Music is my first love: Sukhwinder Singh

Bollywood playback singer Sukhwinder Singh chooses his songs carefully. The singer, who shot to fame with the song 'Chhaiyya Chhaiyya' from Dil Se, ended up winning an Oscar for the best song, for 'Jai Ho' from Slumdog Millionaire.

The singer even dabbled with acting earlier. But he says that acting was merely incidental. “One can never be serious about creativity; it has to be spontaneous. I am a musician and passionate about it. Music is my first love and religion both,” says Singh, who recently performed at Jashn Ki Raat, in the city, a concert that celebrated Ekjute’s 30 years of theatre. The event hosted by Anup Soni, Juhi Babbar Soni and Arya Babbar, was a fundraiser for theatre artistes.

“Raj Babbarji is very close to me, like an elder brother. I would do anything for him. And Juhi is his daughter, so when she asked me I agreed,” says the singer. Ask Singh in what ways theatre is related to music and prompt comes his reply: “Music is related to all performing arts because we Indians are musical at heart. But music is used more as a backgrounder in theatre.”

Singh recently cut a Bhajan album of Shirdi Sai Baba. Titled Sai Ram, it’s his first devotional single. Prod him as to why he’s selective of his songs and Singh retorts, “Music is not food that you can put in compartments and select. I take what comes naturally to me. If somebody asks how much I’ll charge, I say no. If the focus is more on the song, its melody and its soul, I do it.”

The singer’s association with music maestro AR Rahman is a known fact. And Singh says that the association has “never taken a pause”. “After 'Jai ho' there was Raavan. There is no question of planning to sing with him. He will call me when he has a song for me and I will simply go,” he states. And even though Singh has managed to leave a mark internationally after he kissed worldwide success with his Oscar-winning song, Hindi cinema remains his “karmabhoomi”. “I have sung for Hollywood films like Inside Man and Steven Spielberg’s next film. Hollywood will happen as and when. But yes, I like it when Indian music goes International,” Singh signs off.