the Hindi
18:04But not the Telugu
18:06Okay
18:08Now who do you think
18:10Lip syncs
18:12Your songs best
18:14You have sung for Ranveer
18:16Current
18:18For everybody
18:20You have sung for Shahrukh
18:22You have sung for Salman
18:25Who would lip sync
18:27Shahid
18:29So I have been told that
18:31So for fan
18:33I got great compliments
18:35And
18:37For slow motion
18:39I did something different
18:41Because I knew it was for Salman Khan
18:43And that is one more recording
18:45Which I was having no expectations
18:47And I was barely able
18:49To even sing that day
18:51And
18:53I was having a bad throat
18:55So
18:57I just imagined how Salman Khan would perform
18:59This song
19:01And once I made a commitment
19:03Then I just
19:07I had that stiff upper lip
19:09That Sallu bhai has
19:13You know I did that
19:15I tried to imagine I tried to be him
19:17And
19:19Yeah
19:21That's how
19:23That came out well
19:25It looked decent
19:27So you had already
19:29Sung a little bit of Selfie also
19:31In Bajrangi Bhaijaan
19:33So he was already familiar
19:35With Salman already knew about you
19:37As a singer
19:39I don't think he still knows
19:43I won't be surprised if he doesn't know
19:45You mean you haven't met him
19:47I have met him
19:49I really
19:51I am so awkward
19:53When it comes to
19:55Meeting
19:57You know people
19:59Bad quality
20:01But it is what it is
20:03So slow motion
20:05You are saying you are not sure if Salman even knows
20:07That you sang it for him
20:09Yeah I don't think so
20:13Okay
20:15What about the song in Phantom
20:17That you sang for Sef
20:19Afghan Jalebi
20:21I believe it is very popular
20:23Especially on the stage shows
20:25So there is an unplugged version
20:27That I did with Pritam Da
20:29You must watch that
20:31And you know Pritam Da takes
20:33The cake the cherry everything
20:35He is so much
20:37He is so lively in that
20:39And you will not believe
20:41That this
20:43MTV unplugged
20:45Episode that Pritam Da was doing
20:49For example if we started shooting on the 1st
20:51Of January for example
20:53I am just giving an example for date
20:55If we started shooting on the 1st of January
20:57Then we started shooting
20:59Afghan Jalebi on the 2nd of January
21:01At 8 am
21:03He shot the entire afternoon
21:05Of 1st Jan
21:07Entire night of 1st Jan
21:09Into 2nd Jan
21:11Then in the morning
21:13At 8 o'clock
21:15We started shooting Afghan Jalebi
21:17So it was that
21:19Long a day of shoot
21:21Like
21:23I must have had atleast 20
21:25Cups of tea just waiting
21:27For my turn
21:29To perform
21:31I had tea stains like you know
21:33In my teeth
21:35And
21:37Pritam Da put in so much energy
21:39Come on let's do this in one take
21:41Come on
21:43So this is a video shoot you are talking about
21:45So MTV Unplugged
21:47Is the format of MTV Unplugged
21:49Basically everybody is performing live
21:51Everybody is performing live
21:53And
21:55Then
21:57That's mixed and that's what you hear
21:59And do you
22:01How does it differ from the version we see in the film
22:03So my rendition
22:05Is almost the same
22:07Because
22:09That's what I have rehearsed
22:11It's that same version
22:13Sing me just a little bit of that
22:37Bandook phare bhi
22:39Gayal hai tera diwana
22:43Bandook dikha dikha ke
22:45Kya pyaar karegi
22:47Chehra bhi kabhi dikhana
22:51Wow
22:55That's how it goes
22:59So you are not going to tell me
23:01Out of all the actors
23:03Who does the lip sync best
23:05For you
23:07Should I?
23:09Why not?
23:11It doesn't mean the others are not doing it well
23:13I don't think it's their
23:15I don't think it's the actor's
23:19Duty to match the voice
23:21I think it's the singer's duty to match the actor's voice
23:23Agreed
23:25Because voice can be modulated
23:27Like the first time
23:29I saw my voice
23:31On Saif Ali Khan
23:33It was very
23:35I was like
23:37Yeh kya ho raha hai?
23:39My voice is not matching
23:41First day pe mujhe aisa lag raha tha
23:43Yeh slightly nasal sound no?
