Playback veteran Kumar Sanu is not against the current trend of remixing old songs. He says that he likes a remixed number even better if the original voice is retained. He also opened up with nostalgia on his association with composers Nadeem-Shravan.
“I was never against remixes. There are some songs that the new generation does not even know who had composed the music or who had sung them. They get to learn about it through its remix, which is a plus point. Secondly, remix is not bad if the lyrics and composition are kept intact and only the arrangement is changed. Also if a superhit song is remixed and the remix also becomes popular, it is certainly a plus point for today’s music directors and producers. It is good for everyone,” Sanu said.
Quizzed if he is personally fond of remixes, the singer replied: “Personally I like remixes when the remix of a song also features its original singer.”
Sanu became popular in the nineties, particularly singing romantic numbers that reigned that charts back then, and among his biggest hits were songs he recorded for Nadeem-Shravan, starting Aashiqui in 1990. Shravan Kumar Rathod of the Nadeem-Shravan duo passed away last month. Walking down the memory lane, Sanu recalled how he has a special memory with literally every song he sang for them.
“Music composer duos like Nadeem-Shravan are rare and Shravan ji’s demise is a great loss for our industry. I have so many memories with them. Shravan ji was a soft spoken and jovial person, and loved me a lot. They used to call me Tiger. I have a separate memory associated with every song I sang for them, the shows we did together, the tasty food I had at their place, the tips they shared to help me during song recording. I remember how, at times, they would try to make a song a little tougher with a classical touch while I would try to make it easier, and how we celebrated after every recording was completed. These are the things which keep flashing in my mind now,” Sanu recalled.
Any Nadeem-Shravan number close to his heart? “Every song I have sung for them is special to me. Their songs used to have melody and good lyrics, for which people remember me. One song, Zindagi ki talash mein hum maut ke kitne paas aa gaye from the film Saathi, is a meaningful song and really close to my heart,” revealed the singer.
Times are difficult especially when the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic is wreaking havoc in India and the veteran singer suggests everyone to get vaccinated at the earliest.
“I have completed my second dose of the vaccine. It has been 12 days since I took my second dose and I haven’t experienced any side effects, which people are talking about, like pain or fever. Everybody should get vaccinated. It is good for them,” Sanu suggested.
What is it that he is missing the most being stuck at home during lockdown? “I miss live concerts and recordings. I enjoy doing live performances a lot and I am definitely missing it,” shared Sanu.
