DNA Exclusive: 'Me and my father saw Angrezi Medium few days before Irrfan Khan's demise', recollects Darshan Raval

In a time when coronavirus hit the world, the demise of two legends Irrfan Khan and Rishi Kapoor rocked Bollywood. Darshan Raval, who had released his song 'Saari Ki Saari 2.0' as a tribute to the soldiers in white, did not know that a few days after watching 'Angrezi Medium', he would have to hear about the heartbreaking news.

In a conversation with DNA, Darshan, who sounded a little occupied with work, spoke about his latest song 'Saari Ki Saari 2.0' and 'Bhula Dunga' with Shehnaz Gill and Sidharth Shukla. In the meantime, he also spoke about the crazy fandom he enjoys.

Here are some excerpts from the interview:

How is your lockdown going?

Oh, it's going good. I'm making music and working out. So the I have accepted that I'm not not willing to go out for few days and few months I guess until everything's gonna be fine again so just utilizing all the time I have right now making music and working out cooking learning new things.

Right, but how are you feeling today?

I'm feeling good, but a little sad what's happening around. I'm disturbed as well, because I never have I've never seen such things happening (Irrfan Khan and Rishi Kapoor's demise). Now look at difficult difficult time and I think everybody has to believe in themselves and believe in keep create there is going to go away.

Did you meet them?

I haven't met them, but like me and my father were watching Angrezi Medium. So that's a very fresh memory. And then my father was so happy watching him and he was praising him that wonderful accent he has and he's a great actor.

Okay, so coming back to Saari Ki Saari 2.0. When I saw the background, I think there was a doctor and a nurse if I'm not wrong. What was the whole message of that?

First of all, let me tell you, the original song was created in 2016, I guess 17 or 16? I don't know. But the first version was based on Indian soldiers' love story. So and that song was not a commercial hit song. So people basically try different versions when I think it is commercially hit, but this song is very close to my heart. As I said, it's not a super popular song, but my fans really love the song. So whenever I perform or go to any city, the hardcore fans, they want me to sing the song, and when made for soldiers, that has a great connection with me in a sense. And so I wanted to bring out a story with 2.0 where the nurse and the doctor other real soldiers right now, and as I make romantic songs, so that's my way of showing and telling people that even they (the doctors) have their own love stories and boyfriends or husbands that are waiting for them in the house, but they're still working for us. We're thinking so much of our own selves, but taking more moment down and watching them - they have to go and save people. It's a great thing you think of the family and the people who love them, but they also have a family and I think it's it's my way of showing a tribute to them, giving a tribute to all the nurses and doctors worldwide.

Was there a specific reason to sign Anees Kaur for the song?

She's a great friend and I've worked with her before. And I really love her voice and I've always kept saying I would love to meet her and get her to sing. And she has an angel's voice. So we got on board.

How did you people work around the song considering it is lockdown and you all cannot meet?

See, I have my own studio at my place. So that was easy for me to create a song and make a song. And I've been working on a lot of songs right now because I'm at the studio at home and I always wanted this time because I was always performing and doing concerts from six, seven months and I was in my house. I've got the speed of it. I'm making songs. I mean, digital has his own leisure too. Anees recorded on the phone and send us the vocals, which is also unbelievable that she's sounding so good. Just on the phone. Yes. We all have limitations, but I think music is never bound with any boundaries. You can always work and make music, music anywhere from this word.

What is your take on reprising songs? Is it okay to touch iconic tracks and if yes then how can one retain a sense of the original?

Honestly, for me making a version of a song where not emotions of my fans are connected is a great task, man. But otherwise, I don't think you should recreate the song. See, I had my own reasons I as I said my first song was for all the soldiers and all the nerves and all the doctors are our soldiers right now. So I had a reason - I wanted to sing a very special song, but I don't believe in recreations. I believe in creating original songs. Also if you see 80% of the song is original, we just have two lines of old song. So I like an original music and I've always been doing independent music making original music promoting original music so always inclined towards that. If you retain the magic and the soul then, but I think it's a difficult task.

Yeah, before this, you were in the news for Bhula Dunga. How did that song happen to you?

So I I had two songs. And I had one more song lined up and I didn't want it to act in it. We wanted somebody who were very popular and people wanted to see, like somebody who can do justice to the song and then we thought of getting to Sidharth and Shehnaz because people wanted to see them together. And even I wanted to see them together after the show. So I think that's how it happened, where you got them together and they were even excited. We wanted them to like the song. We played it and they loved the song and that's how everything happened. And we were very lucky. Then the shoot got completed. Yeah, I remember they have a crazy fan following and we have seen such love coming all over the world and also the song has been breaking records everywhere. Songs broke records internationally. Hey, very happy about that as well.

Shehnaz is a singer too and quite famous in the Punjabi industry. Did she give inputs with the song?

It was a different kind of a song. So we were discussing to make her sing, but it didn't work out on this one. But yeah, she had a good sense of music. I think so she liked the song as well.

Okay, so what is the next Bollywood project for you?

I have independent music, and I always do quality work in Bollywood, so I do have some projects there but won't be able to say the name of the movie because it's not finalized

So are they approaching you even you're in the lockdown?

Yes that is happening.

You are also quite popular among your fans, so any fan moment that just remained with you?

Man it's crazy everywhere I go, every city. People wait for me at airport and during the concert, people break the barricades, snatching and doing all that. Whenever I perform and go to a different city, it is a crazy experience, right from the moment I land.