Ek duuje ke liye

With Mumbai's skyline posing as the perfect backdrop, Mitali sings Do Deewane Shehar Mein as the two talk to CS about marrying music along with marriage:

Who: Bhupinder and Mitali Singh
What: On completing 25 yearsu00a0
Where: At Marine Drive

Living in harmony
Mitali :Music is the reason why we met. In fact, we didn't even realise that it's been 25 years of singing together. When we first met, Bhupi (Bhupinder) was already established, whereas I was still studying. We got married in 1983 and have been going strong. Initially, we got offers to sing together and our albums did well. u00a0
Bhupinder : All I can say is Baap re! Even now, it is hard to believe that it's been so long. Time just flew by and here we are, with a 19-year-old son and a 25-year-old musical bond. Thankfully, our chemistry is still fresh as new.

Taking note

Mitali :We are each other's worst critics. Whether its music, singing, or poetry, we always give suggestions to one another. There are fights as well. When I correct him, it is more like a fan than a wife because the opinion then is more objective. There have been times when he has refused composing or I have refused to sing for him. But when we take each other's suggestions carefully, the outcome is much better.
Bhupinder : We have healthy fights. Being a composer, I have vision for the song, which I can't explain to Mitali. When the final copy is out, she understands it but that takes time. Sometimes she is right, because she listens to me as a fan/music lover and not as a singer. I don't argue. Listening is one of the mantras to a successful marriage, especially when your wife works with you.

The perfect chord
Mitali : Fighting and making up has helped me mature, both as a person and as a singer. He has taught me to experiment while singing live on stage. I remember once being approached by a music company to do a Bengali bhajan album. But when I asked Bhupi to compose it for me, he denied outright. I was very hurt and took up the challenge, and composed the album on my own. You see, Bhupi turned me into a composer.
Bhupinder : My singing has improved constantly with Mitali's suggestions. She has also made me experiment a lot more. We have achieved a good synchronisation over the years. After all, things have to be smooth for me to be able to go home every night and have dinner peacefully. (laughs out loud)u00a0