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Vashi2Panvel.com: Navi Mumbai: Aug 21: Jagjit Singh's Sai Dhun, released about three months back, is a treat for Sai Baba devotees. This may be a devotional album after a long time for Jagjit Singh but every time he turned from ghazal to devotional songs, he has been an unqualified success. What's more, he says, "There are several Gods in our country. I like singing bhajans for the simple reason that you do not have to please anyone when you sing bhajans whereas when you sing ghazals, you have got to entertain the audience."

Tell us about your transition from singing ghazals to bhajans with the album Sai Dhun?
Sai Dhun isn’t my first bhajan album. I had earlier sung Ram Dhun, Kishan Dhun and Gurbani. There are several Gods in our country. I like singing bhajans for the simple reason that you do not have to please anyone when you sing bhajans whereas when you sing ghazals, you have got to entertain the audience. Sai Dhun is based on Sai Baba and features dhun and kirtans. The royalties from this album will go to the unfortunate Tsunami victims. Instead of just shooting from the lip, I have handed over a cheque for Rs 11 lakhs in advance to the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who had released the cassettes and the CDs.

Which are the films for which you have sung recently?
I have sung for Sagar Sarhadi’s Chausar. Sudeep Bannerjee is the music director. I have also sung for Umar for which Shameer Tandon (of Page 3 fame) is the music director. My criterion when I set out to sing is that the tune should be suitable and the lyrics also should be good.

Can you evaluate your growth as a singer over the last four decades?
It is now exactly 40 years since I had started singing. It has been a learning process for me. Your voice tends to become heavy with advancing age. To maintain it, you have got to do vocal exercises. Talat Mahmood was a natural singer who did not do riyaaazi singing. Sonu Nigam is a trained singer whereas Udit Narayan isn’t so trained. Kunal Ganjawala is a trained singer.

You did jingles at one time. Why not now?
In the beginning of my career, I did jingles. Nowadays no one asks me to sing jingles because no one wants to pay me a lakh of rupees for a jingle.

In what way do you think the music scene has changed today?
Healthy competition used to exist at one time in the industry. I remember when Jaidev composed Allah Tero Naam, Madan Mohan composed Kader Jaane Na. It is sad that today there is cut throat competition amongst the music directors. Today music is excellent in only a film like Parineeta. In all the other films, all the songs sound like item numbers. If you can provide good music, it will click. Like Parineeta now and Kal Ho Na Ho earlier.

Why do you think producers today have relegated the music of Naushad and Khayyam to the sidelines?
Today Naushad and Khayyam cannot survive because they fail to compose with a modern treatment. They refuse to come out of their old mould. Only if you are able to change with the changing times, can you survive whether it is in music or elsewhere. It is sad but true that it is only marketing and packaging, which is of primary importance today in film music. Today’s music is so bad that the music directors often seek refuge in old tunes and cloth the old tunes in a new garb and palm it off as contemporary music.

What is your take on remixes and cover versions?
There is a lot of difference between remixes and versions. Only newcomers are asked to sing remixes whereas established singers like me are asked to sing version songs.

Which is your first love—singing or music direction?
Till date I have composed for around twelve films including Prem Geet, Ashiana, Arth, Aaj, Jwala, Laila, Billoo Badshah and Kalka. Though I am a singer and also a music director, I’d not hesitate to confess that music direction is my first love.

In what way is composing for TV serials different from composing for films?
I have composed for Ravi Rai, Raman Kumar and Lekh Tandon’s serials. Composing for TV serials is very close to singing for a private album. In films you have to have a loud approach as a music director unlike in television.

You have teamed with different lyricists till date. Who has been able to make you come up with your creative best?
Though I have teamed with Javed Akhtar, Gulzar and Nida Fazli in the past, Nida and I have been successful as a creative team till date.

Jyothi Venkatesh