INTERVIEW
Armaan Malik is now one of the most sensational singers in Bollywood. With commercial hits like “Main Hoon Hero Tera” and “Tumhe Apna Banane Ka”, Malik has garnered huge popularity and is one of the most sought-after singers in the industry. With many romantic hit numbers to his name, Malik can undoubtedly be called the upcoming sensation in Bollywood. In a career spanning just a few years, he has achieved what most people dream of doing over a lifetime.
In conversation with Guardian 20, the singer speaks about his musical inspirations and about reviving old classics.
Q. You started off with Sa Re Ga Ma Pa L’il Champs, becoming one of the most popular singers in India today. How has the journey been so far? A.
The journey has been amazing. I have been singing since the age of 11. And with every passing song, my voice has matured. I have sung for some prominent films like Taare Zameen Par and Bhoothnath, “Chiller Party” being one of the most popular songs. And then I got on as an adult playback singer in Jai Ho with Salman Khan. After that, my journey went smooth as I recorded for Bollywood films like Hate Story 3, Hero and also sang for non-films like “Main Rahoon Ya Na Rahoon”. So, the journey kept on going and I am really happy that I continued doing what I wanted to. As a kid, I always wanted to be a singer. It’s been a great journey from then, all the way to now.
Q. Which film do you think was your biggest break? A.
I think Hero was one of the biggest breaks, because that song really meant a lot to me. I got a lot of popularity and commercial success, thanks to that film and that song.
Q. You come from a musical background. Does that help you with your career as a singer? A.
Actually, it’s just that you are part of a family which is very knowledgeable and has been with the music industry for a long time. So, you get good guidance. But at the end of the day, it’s your own personal talent. If you have the talent, then you would get good chartbusters and hits. It has nothing to do with the family you belong to. It is all about individual capacity and talent. There are many people who have come from great families but couldn’t make it in the industry because probably they didn’t have the ability to live up to the ex- pectation of people, or deliver something of their own.
“There are many people who have come from great families but couldn’t make it in the industry because probably they didn’t have the ability to live up to the expectation of people, or deliver something of their own.”
Q. You have been releasing a lot of singles and reviving many of the old songs. What is the idea behind it? A.
The idea behind it is that many people of this generation do not know that these songs existed, and being able to revive these songs and bring them to the notice of young people is a great way of acquainting them with the golden melodies of that era. But the presentation is new so that they are able to connect to it. My presentation is more “pop”.
Q. But do you think when old songs are re- sung, they lose their originality? A.
Well, that’s a tricky thing. If