His trademark long locks are gone! But the new haircut sure has knocked some years off his face. “It’s so hot... So I had to cut my hair. Cholo rastay boshei kotha bola jak (let’s sit here on the street and chat),” Arnob tells us, squatting on the steps of a building in Ballygunge Place. The Hok kolorob singer was in town to launch his latest album Khoob Doob, through which he plans to raise funds to rebuild a school in Bangladesh’s Bandarban. A t2 chat...
Khoob Doob comes with eight paintings and eight postcards. Why did you decide to club your art work with the CD?
My friend, Miti Islam, had asked me to buy a painting worth Rs 10,000, done by a child from Bandarban. They needed the money to build a school there.
I have never bought a painting worth so much... that too painted by a kid. So after I bought it, I asked my friend why they needed so much money. They called me to Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) where I met Rajib, who is designing the school. Their plan is to build a school in one or two years and they need Rs 7-8 lakh for it. I had gone to Bandarban to check it out. After getting off the car, I had to walk up the hills for three hours to reach the spot. There is no water there... they have to walk 40 minutes to reach a waterfall to quench their thirst. There is just one room made of bamboo sticks where the children stay, eat, sleep and study. They used to have a school but it is in ruins now. The name of the school is Pawmang, which means flower garden. After seeing all this, I decided to approach my listeners.
Everybody cannot afford to buy paintings but they all want to possess an artist’s original work. I have studied printmaking and reproduction (photographic reproduction of a painting). So I thought why not club paintings with the album.
And why have you named this album Khoob Doob?
When I reached the waterfall at Bandarban, 10 to 12 students were taking a bath. So I decided to play a game with them... a game is an useful tool for interaction. So the game was — who could take the longest dip. And while I counted in Bangla, they counted in their language. That way they learnt my language and I learnt theirs. That is how our friendship started. From this game I came up with the title Khoob Doob.
How is Khoob Doob different from your previous albums?
I allowed myself to be free. It is not always about sounding good, at times music should also be about venting out. I am full of flaws, so how can my music be perfect? It is important for people to know what the flaws are to understand an artiste. The love I get from listeners, especially from Calcutta, I feel I should be an open book. Please study me and utilise me.
How does one get hold of your CD, along with the paintings, in Calcutta?
One can get the CDs and the paintings from Spectra Services by mailing them (at spectraservices04@gmail.com) and from banglanatok.com (banglanatak@gmail.com).
People hardly buy CDs these days. Don’t you think the price (Rs 1,000) will be a deterrent?
Listeners should think about what they are giving back to the artiste, after enjoying his songs. It is important the listeners have that much of awareness.
What has the response been till now?
In Dhaka, I have performed in an university and all the CDs I carried with me were not only sold out but people were fighting for more.
Many musicians have tried to play around with Rabindrasangeet but your style has clicked across all age groups. What is the secret behind it?
I think that is because I lived in Santiniketan for 17 years. Also, the fact that I studied fine arts; it helped me understand the aesthetics of art and also the matra bodh (a sense of where to draw the line)... as in where we should leave it and not overdo it. That is true for everything I feel, whether it is art, how you talk or how you dress, there should be a matra bodh... same goes for Rabindrasangeet. In Rabindrasangeet, the lyrics and tune are very important. And we need to know the origin.
At Patha Bhavan, my teachers never allowed me to sit in the front bench. Aami haai haai kore gaan kortam, so I was always a backbencher. My role would always be to start the song... I used to sing at a higher scale so that everyone could hear and join in, understanding the scale. In Class X, I was told to sign up for a singing competition, as there were fewer boy participants. I remember singing Amar praner manush achhe prane and while singing, unknowingly I improvised (he demonstrated the point by singing the line Achhe se nayantara). I came first in the competition. Tokhon to rela! (Laughs) I think that gave me confidence.
Irrfan Khan apparently loves your Rabindrasangeet...
Yes, he said that in an interview. I have seen all his films including The Amazing Spider-Man. I haven’t been able to see Piku yet, but am, hoping to watch it soon. I don’t buy pirated DVDs, so I only get to watch these movies when I come here. In Dhaka, they do not screen Indian movies. This is the reason people break laws and stream movies and download it from the Internet. Strike a deal, get it done.
I feel Irrfan Khan is a very powerful actor and after reading his interviews I feel he is very straight-up about himself and his acting. I love the fact that he is not acting to be something else, he is just being himself and I think that is very important for any artiste.
Snapchat with Arnob
One Bengali film song you wish you had sung: Aha ki anondo akashe batashe (Hirak Rajar Deshe).
Your fave number in Khoob Doob: I love the title track and Shomoy shobuj.
Fave singers: Ustad Rashid Khan, Kabir Suman and Anjan Dutt. Arijit Singh is also doing good work.
Fave film: All Madhuri Dixit movies and Amores Perros.
Fave book: Abol Tabol and any book by Tagore.
Fave actor: Hrithik Roshan. Salman Khan is also not that bad, he is quite entertaining. And Shah Rukh Khan, I feel, overacts.
Describe ‘Arnob and Friends’ (his band) in two words: Bondhur gaan.
Apps: I only use WhatsApp.
Malancha Dasgupta
Pictures: Pabitra Das
I love Arnob because.... Tell t2@abp.in
