Sukhwinder Singh: I see AR Rahman's versatility in Mithoon

Sukhwinder Singh

Knowing too well that youngsters call the shots at the top echelons of Bollywood these days, veteran singer Sukhwinder Singh has devised a distinct method to ensure he features in every big album. "They may think I am too senior to [consider] working for them. So, I approach them myself, and let them know of my interest in a collaboration," says the singer from Abu Dhabi, where he had jetted off a day prior to regale eager fans. Decades into the industry, and with several award-winning tracks on his resume, Singh says he continues to remain uninhibited when approaching musicians for collaborations.

His desire to constantly seek out "passionate" individuals took him to Mithoon (Mithun Sharma), who is dictating the beats of Ranbir Kapoor and Sanjay Dutt's upcoming action adventure, Shamshera. "I wanted to work with Mithoon, and approached him during the [music launch] of Shivaay. When he called me [for Shamshera], I was impressed with his plan for the film's soundtrack. Mithoon's first film was Aashiqui 2, which had a soft musical palette. This film's soundtrack has a powerful energy; Mithoon has done justice to [the storyline]. Musically, he is the hero of the film," says the singer, placing the composer alongside AR Rahman when discussing his skills. "In Chennai, I would watch how Rahman [worked]. Rahman has such versatility that he can compose any kind of music. That's what I've noticed in Mithoon as well. That's not the case with many musicians, who have one style of composition."

Connecting with the next generation of "special and talented musicians" is Singh's way of "upgrading myself". "I listen to music that's current, and accept change. People say that the melodies that date back 20 years were good. I tell them that 20 years ago, the then-reigning artistes said the same thing," says Singh, who, unlike his contemporaries, is also not critical of music reality shows and the trend of remixes.

If driven by passion, he believes every project can be noteworthy. "If given the chance to render a remix, I can create one that will enjoy the same status that Jai ho did. I would love to sing a rehashed version of a song originally rendered by Kishore Kumar. Our style of singing is different, but I think I would be the best choice for it."

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