For this edition, the IMT Editor, caught up with Bollywood's most sort after singer, ROOP KUMAR RATHOD.

Read on as he, chats up from Mount Abu about some of his best moments just after the release of his HIT single 'Teri Justajoo'

Introduction

He wanted to be different! He wanted to carry on his father's legacy! He wanted to make a difference! He has done all that and more. That's Roop Kumar Rathod for you, who has carved his own special niche in the world of music, be it ghazals or playback singing.His is a voice that stands out amongst the rest, a voice that stirs your heart. The unforgettable award winning song 'Sandese aate hain' from the film 'Border', is just an example. Roopkumar is the son of the late Pandit Chaturbhuj Rathod, the classical luminary who in his time also groomed Kalyanji – Anandji and singer Manhar.Roop Kumar choose to continue his father's legacy and learnt the tabla and began to play with Pankaj Udhas and Anup Jalota unlike elder brother Shravan Rathod (of the Nadeem-Shravan duo) who took up music composing or younger brother Vinod Rathod who took to playback singing. He played the tabla for Shyam Benegal's 'Discovery of India', for ghazals, Qawaalis, Bhajans sung by Lata Mangeshkar, performed on stage. He was even called for select songs like those of Laxmikant – Pyarelal’s Sur Sangam.His first love still remains playing the tabla, a passion he gave up in 1984 to start a new career in the field of singing. Before long he realized that this was not his goal, so he entered the world of ghazals. Soon after carving his niche in ghazals, he established himself as a good playback singer to reckon with, while experimenting with fusion music and giving music concerts with Gurtu and others. Constantly donning different roles, he believes that learning is a never-ending process, which is why he still learns the nuances of ghazal singing from his guru Ustad Niyaz Ahmed Khan. Roopkumar Rathod was introduced as a playback singer by Laxmikant – Pyarelal in Angaar (1992), though his brother (Nadeem -) Shravan was already an established music director. Filmmaker Shashilal Nair, who had heard Roop at a concert, told Laxmikant that he would like him to sing. They were sufficiently impressed by the youngster to make him the prime singer later in films like Bhairavi (‘Om Namah Shivaye’ and ‘Moh Maaya Ko’), Gumraah (‘Duniya Kismat Aur Khuda’ and ‘Main Tera Aashiq Hoon’), Mohabbat Ki Arzoo (‘Raha Jo Dil Mein’) and Tejaswini. Anu Malik used his voice in ‘Barsaat Ke Mausam Mein’ (Naajayaz) while Nadeem – Shravan gave him a few lines in Raja and an insignificant song in Andolan and some other forgettable films. But Roopkumar was finally established with his 1997 hit Border (Anu Malik) in which he sang ‘To Chalun’ and the chartbuster – 6c4 cum – award winner ‘Sandesein Aate Hain’. He has subsequently sung under various top composers in films as varied as Anu Malik’s Hero ,Hindustani and Kareeb (‘Tum Juda Hokar Hamein’), Anand – Milind’s Dahek and Hogi Pyar Ki Jeet, Vishal’s Hu Tu Tu (all songs for Nana Patekar) and Godmother, Raamlaxman’s Hum Saath Saath Hain.Roopkumar Rathod has sung in Champion (Anu Malik), Censor (a qawwali) for Jatin – Lalit and Sanjeev Darshan in Aashiq. His best songs include ‘Kho Diye Jitne Lamhe’ (Vinashak), Jatin – Lalit’s ‘Zindagi Maut Na Ban Jaye’ (Sarfarosh) and ‘Yeh Zameen Hai Rehguzar’ (Dillagi) and ‘Khamosh Raat’ under A. R. Rahman for Thakshak. His Aashirwaad title song ‘Nanhi Si Muskaan’ and those of other television series like Discovery of India, Badaltey Rishtey and Rishtey are among his other accomplishments. Roop is happliy married to Sonali. She hails from a business family and is the daughter Leena Jhaveri, a classical dancer. A dedicated student of Indian classical music, her basic grounding came from Purshottam Upadhyay and Hridaynath Mangeshkar, under whom she still trains. In 1978, she lost her singing voice, and the condition remained for 6 years, defying medical treatment. Wanting to remain in music, even if not vocal, she began to learn the sitar. And her voice slowly ‘came back’ and she honed it with her riyaaz. Ustad Niyaz Ahmed Khan also groomed her. Sonalee came out with an album Aaghaaz (she won the Best ghazal singer award the same year) in 1986. Her other albums include Bhajan Kalash, Bhajan Yatra and Khazana (all live), Mogra Nu Phool in Gujrati, Shabnam and Dilkash. While Roop continues to be a leading composer – singer outside films and is open for films after the success of Mohabbat Ho Gayee. Sonali continues in her traditional vein with increasing popularity.

