Congratulations on the success of the Girlfriend title track, which has more than one million views on YouTube...

The very first day that Jeetda (Jeet Gannguli, music director) sent me the demo I knew the song will work well. It was an easy song yet interesting. I was a little sceptical about how I would fit in the song, but during the recording process I understood that Jeetda had come with a specific plan of utilising my voice in a never-before-used manner. 

Why do you think the song has become so popular?

The song has worked well in every department. The tune is very catchy and people have loved my rendition and the variations of expressions that I have provided, though the song has just three melodic structures. The lyrics are easy-going and the on-screen chemistry between Bonny and Koushani was visible.

It seems Raja Chanda, the lyricist (and director), wants to strike a chord with an innocent young mind, as innocent as the protagonist who struggles to find the definition of girlfriend! There are images of a vacant seat in a minibus, district library and a station, which are absent in the visuals. I think director Raja Chanda has kept something for the imagination of the listeners. 

Did the song make you nostalgic about your college days?

I was going through some of the comments on YouTube and many have stated that the song has made them nostalgic about their college days. To me there are certain songs written by me on my college days. These songs are about my real college experiences, so no other song can ever replace my original college memories. But I am very happy that the song has worked in a nostalgic manner for many listeners. Ultimately, a song is created for the listeners — isn’t it?

We would also like to know more about your college years! Who was your crush in college?

Well, the English department of Asutosh College had more girls than boys. We had a very exciting and interesting time. I experienced my first major relationship with a girl obviously from the same class in those days. My song Neel rong chhilo bhishon priyo narrates that amazing euphoria.

Did you ever bunk classes? Did you spend a lot of time in libraries?

I was a very serious student who enjoyed his classes. I never bunked any class. I didn’t spend a lot of time in libraries but post-college hours I would spend a lot of time in Nandan or Chaplin watching movies.

What’s your take on the arrangement of the song?

It really lifts the tune. The sound is new and I really loved the production. Some of my music mates have commented that the vocals seem a little dry, but to my ears it is perfect.

If the feeling of being in love is genuine, do you think it translates into a song that people will connect with?

Well, it is a very very common criterion for creating not only songs but varied forms of art. Initially I depended on these kind of situations more, but now I have graduated from this.

Whatever the subject of a song may be if the singer has gone through an optimum level of training and various experiences throughout his life, he can methodically use those experiences into his music and deliver flawlessly. The truth does not lie in the song itself. It lies in the singer.

You began by singing Rabindrasangeet, but over the years you have got this angst-ridden rock star image. You have evolved as a person over the years. So does the image stifle you? Would you like to break out of it? Or is the image true?
Let me tell you very frankly, I don’t belong to any one particular image. As a composer I have composed various kinds of songs, ranging from semi-classical to qawali to folk to rock.  Perhaps I am the only rock singer who has regularly opened his concert with a Rajanikanta Sen song.  My listeners know that. The one image that you are talking about is a concept developed by the people who have not followed versatility and the varied dimensions of my work.

The angst-ridden rock star image is also true — as true as the singer- songwriter who performs a three-hour set all alone, playing all the instruments himself. There is no denying the fact that certain circumstances had forced me to portray all that I was going through in the form of angst-ridden rock music. It was what I was going through then. Even now, I am true to my creations and never hide an emotion, so I don’t want to break away from any image — they are all true portrayals of me.

Is there something about Jeet Gannguli’s songs that is magnetic for singers?

(Laughs) Jeetda is very popularly known as Hit Gannguli. This was my first opportunity to sing for him. The result speaks for itself. Jeetda has promised me that we will do more songs together. I hope to explore more magnetism through our collaborations.

I feel the credit for the revival of Bangla film music lies with Jeetda. He has done various kinds of music. Though in Bengal he is more associated with peppy dance numbers, nationally he has given unforgettable melodious songs.  To be able to work with such a versatile composer is surely a singer’s delight.

What was his brief to you about the Girlfriend song? How did the recording session go with him?

He called about two months prior to the recording. His approach was very friendly. I am specially thankful that he has used a different texture of my vocals. Generally music directors seek hard-rock renditions from me, though they are not always capable of making a hard-rock number. Jeetda remembered that some of my classic hits were romantic numbers.

He had asked me to record the song and send it to him, but I wanted to work with him so I waited for him to come to Calcutta. It was an extremely good experience to record the song with him present at my own studio — Working Class Zero.

Who is the one composer you want to work with now?

In Bengal I have worked with all music directors except Shantanu Moitra. I would love to work with him. In the national sphere definitely A.R. Rahman and Amit Trivedi. In an interview Vishal- Shekhar had mentioned that they love Fossils music. I would love to work with them too.