Rapper Raftaar: Never seen better days!

When artistes are asked if they ever imagined the success they have achieved in their field, the most common answer is they didn’t. But in the case of Dilin Nair, aka Raftaar, that’s not true. The rapper, lyricist and composer has come a long way from when he started, and has slowly and steadily amassed a fan following for himself. Yes, it’s been a lot of hard work, but the man who has lent his vocals to songs such as Swag Mera Desi, Bandook Meri Laila (A Gentleman), Dhaakad (Dangal), Haseeno Ka Deewana (Kaabil) and others, says he has always envisioned his way to the top. “I have always been a dreamer. It was like putting it out in the universe. I was working towards it and now, I’m seeing it gradually happen,” he says. The musician, whose latest track, Dab, released recently, talks about his new album Zero to Infinity, a possible collaboration with Badshah and the meaning of success...

Tell us a bit about the new single and the album...

The new single is called Dab and features Sonu Kakkad along with me. I have been her fan ever since I knew about music, and then I heard her sing Madari. It was my dream to work with her. But if I’m doing the song, then I’m not going to do it in her style, but make her sing in mine! That’s new for the audience. We also have a new artiste on it called Muhfaad. As for the album, there are eight songs on it. Four music videos are already out.

Badshah and you used to be a part of the same band at one time. You both are still very close. Any collaboration with him in the pipeline?

Hum dono roz yehi baat karte hain. Badshah and I are like brothers. There is so much pressure on us to do a song together. Our fans have termed us ‘RaSha’ and keep tagging us to collaborate on something. So if we do bring out something together, it has to be of really high standards – something unique or experimental. People are waiting for it to happen and that’s the next plan.

Raftaar means speed. Are you in a hurry to see success?

No man, I’m really happy. I come from an extremely modest background. So now I have way more than what I’m used to. There is never a no to having more. Jitna mile utna kam hai, but I come from a place where even if everything goes away from me, I will still be comfortable because I’m used to it. Whatever I’m getting, whatever pace I’m getting it at, is good. My mom’s not working, my dad doesn’t want to stop working because he likes to be engrossed, so everybody is happy. Everyday is our birthday because we have never seen better days.