 

The Interview

Roop Kumar Ji, firstly let me tell you, that I am in love with the song ‘Teri Justajoo’ from your latest album released by SONY BMG. It’s beautiful. Melody unheard of in the recent times.

Thank You Sudhir

What does the song ‘Teri Justajoo ’ mean to you? Did you relate to any particular moment or feeling in your life when you were singing the song?
I think every singer is always exploring and trying to search something which satisfies his creative intellect. Likewise even I am continuously on the lookout for something. It’s a little difficult to say what that is. I sometimes feel that I am in search of that ‘SUR’ which I have only thought of, which should come out of my throat in a particular way. I am in search of that voice which influences my heart & soul. I am in search of that voice which makes the SUR sound even more beautiful. Like the voice should be so magical like we used to read in history, that when Tansen used to sing, it used to rain. Birds & deer used to crowd around to listen to him. That voice had its own magic. Like the lamps used to get lit by themselves. Even I am in search of that innocence and that truth in my voice. So when I was singing this song, the only thing that used to run in my mind was that, Let the Almighty help me find that kind of a magical voice if not in this lifetime then atleast I the next lifetime.

What was running through your mind, when Harpreet, the music director of ‘Teri Justajoo ’ was reciting the tune of the song to you? What was that point which made you want to sing the song?
After Maula Mere Maula I felt that I should sing more of such songs. It was a new genre that I had discovered for my voice. So I wanted to focus more on Sufi Songs. But I didn’t find lot of songs that impressed me. So that’s the time when Harpreet walked upto me and said that he had made a ggood compoisition and wanted me to sing it. So I asked him to recite me the composition. Barely had he completed the first few lines and I was so impressed that I said “It’s Done. I alone will sing this song.”
The composition was so beautiful that Harpreet just hummed the song and just like the way you reacted I too reacted in a similar way.

The SONY BMG team as well as yourself have decided not to make the video for this song. What is the reason?
Initially we had thought that we won’t make a Video to promote this song. The song in itself was so beautiful that we didn’t feel the need for a Video. In the olden days the songs used to be a hit by promoting them on the radio. So we too thought of taking the same route. Obviously also because Television as a medium had not percolated then. We used to listen to BINACA GEET MALA. We use dto listen to Radio Ceylon. There used to be CHitrahaar.
We were the no.1 song on most Top 20 Chartbusters across India withing 10 days of the release of the album. For about 4 to 5 weeks we stayed on the no.1 position.
So after the song became such a massive HIT a lotof people started writing emails to us requesting us to make a video for the song. So after assessing the demand SONY BMG decided to go ahead with the making of a video for the song. In fact yesterday we started shooting for the video of the song. So I think within 10 days he video will be on air.

What is the theme of the video?
It’s a normal theme with a boy and a girl and their love story. Rajat Nagpal who is a young director, has directed the video. There is a muslim drop to it. We have shot it on Mohammed Ali Road in Mumbai which is a very congested area. The boy loves the girl and hasn’t confessed his love to her and so obviously the girl isn’t aware of his love. The climax is that the boy & the girl are not destined to be together and go separate ways. It’s a very unusual and a dramatic climax.

Roopkumar ji take us back into your early days.
I was born in a family where we had Music is in our blood. My father Late. Pt. Chaturbhuj Rathod was a singer. He always used to do his ‘riyaaz’ at home. There used to be scoresof muscians who used to visit our house. So music was a gift to us since our very birth. In my young days I used to play the tabla. My first love was tabla. I performed on stage for the first tiem when I was only 6 yrs. Old. Atfter that wherever our father used to go for a singing performance my brother, Shravan(of the Nadeem Shravan Music Composer duo) and myself used to accompany him and play the tabla. We used to have the ‘Jugal Bandi’amongst us. So since our very early childhood we didn’t have that stage fear. Wherever we used to travel with our father for about 30-45 mins we also used to perform on our item. We used to do regular riyaaz and had the ‘taalim’ to play the tabla.