23:45It's very high actually
23:49It's very high
23:51So I was the belting out
23:53Totally
23:55And
23:57A lot of aggression
23:59And the first day
24:01When I saw the video I was not
24:03Relating at all
24:05What I was telling you about
24:07Second day
24:09Maybe I felt
24:11You know actually
24:13He is doing that very well
24:15His performance is
24:17I think performance is matching
24:19And now I am so used to it
24:21I don't think I can imagine
24:23That in
24:25So it's about getting used to it also
24:27But it is a fact that
24:29Singing for an actor
24:31You do have that actor in mind
24:33And you try to match him now
24:35I try to
24:37Because I have heard
24:39The greats
24:41You know like Rafi Saab
24:43They have always said that about Rafi Saab
24:45That he was different for each person
24:47So I try to do that
24:49I don't know if I am succeeding
24:51But at least it's my duty
24:53To try
24:55That's what you feel
24:57You know you talked about A.R. Rahman
24:59How you just met him at the studio
25:01And things just happened
25:03I believe even your Pungi
25:05Was again
25:07Something that just happened by chance with Mika
25:09Absolutely
25:11I mean how did you get Pungi and what happened
25:13So
25:17Pritam da was working on this project
25:19Agent Vinod, he was doing the music
25:21And
25:23Like
25:25The vocal production
25:27Or you know
25:29Coming out with some
25:31Like a mandolin
25:33Recording
25:35Or recording another singer
25:37So
25:39They were trying a lot of voices
25:41For Pungi
25:43And
25:47I just happened to record the scratch
25:49Because my friend Antara
25:51I think she suggested Pritam da
25:53That you know
25:55Just
25:59Try this
26:01Or maybe Dada's thought
26:03Actually I am not sure
26:05But Antara introduced me to Dada
26:07And Dada realized
26:09That he does a lot of fun
26:11Get him to do something like this
26:13Because of course I used to do a lot of fun
26:15Even in school
26:17But I used to sing all
26:19Pyaar bhare
26:21Pyaar bhare
26:23I used to sing that kind of songs
26:27This kind of stuff
26:29So
26:31Then he told me to try
26:33This is a dance song
26:35I didn't tell him directly
26:37In my heart I was like
26:39Don't screw it up
26:41Just
26:43See what you can do
26:45So I did like
26:47I was
26:49I did a very disappointed
27:01I meant every word
27:03And my friend Sunny he recorded me
27:05And he recorded me in a lunch break
27:07And everybody went for lunch
27:09He told
27:11Sing it fast
27:13In 15 minutes
27:15So I went
27:17And he kept on recording
27:19No let's do it again
27:21Till we came back
27:23We recorded it
27:25We recorded it
27:27That Dada
27:29Sunny said
27:31Dada I sang this
27:33And
27:35And of course
27:37Mika Paji also had sung
27:39His part
27:41So they kind of clubbed
27:43Sunny, Mika Paji, Amitabh Bhattacharya
27:45And little bit of Dada also
27:47He also sang a little bit
27:49So it was a fun song
27:51Actually we were really having a blast
27:53Like Javed Jaffrey came to the studio
27:55For me it was a great experience
27:57Working on Agent Vinod
27:59It had beautiful songs
28:01They had Rabta
28:05Nandini Shrikar's recording session was
28:07It was on the same day
28:09When we recorded Pungi
28:11So it was beautiful
28:13It had variety actually
28:15A lot of variety and beautiful album
28:17That's true
28:19So that also happened by Fluke
28:21This Pungi
28:23So a lot of things have happened by Fluke
28:25In your case
28:27I enjoy
28:29You enjoy Flukes
28:33Tell me let's come to your
28:35The big one Pushpa
28:37A lot of your songs
28:39Have been big ones
28:41Pushpa I don't think you even
28:43Thought it's going to be so big
28:45When you did the first one
28:47Well I knew it was going to be great in Telugu
28:49But you knew it
28:51Telugu absolutely no
28:53Because I saw
28:55When I went to record for Pushpa
28:57I saw Vishal Dallani's song
29:01DSP showed me
29:03Vishal Dallani's
29:05Version of
29:07Jaago Jaago Bakre
29:09Aur Sheher Aayega Toh Kardega Tukde
29:11He just showed me that song
29:13And I was like man
29:15This entire video, the packaging
29:17Even the hero
29:19Allu Arjun is looking so good
29:21It's looking so fresh
29:23And
29:25The Hindi was also sounding good
29:27And even the Telugu was sounding great
29:31And what I was singing
29:33Yeh mera sheher
29:35Yeh mera daggar
29:41I was like this sounding mad
29:43Sounding mad
29:45But often we
29:47Don't think a Telugu
29:49Song will do well in
29:51That thought does not cross our mind
29:53It's not that it is not good
29:55But that thought, we are not aware of it
29:57So
29:59We recorded it thinking
30:01It's a great Telugu song
30:03And even in the Hindi version I was recording
30:07I was really liking the track because
30:09DSP has great quality
30:11Of track
30:13It's got good production
30:15It's his style
30:17It's very unique
30:21It's actually so fast that song
30:23It's the fastest tempo
30:25Song that I have ever sung
30:27This is 8 bit?
