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He has sung before but the romantic pop number O heeriye explores his vocal range. Vicky Donor man Ayushmann Khurrana tells t2 about his noteworthy foray…
How did O heeriye happen?
People wanted to hear my next song. My next film (Bewakoofian) will release in 2014, so I’d tell them that they would have to wait. They’d sound disappointed. So when someone suggested that I cut a single, I jumped at the opportunity.
Why not an album?
Doing a whole album can take months or even years. Unfortunately, I don’t have that much time. I have been shooting back to back and I worked on O heeriye between films. Also, international artistes release singles. The way music is consumed these days does not necessarily call for an album. There is no market for albums, especially in the Indi-pop genre. Music channels and radio stations no longer play non-film songs. It’s a bleak market out there.
O heeriye seems to be a departure from the songs you have done earlier (Pani da rang, Saddi galli, Tu hi tu)…
It is. To begin with, it’s more Hindi than Punjabi. People used to complain that they couldn’t understand the lyrics of Pani da or even Saddi galli. Also, O heeriye is a happy romantic song. My earlier songs were full of pathos and were about heartbreak.
How integral has music been to your life?
I can’t imagine life without music. My dad plays the flute, so even before I started singing or playing, I would be surrounded by music. When I was doing theatre in Chandigarh, I composed and wrote songs for plays. I did take music lessons as a child but I wasn’t serious about it... I thought it was mundane. And I regret that now. I wish I had learnt music seriously. Who knows, I could have been a better singer.
Acting or music?
It’s a no-brainer. Acting. It comes more naturally to me. I like that there are no rules in acting. With music, you have to work with seven notes. I am a purist when it comes to music.
In the two films that you have done so far (Vicky Donor and Nautanki Saala!), you’ve sung at least one song in each. Is that going to be a rule in the future?
Not really. It’s not part of my contract or anything. I am here to act. If the director wants me to sing and if the songs suit me, I’d be more than happy to do that. You have to remember that I am fairly limited as a singer.
What are you shooting for currently?
I just finished Nupur Asthana’s film (Bewakoofian) for Yash Raj Studios that also stars Rishiji (Kapoor) and Sonam (Kapoor). It’s a sweet love story set in the times of recession. I am now working on a biopic about which I can’t discuss much. I have about 30 days to learn Marathi before shooting begins. Having lived in Mumbai all these years, I understand quite a bit of Marathi but I need to get the accent right.
Songs of his life
A song that reminds me of childhood: Lakdi ki kathi (Masoom). It reminds me of the 1980s. Also Nanha munna rahi hoon (Son of India).
First album I bought: It was a double-cassette pack of Dil and Aashiqui. Aashiqui was Side A. I love every song on that album.
First composition: I think I was in Class VIII. It was a very simple song. I think the lyrics were ‘Baharon neye kahaa.’
First public performance: I sang Main koi aisa geet (Yes Boss) for an intra-school competition in Class IX. I was the only one who sang a non-classical song and ended up in second place.
First big hit: Pani da rang. I composed the song in 2002 when I was in first year of college. I kept tinkering with the song over the years. When I was shooting Vicky Donor and Shoojit (Sircar) wanted to use it, I decided to complete the composition. I never imagined that it would become the hit it did.
Perfect heartbreak song: Pani da rang is cathartic. Also Aye ajnabee from Dil Se.
A song that gets me dancing: Do you remember Tutak tutak tutiyan? (Laughs) I love that song. And Sweet Child O’ Mine (Guns N’ Roses) was an anthem in college.
The song I serenaded my wife with: Kishore Kumar’s Humein tumse pyar kitna (Kudrat). I used to sing it to her (Tahira) in school.
The most annoying song ever: There is no one song. The ’90s was a bad time for Hindi songs and I hated vulgar songs like Chad gaya upar re (Dalaal).
A song that describes my life now: Yeh honsla from Dor. The song talks about having strength to deal with adversity and reminds me of the rejections I have faced. It reminds me to never give up.