Did you ever sing professionally in your childhood?
No I used to sing in my childhood but that’s just like every kid sings in his childhood. But that was not professionally.
But let me tell you that when I was young we had been to Africa for a stage performance. That’s where I used to sing a song ‘A Bhai Zara Dekh Ke Chalo’.

You hail from a music background. Your father Pt.Chaturbhuj Rathod was a mentor to several renowned music directors & singers. Your brother Shravan is a name synonymous with music direction for Bollywood movies. How difficult were your initial days in the Film & Music Industry?
After I finished my education, in the year 1977-78, when I was about 17-18 yrs old,  started playing the tabla profeesionally. I used to play with all the leading ghazal singers. Pankaj Udhas, Talat Aziz, Anup Jalota, Peenaz Masani, Chandan Das, Ahmed Hussain Mohammed Hussain and almost every ghazal singer used to be accompanied by me on the tabla.
So I started to earn very early in life. I went to London first time when I was barely 19 yrs. Old. At 21 yrs I playedat the Roya lAlber t Hall, Wembley & Madisson Square Garden in New York. I was exposed t life at a very early age. I used to perform fo r a minimumof 25 to 30 programs in a month. Financially too I was very comfortable ad very independent. I used to earn more money than most singers those days.
Since I started playing at a very age the dedication to playing tabla was very intense. So all the above 15 popular singers of India never used to sing without me.

Industry sources mention that you are a die hard romantic. Tell us a lil bit about Roop Kumar the romantic singer.

Hahaha. I feel that every artist has that ‘Aashiqana Misaaj’ (Romantic side). Most time the inspiration for the most beautiful creative works comes out from this romantic attitude.

They say that love is the inspiration behind every artist. Is it true in your case too?

You are absolutely right. When a person in love the man is in a very magical frame of mind. That is also true in the case of evry artist and singer. I have been through that phase when I was in love with Sonali. You never know what is going on in your head. There is a weird sort of madness that takes over you. Like I always used to work around ways to impress her. Fr example I always used to keep wondering as to what should I compose that she would say “Wow you are a genius” I feel that every artist will be going through a phase like this. So I think that’s the reason they say that “Behind Every Successful Man there is a woman & she is equally responsible for the failures of a man”

You have said at various occasions that it was your wife, Sonali, who discovered your singing potential and pushed you into it, else you were happy playing the tabla. Is it true Roop Kumar ji? How did it all happen?
It is absolutely true. I have played for so many years with my father and have played the tabla for so many singers that I knew the good and he bad points of every singer. Besides I also learnt the fineness of nuances of classical music along with them. And all of that used to get registere nside me. And I used to sing a few lines keeping all of that in mind whenever I used to sit in a ‘mehfil’ alongwith my friends. Notprofessionally though just casually like when friends get together and start singing.
Once Sonali heard me at Patkar Hall. I had gon to lpay the tabla and there waqs still an hour to go before the show started. There was a baja in the green room so I was just playing around with it. I was singing one of Ghulam Ali sahab’s ghazal. The composition of it had impressed meso much that I was checking the notes of it. So when I started singing, Sonali heard it and she thougt that it must besome tape of Ghulam Ali Sahab which was playing somewhere. But when she saw me sing she was shockd. She said “Wow you are a very good singer. You must sing profeesionally” And I detested saying why does she wont to ruin my bread n butter which I used to earn from playing the tabla.
But then Sonali kept pushing me and encouraging me. If not for her tilltoday I would have been playing the tabla only.

Which was the first song you ever recorded? How was the experience?
The first song I recorded was for Music India Limited. It was a double album by the name - ‘Parvaaz’. Imust be the only singer in India whose debut was with a double album. Normally what happens is that when the artist is new the company also has its on doubts whether the artist will be successful or not. People will like the album or not. But my fan following was so huge that the company represntatives approached me upfront. The speciality of the album was that in the albumthe songs were sung by me and the tabla was also played by me. In those days you used to get those LP’s. So Since it was a double album you could see a photograph of mine playingthe tabla and on the other sideit was me who was singing. So the entire credit of the success of the album went to me solely.