30:29It's like in
30:31177 BPM
30:33And I think slower than that is
30:35Dhatin Naach
30:37Dhatin Naach used to be like the fastest
30:39Dhatin Dhatin
30:41This is like faster than Dhatin Naach
30:43And by the time now you have come to
30:45Pushpa 2
30:47You already know this is a cult
30:49Well I hope
30:51By the time you sang
30:53Pushpa Pushpa
30:55By then you knew
30:57People are waiting for it
30:59But that's the challenge actually
31:01To surpass
31:03Something that is exceptional
31:05I think it's only
31:07It only shows that how good
31:09They are
31:11As artists
31:13Especially Allu Arjun or Sukumar
31:15Chandra Bose
31:17And you know these people
31:19Have you met Allu Arjun?
31:21Never
31:23You have never met Allu Arjun?
31:25Please say that in so many words
31:27I have never met Allu Arjun
31:29I don't believe this
31:31I actually sang
31:33A few songs for him
31:35Other than Pushpa
31:37These are hit songs
31:39In Telugu
31:41There is a song called Blockbuster which is I think
31:43My first duet with Shreya Ghoshal
31:45So I was
31:47Very excited about my duet with Shreya Ghoshal
31:49And my first song with Taman
31:51So then I got to know
31:53It's this hero
31:55Whose name is Allu Arjun
31:57And he is big in Telugu and all that
31:59Then I got introduced to him after
32:01Singing that song
32:03Then I got to know he is the same guy
32:05Pushpa, then I was like he is looking so different
32:07You know
32:09And he is doing quite
32:11Amazing job
32:13Then I went back to his other movies
32:15Aala Vaikattapuram
32:17Aala Vaikattapuram
32:19They made it in Hindi also
32:21So
32:23I liked that movie very much
32:25Great movie
32:27So Allu Arjun
32:29The first Pushpa, did you watch it
32:31Before you did your singing
32:33I saw one song
32:35Vishal Daddani's song
32:37And the promo
32:39So it's not like after watching the film
32:41You got to know
32:43What the swag is all about
32:45What is required
32:47You didn't know
32:49What Allu meant
32:51What the meaning of the song was
32:53Because
32:55When I am singing
32:57I make sure that I ask
32:59What this line means
33:01What is the meaning of this line
33:03Sometimes you don't need to ask much
33:05Because you
33:07Because you know this whole film
33:09Pushpa has so much of the testosterone
33:11Stride and macho stride
33:13And all that
33:15So you need to know this is what it is
33:17I watch a lot of movies
33:19A lot of testosterone
33:21That's true
33:25So how has Pushpa 2
33:27The experience been
33:29I think right from the phone call
33:31When
33:33DSP's manager Mani
33:35When he messaged me
33:37That's when the excitement started
33:39It's quite crazy actually
33:41You know about Mika
33:43I wanted to ask
33:45He is reputed to be a bad boy
33:47Of sorts
33:49So what's been your experience with Mika
33:51Because right from Pungi
33:53You have been with him
33:55What sort of person is he
33:57So again I have this problem
33:59Which Mika bhaji always points out
34:01So of course
34:03There are these
34:05There are these people
34:07Who when they go somewhere
34:09They get a lot of attention
34:11Most definitely Mika bhaji is one of them
34:13Whenever he goes somewhere
34:15He gets a lot of attention
34:17And when he is getting a lot of attention
34:19I just don't feel like
34:21Going and you know
34:23Invading that
34:25I just am a bystander
34:27I will just stand
34:29I will just observe what is happening
34:31So he will always tell
34:33You never meet me
34:35That's not my intention of course
34:37He is my senior and I look at him that way
34:39And there are so many of his songs
34:41That we have danced to
34:43We perform a lot of his songs
34:45So he is very funny actually
34:47He is a very funny guy
34:49And got a great sense of humour
34:51And like recently
34:53It happened that we were in Ahmedabad
34:55Airport
34:57So he was right in front of me
34:59At the security check
35:01So of course now in the morning
35:03When we have come to the airport
35:05We are all dead and you know
35:07So I came there and
35:09So I hear this voice
35:11That everyone is looking at me
35:13But my brother is not looking at me
35:15So I was like
35:17Who is this?
