Sonu Nigam : Singing his way to the No. 1 spot in Bollywood
“To make it as a playback singer is the toughest task.” Since you are not a woman, the music director has no interest in you. And everyone from the music director’s secretaries to their chamchas talk badly about you. I’ve been verbally abused by the worst people during that phase. I’ve done demeaning stuff like touching the feet of people who aren’t even worth it.”
He recalls, “I often thought to myself, when I am in a position of power, I’llshow these people. But success humbles you. Just the fact that I’m in a position where I can make demands is good enough for me now. If I were to behave badly with people, what would the difference be between me and them”?
“I stepped into acting only after a lot of thought. Sonu came to Mumbai from Faridabad with the aim of making it big as a playback singer. And my dream had not yet been accomplished. He recalls that he came to Mumbai at the age of 17, chasing his dream, and has seen some tough times. “I’ve sung at people’s weddings, birthdays and cocktail parties before I got my first major break, he sighs. “But I am relentless, I don’t give up easily.” Sonu, a couple of years back cut several discs of Mohamed Rafi’s songs in London. A great lover of Rafi’s songs, he surely will be entertaining Sri Lankan fans when he performs live in Colombo on February 18. He flinches involuntarily as he recalls the hurt and humiliation he faced when he first started making the rounds.the singer admits he’s still a green horn as far as acting goes. And he is obviously not competing with any other actor in the orbit.
The singer-turned actor adds, “I did make some blunders initially in my choice of films I got into emotional situations and opted for the wrong movies. Lots of people had warned me not to do the projects I did. But I went ahead.”
“But I’m a fast learner and I’ll make sure I work only with the right film-makers.” Sonu insists that though there are many who think he’s just another of those getting into acting for a lark, his diversification is a pre mediated move. Meanwhile, Meena Iyer says, the singer insists there is absolutely no conflict of interests even though he’s pursuing two fulltime careers as a singer and an actor.| “The trade was very skeptical about whether I would be able to juggle singing and acting . So I went one step ahead. I showed them how capable I am by singing, acting and hosting shows on television.” “I’VE SUNG AT PEOPLE’S WEDDINGS, BIRTHDAYS AND COCKTAIL PARTIES BEFORE I GOT MY FIRST MAJOR BREAK, HE SIGHS. “BUT I AM RELENTLESS, I DON’T GIVE UP EASILY.” SONU, A COUPLE OF YEARS BACK CUT SEVERAL DISCS OF MOHAMED RAFI’S
SONGS IN LONDON.