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‘SONGS TODAY HAVE NO OXYGEN’
For actor-singer Aroon Bakshi, it is necessary that the audience establishes a connect with his songs
If you’ve followed Bollywood music of the 1990s, chances are that you haven’t missed songs such as Tuna Tuna Taa Taa Tuna, Jhoole Jhoole Lal Dam Mast Qalandar, and Duniya Di Tha Tha Tha. Actorsinger Aroon Bakshi, who is the common thread between these tracks, is beginning a new innings in the industry and hopes to spread love.
Amidst the cacaphony of loud Punjabi songs comes Bakshi’s own composition Dilbar, a lilting number which has struck a chord with his listeners instantly.
“Music is a huge therapy, friend and teacher,” says Bakshi, adding, “Mazaa iss baat ka hai ki duniya mein alag alag changes ho rahe hain... the Iran-US conflict and the unrest [in Delhi], and in between all of this, I am talking about a song called Dilbar, which people are liking. It means pyaar ka void hai... There is a void for love in today’s times.”
Bakshi has been a part of the Hindi film industry for a long time, and is grateful for the support of industry members such as Mahinder Kumar Bathla and the late Champak Jain.
“I’ve sung over 300 songs in films, but I have deliberately remained low-key, because the surprise element you get to see on people’s faces when they find out that I have sung a particular song, is priceless,” says Bakshi, who has balanced acting and singing.
A new generation of music composers taking over the industry gave Bakshi a chance to introspect and start a new innings on his own. “I have goodwill, and that’s why I gathered my josh again. We can’t stand in front of them (new composers) and ask ‘gaana do’, so I questioned myself, ‘What can I do?’ I realised that I’ve a music director in me. Dilbar is my composition.”
It was supposed to be an album of eight tracks, but now, Bakshi hopes to release the songs, including two numbers penned by his late mother, one by one. His desire, he says, is to keep bringing out songs which have “dil, dhadkan, ishq and divinity”, unlike today’s songs, which, he feels, have “no oxygen, only carbon dioxide”. “I’ve been seeing that so many films are releasing, but no songs are becoming a hit... Naye gaano mein woh baat nahi hai,” he adds.
However, Bakshi has also recorded a party song for a film. He explains that doing such songs is also very important for an artiste like him. “Revenue comes, we get shows, and shows give me the strength to come out with songs like Dilbar,” the singer says.
“I get the peace that my song is touching hearts, and that’s my currency.” Not one to have any regrets, he signs off, “Kabhi kabhi thokron ko bhi ustaad banaa lena chahiye.”