35:19And I see Mika Paji standing like this
35:21With his arms raised
35:23And you know at the security
35:25And he is like
35:27I am looking at you
35:31So Mika is not the bad boy
35:33We hear he is
35:35No I think he is great
35:37He is my friend
35:39I think so
35:41Do you have any favourites
35:43As in did you grow up
35:45Idolizing Kishore Kumar
35:47Did you grow up having any
35:49Favourites and idols
35:53For sure Rehman Sir
35:55For sure
35:57Goes without saying
35:59And
36:01Then Hans Zimmer
36:03Michael Jackson
36:05And in directors also
36:07There is a few
36:09There is Christopher Nolan
36:11James Cameron, Steven Spielberg
36:13So you are slightly
36:15English actually
36:19I am very Indian
36:21You have got that Arnold Schwarzenegger cover
36:25From Arnold Schwarzenegger
36:27To Allu Arjun
36:31So you the entire gamut
36:33That you cover
36:35Whoever is doing their work
36:37With a lot of passion
36:39It shows in their work
36:41They put in so much of work
36:43Like when I see Dangal
36:45Anytime I see that movie
36:47I will find something new in it
36:49In the background music
36:51Or in the performance
36:53Or in the direction
36:55Anything
36:57If any art can touch you
36:59Like that
37:01You have to admire the people who made it
37:05How did this
37:07I think your claim to fame
37:09Was your saree
37:13How did that come about
37:17I was recording
37:19Quite a lot of
37:21Dada would really try me for a lot of songs
37:23Because I don't know
37:25Somehow he felt that I
37:27Could do some justice to his work
37:31His compositions
37:33So he had
37:35Asked me to dub Saree Ke Falsa
37:37And Gandhi Baat for the same project
37:39You were dubbing it
37:43Basically dubbing is
37:45What we say for recording
37:49So I recorded
37:51That song in my voice
37:55And it went through that's about it
37:57Because somebody else
37:59For somebody else to do the final
38:01Gandhi Baat yes
38:03For Mika Baji
38:05Mika Baji was to do Gandhi Baat
38:07That was like sure
38:09Mika Baji will do Gandhi Baat
38:11And I will do the shoot mix
38:15I knew that
38:17But then I think Prabhu Deva sir wanted
38:19What was in the shoot mix
38:21Which is why the film version
38:23Came about
38:25Ok
38:27Because Gandhi Baat and Saree Ke Falsa
38:29These were the two that really
38:31Pushed you up
38:33Absolutely
38:35And they must be favourites when you do shows also
38:37Ya
38:39It's like
38:41It's like my summer of 69
38:43Like Brian Adull still has to do that song
38:45Wo Gaana Ke
38:47Wagar Aap Jaani Sakte Ho
38:49Or My Hotel
38:51California
38:53So this
38:55Didn't this also give you that
38:57Chaap of a very naughty person
38:59Who sings energetic
39:01Naughty songs
39:03Ya so I bring that element on stage
39:05I have a lot of fun
39:09Because I really enjoy
39:11Being on stage and performing
39:13I never in my life
39:15I remember the first time I went up on stage
39:17Just to do
39:19My solo show
39:21I was so worried
39:23I was like koi aayega kya
39:25And I was just like
39:27You know I was very nervous
39:29And the main
39:31Factor of me being nervous
39:33Was I didn't think anybody
39:35Would show up
39:37Ya so
39:39When I saw people there
39:41And I was like oh shit
39:43Now I have to sing for 90 minutes
39:45And they have to like it
39:47You know I have to make sure that they like it
39:49So
39:51So
39:53That first one was quite difficult for me
39:55It was a difficult show for me
39:57But now of course you are comfortable
39:59I really enjoy it
40:01You just love the stage now
40:03Tell me a little bit about Preetam
40:05Because you seem to have done
40:07A lot of work with Preetam right from the beginning
40:09You talked about A R Rahman
