Tanishk Bagchi has no time to heed criticism on remixes
He is often called the remix king but Tanishk Bagchi is unfazed. The singercomposer simply chooses to ignore detractors who claim that he lacks originality and is only good at recreating old hit songs. He wasn’t always this thick-skinned, but with time and unwavering love from fans, Bagchi has learnt to turn a deaf ear to such criticism. After all, he is flooded with work, and that is all that matters, he feels.
“Initially, I’d take it to my heart and there would be days when I would feel quite sad and demotivated, but not anymore,” he shares. “When I came to Mumbai, I did not know how I would be able to survive because getting work was tough. First you need opportunities, then you must make your uniqueness felt. Slowly, once you are able to create your own space, that’s when you get the feeling that you have arrived… What gives me satisfaction and confidence now is that I have work,” says Bagchi, who, in less than half a decade, has some 30 remixes to his name, including the Humma Song, Tamma Tamma Again, Hawa Hawai 2.0, Dilbar, Tere Bin and Aankh Maarey, and Coca Cola Tu and Photo, apart from a few upcoming ones.
The singer-composer feels there is no certainty in Bollywood. For that very reason, he neither lets success get to his head nor does he get affected by failure. “A lot of people come to this city with the dream of making it big and not all of them are success stories… The fact that I am getting work and people are appreciating my efforts is more than enough. I’m here to make music... There are days when I don’t get to spend a lot of time with my family. Rather than thinking about anything else, once I am done with work, I prefer spending time with my family,” he says.
The success of his original music — Banno (Tanu Weds Manu Returns, 2015), Bolna (Kapoor & Sons, 2016), Ve Maahi (Kesari), Yeh Sindoor (Mission Mangal) and the recently-released single, Khud Se Zyada — proves he isn’t just about remixes. “Yes, they have [done well], thankfully... it seems they are forgotten quickly. But I’ve no complaints. In fact, I have decided to come out with more original singles and cut down a bit on my remixes. I won’t stop doing them, but it’s time that I form a balance,” he adds.