You were very well known as a ghazal singer too. But nowadays we don’t see you sing a lot of ghazals. Why?
You are very right. See in those days alongwith the ghazals I used to play the tabla. I used to be craxy about Ghazals. In those days I used to remember about 300 Ghazals by heart. Also then with my decision of getting into the singing career there was a financial crunch I faced since I had stopped playing the tabla. Thinkig of those days still gives me a night mare. That was the most crucial period of my life. All of a sudden my earnings worth lakhs had stopped. So since I remembered the ghazals and could play the tabla I started my singing career with singing ghazals. So that’s how my career in ghazal singing began.
See today if you see it is not a era of Ghazals. See the golden period for Ghazals was from 1980-85. But like every genre of music Ghazals too got over exposed so now ghazals is a very dormant genre. Also Bollywood Music has grown by leaps and bounds.

Do you think that the average music listener today does not want to listen to ghazals or shayari?
No its not like that at all. Even today singers like us survive solely because of Ghazal programs. So in small towns like Ahmedabad, Hyderabad etc its not ROOP KUMAR RATHOD – FILMY Nite. Its ROOP KUMAR & SONALI – Ghazal Nite. Last August we had been to Abu Dhabi. Even ther we sang ghazals. So Ghazlas is a genre which is always evergreen in the minds of music listeners and will always have a demand in the Indian Market. Unfortunately though most music companies have stopped promoting ghazals. They are also right in their cost benefit analysis  sine they spend the same amount on a ghazal album vis-à-vis a filmy music album with the difference of film music fetching them better sales due to star value added to music because of star like Salman Khan & Aamir Khan. Hence the ghazal albums are not released a lot.

Is it true that singers like you are still interested in singing non film songs but music companies are not interested in promoting non film songs?
You are absolutely right. I have worked on a very exciting project recently for Yashraj Music. It was Yashji’s dream project which he had thought about 7 years ago. That was when Saahil Sahab was alive. So we always wanted to record Saahil Sahab’s ‘Nazm’ - “Parchaaiyaan”
In those times he had planned it with Pt.Shiv Kumar ji. It has now been recorded just last year where I have rendered my voice. So Pt.Shiv Kumar ji has composed the music and the physical arrangement is also done by him. It is a 45 mins ‘nazm’. Trust me the day this album is released it will be a connosieur for the Ghazal Lovers and it will be a treat for them.

In the non filmy segment - Why it is that Bands and singers from Pakistan are more popular in Bollywood than our very own singers?
‘Ghar ki Murgi Dal Barabar’ – is what I would like to say. See when some artist comes from overseas there is a different sort of craze for that artist. And there are some people in our industry who do not want to promote local talent and are only interested in promoting international talent. It is a very sad thing for the Indian Music Industry that this trend has started catching up. There is so much of local talent in the country but nobody wants to take notice of it. And new talent which comes from neighbouring countries are given a red carpet entry.

Does the popularity & promotion of Pakistani singers have anything to do with the price they charge a music company in India. Is an Indian singer very costly?
Yes I does have a lot to do with the pricing of he singer. For example when a band arrives from Pakistan to India, they have already released the album in Pakistan. They bring the same album to India with Video. So when they give this sort of a package deal to a music company in India they are obviously in a position to offer a better competitive price than any Indian singer.
There are times when they give it free of cost to the music company and the company in India is just marketing the album. SO obviously when the content if available FREE OF COST to the music company any company picks it up and starts promoting it. As promotions start off such albums become visible to the masses and sales start ticking off. Everything goes smooth for both the involved parties.
Now put all of this in comparison with an Indian Singer.
Today when an Indian artist walks upto a Indian Music Company they music company which has tasted the above WIN-WIN deal they expect us also to work under the same terms and conditions. They expect us artists to record the album at our costs, make the promotional video again at our costs and hand over the entire content to them FREE OF COST. They want to only involve themselves in the marketing and promotional aspects.
So as far as the non film music segment is concerned the attitude of the music companies in India towards it is not very conducive to the grooming of an Indian artist.

So is this the reason most talented artists are crowding around Film Music?
See Film Music has a very wide reach. If a film music or rather for that matter even if one song is a HIT Indians all across the globe start knowing you. You become an instant HIT and a superstar. Besides Film Music has its own Star Power. For example if I sing a song for Shahrukh it is a bigger HIT than 10 of my non film albums put together. The volume of people listening to film music is much higher than those listening to non film music.

Roop Kumar ji, it’s a known fact that, you are also a very good composer. Tell us a lil bit about you journey in music composition.
 
See when I started singing Ghazals, I started feeling I am very dependent on music composers for my music. I didn’t want to continue with that and hence I started slowly composing on my own. It was that effort which got me into main stream music composition. It is now that I have started developing a keen inclination towards Bollywood Film Music Composition. So this year you will see a few of my film music projects.

