I am glad my voice doesn’t match any hero, says Kailash Kher
(No Ratings Yet)He’s proud of his earthy, powerful voice doesn’t match that of the heroes including the Khans- Aamir for whom he has rendered ‘Mangal, Mangal’ or ‘Chala Chal Rahi’ for Shah Rukh’s ‘Swades’.
Every third person ’s voice sounds like that of a film hero. I would be one in the crowd,” says Kailash Kher who’s became a phenomena after ‘Allah Ke Bande’.
“God has given me a unique voice and you should respect me for that. My voice has an international touch and the proof lies in the fact that I am being offered Hollywood projects.” He believes that this is not arrogance, just confidence in his talent. “I have been through the grind to emerge a winner,” says Kher who began his career with ad jingles, the first being for the 2002 World Cup for a cycle brand and now has some 300 of them to his credit.
For someone with his talent, how does Kher justify agreeing to render just the line ‘Subhaan Allah” in ‘Fanaa’. Did the Yash Chopra banner prompt the decision? “It’s like me turning down an invitation to have high tea or breakfast with someone and ponder as to why I wasn’t called in for a fancy dinner instead,” he defends.
What about a song cameo in Madhur Bhandakar’s Corporate? “He asked me to sing the song and later suggested that I enact it as an actor would be unable to do it as naturally.”
Is Kher ever remorse about the fact that his tryst with success was delayed and he lost out on peak time? “I believe in the superpower. I don’t even have control over my breath, let alone destiny. I don’t even know if I’ll wake up tomorrow morning so I don’t question such things.” This touch of spirituality is well captured in his non-film album ‘Kaalisha’ which has a distinct Sufi touch. The song ‘Teri Dewaani’ talks about God, who is formless and nameless. Plans to come up with Kaalisha II by February next year are in the offing.
Singers often say that non-film albums are a platform to showcase their range and do songs that films don’t give them a chance to. So were Kher’s reasons the same? He responds by saying that he’s always wanted to cut an album but didn’t have the resources. Now that he does, he’s giving vent to creative energies.” However, he agrees that marketing might is important for a non-film album .” The singer should have some standing.” Kher says that he wants to be associated with “quality work” and turns down songs with suggestive or sleazy lyrics. He opines that these are good times for film music with “meaningul lyrics” making a comeback.
While he asserts that music directors and singers share a “guru-chela” relationship he says that “there are donkeys and horses” both in the “industry and the audience.” “The audience who vote bad singers on the basis on SMSes and music directors like Himesh ‘nasal singer’ Reshimmaya make me pray that audience tastes will evolve, ultimately leading them to reject the bad.”
He counts Shankar Madhavan, Sonu Nigam, Sadhana Sargam, Mahalaxmi, Rehman and Vishal Shekhar among his favourites. Though best known as a vocalist, the man has also penned lyrics for ‘Kaal’ besides his album and also given music for a little known film ‘Gehra Paani’ . He says for him the three are a whole, complimenting one another. “The lyrics and the tune flow simultaneously. I enjoy all three but I am happiest crooning.” Kher describes himself as a man “who doesn’t apply his brain but follows only his heart.” I am an “emotional person ” like all artists. He began training at the age of five and claims to have changed 14 gurus in 12 years.
“A lot of them were frustrated at not being given a Padma award or not making it as big as Pandit Jasraj. Whenever I sense negativity , I just back off.” Kher is presently busy lending his voice to Anupam Kher’s ‘Khosala Ka Ghosla’ and Sunny Deol’s ‘Champion’.
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