Rapper Badshah on shooting on a Boeing wing, a workaholic and 21 million hits for his latest video

Badshah’s latest non-film track Mercy is flying… literally and figuratively. The song has notched up 21 million views on YouTube and Facebook in a week. We caught up with the rapper recently. Ironically, the man who writes rhymes about partying 24x7, candidly admitted that he barely get time to party. Here, he talks about his latest track and about being in every other Bollywood song...

Your biggest hits are set in clubs. But you have said in interviews that you were never a party animal. Making up for lost time, even if it’s for show?

(Laughs) That’s true. It’s not like I don’t party, it’s just that I don’t get the time. I am always busy making music for others to party to. Now with my album and my other projects, I don’t think I’ll find any time in the near future, too.

Which memory will stay with you — shooting on the roof of the O2 arena or on the wing of a Boeing?

Actually, we shot Mercy in three locales. Two, you’ve mentioned, the third is a neon shop in London. All the venues will stay with me forever. O2 was unbelievable. After sorting out permissions, the team and I actually took our own gear to the roof, shot the scenes and got down, without help. You can imagine how enthusiastic we were. Shooting on the Boeing wing was another feeling altogether. The wing slants after a point, so I walked around for a while to get comfortable and then, I felt like I owned it. I love this particular shot of me being at the edge of the wing. The neon shop was cool, too. The owner had some really quirky things in the shop…

21 million hits in six days for a non-film track.

Do these numbers matter? When I began this project, my label and I discussed this and we were sure that we will not judge the song by the numbers. Our strategy would be to drop the song and video together, spend days talking about it and promoting it. Our other strategy was to involve fans. I got the fan to reveal the album art, then the song. I am just happy that the song is doing well. 21 million or not, my fans love it, are sharing it, owning it. What more can I ask for?

Bollywood-wise, you’re in every other film. Don’t you think that is a double-edged sword? You’re going to be envied for being that busy. And get taken for granted for being everywhere.

It’s humbling to get so much work. Getting into the industry has been tough. When I released my first song, it was amazing for the reception I got. The only downside I see to this, is that I don’t get any time for myself. Also, am I really in every song? (Laughs)