40:11You talked about Vishal Shekhar
40:13You know Preetam da I think
40:15Is such a
40:17Is such a surprise in my life
40:19I must say
40:21Like
40:23His songs whenever I would
40:25Hear it earlier
40:27I would see there is so much
40:29Work done in that song
40:31I would always notice that you know
40:33Growing up
40:35And he is this like
40:37This unsung hero I feel
40:39You know he is not too much in the limelight
40:41But his songs every second
40:43Third song on the radio is by Preetam
40:45You know
40:47And even if you listen to
40:49Zara se dil
40:51Mein deh jaga tu
40:53Or any song of his
40:55Ek din
40:57Teri
40:59Nanana
41:01So when I met him
41:03I saw the kind of shades
41:05That he has as a person
41:07And he is so simple
41:09To see an artist
41:11Of that calibre to be so simple
41:13So humble
41:15And
41:17So much
41:19So passionate about his work
41:21He is a big surprise I must say
41:23In my life and I
41:25Observe him so much just to learn
41:27What
41:29An artist must do
41:31To be at that level
41:33But you must be learning from everyone
41:35Of these people isn't it
41:37Yeah absolutely
41:39But
41:41But he is very simple
41:43Very simple
41:45Like I cannot
41:47I cannot put that simplicity in words
41:49I think that will be
41:51An insult to his simplicity
41:53You know
41:55Because he is that simple
41:57And he is very complex also
41:59Very forgetful also I know
42:01Yeah
42:03He is very complex, he is very simple
42:05Very clear
42:07Very aware of his shortcomings
42:09Very aware of his strengths
42:11You know and he
42:13He is not afraid to show his
42:15Vulnerability
42:17In front of us
42:19You know
42:21And the kind of conversations that I can have with him
42:23And I can say even that about
42:25Rahman sir
42:27Because I have worked
42:29We have spent nights in the studio
42:31So I have a different bond with these people
42:33So
42:35Like the conversations
42:37That I can have with them about personal things
42:39About you know the most
42:41Personal
42:43Issues also
42:45I can have that conversation and
42:47I can take away something so
42:49Practical from their experience
42:51So yeah
42:53I don't think people
42:55Know that about Preetamda which I would
42:57Love for people to know that
42:59Thing about him
43:01That he is just so simple
43:03He is crazy
43:05He is a genius of some other level
43:07Okay
43:09I believe during COVID you did something
43:11Nobody else did
43:13You went and got married
43:15And you got married quietly
43:17Nobody knew about it
43:19No no no my friends knew about it
43:21But
43:23You married a girl called Ruby
43:25Who is working with Finnair
43:27And she continues to work
43:29Yeah
43:31She is working with Finnair as a
43:33As a cabin supervisor
43:35And
43:37Yeah we have a
43:39Two and a half year old son also
43:41Wonderful
43:43Is he already singing in tune
43:45He is trying to do this Pushpa step
43:47From past few days
43:49The shoe drop
43:51No he is just trying to do that
43:53But he is too young
43:55Because Pushpa's got one
43:57Shoe drop
43:59It's got a phone move
44:01It's got a chai move
44:03I don't know what all it's got really
44:05Swag of Allu Arjun
44:07Absolutely
44:09No one comes up with all this
44:11Totally totally
44:13I am sure we are all looking forward to this
44:15Same here
44:17It's just been so wonderful talking to you
44:19The pleasure is all mine
44:21I have heard so much about you
44:23Growing up
44:25I have heard about your family forever
44:27I am so glad you are living
44:29Your dad's dream
44:31I hope I can make him proud
44:33I am sure he is very very proud of you
44:35Insha Allah
44:37All the best to you
44:39Thank you
44:41And looking forward to Pushpa
44:43Yes