Which are your forthcoming Film Music Projects wherein you are the music composer?
2009 will see the release of Gulmohar, Paroksh & Devi the Goddess. Gulmohar might be released towards the end of this year.

Is the commensurate Royalty being paid to the Indian Singers?
Singers in India do not get paid any royalty. Royalties are paid to the composers, lyricists & producers. The singer is considered as an instrument. They say that the singers do not have any part to play as far as creativity is concerned. Although I strongly debate this. If a singer does not sing well how will the song sound good. If Lata ji was not there, then Madan Mohan’s composition would have never sounded the same.
 
Like the IPRS serves the interests of the composers, authors & producers don’t singers feel the need to have an independent body / an association which will look into their issues and look into their welfare?
Yes we are trying to establish such a body. Sonu Nigam, myself and the others are trying to put together an association which will look into the welfare of the singers. Also this is becoming a little difficult since not all singers where comfortable with this idea of an association.
See if we demand a right to royalty it will be deducted as percentage from the Music Company and the Composer. So indirectly we are locking horns against them.
So for example if a music director is getting 6% royalty and the music company is getting another 6% then IPRS says that we singers would get 2%out of the music director’s share and another 2% out of the music company’s share. IPRS doesn’t believe in allotting a separate royalty share for us.
So because of us the very people who give us work will suffer losses. This has caused insecurity to the singers that music directors might not give them work and music companies might not promote their albums. So we have gone slow on forming this association. Hence there is no clarity on the situation but infuture we will definitely see a solution for this.

How much of a say do you or for that matter any singer have when it comes to shooting a music video of your song?

See as far as a music video’s making is concerned, the final authority and the final decisions are taken by the music company. But sometimes when our image is at stake we also throw tantrums to get the video done our way. “Hamari baat manane ke liye thoda sa hum bhi SAAM DAAM DAND BHED use karte hai”

Personal Qts:

Are there times when you sing just for yourself and not for the audience or the music company?
Absolutely. There are lots of times when I sing just for myself.

At times like these which is the song that first crosses your mind?
I would say it all depends on the mood and that moment. It is nothing in particular. If I am travelling it could be a different song. If I am sitting by my window, it could be something different. If I am with my friends again it could be something different.

Who are your best critics? Whom would you give the seat of being your advisor?
My best critic as well as my best advisors are my wife Sonali and my daughter. I love critics who point out my mistakes and advise me on my potential.

I know you are seeing the best times in your life? Tell us which was the worst time of your life or the lowest point you faced in life? Or were you always a happy go lucky singer?
The lowest point in my life was when I stopped playing the tabla to take up my singing career. As I toldyou earlier I was very depressed in those days. This was from 1985 to 1987. Financially as well as emotionally I used to feel very lonely. I was not a professional singer so I didn’t have work but I had already dreamt of being a singer so I didn’t want to step back. That ruined my sleep and I had been through hell in that phase of my life.

Tell us a bit about the strongest influences during this phase of your life?
Mr.Amitabh Bachchan, Mr.Sachin Tendulkar & Ustaad Zaakir Hussain. Even today when I look at them and the dedication towards their work and their craft, I can see that glow on their faces. Yet all of them are so humble. Their levels of devotion towards their work has always inspired me.

Do you like doing stage performances? Tell us something about your best on stage performance till date? Where has the crowd surprised you?
Firstly let me tell you that if I stop doing stage performances my life span will get reduced by half. Performing on stage always gives a high. I wouldn’t be able to tell you about my best stage performance because I don’t feel it has happened to date. But I am sure it will definitely happen soon.
Last year when I was singing in LA there was a crowd of more than a 1500 Indians. When we started singing in the evening at about 9.30 pm, the crowd was so amazig that we continued singing till the wee hours of morning upto 04.00 am. It was a continuous performance of more than 6 hrs and not a single person stood up from his/her own seat till the end of the show.
“Sunkaar ache ho toh, Fankaar agar khaarab bhi ho, toh bhi woh acha gaane lag jaata hai”

One country or city you’ve always desired to perform on stage?
I have never got an opportunity to perform In Australia or New Zealand. I have performed in almost every country which has a prescence of Indians.

Comment on PIRACY? From the perspective of an artist, what do you think should be done to curtail this phenomenon?

I think, we the artists, the music directors and the authors are the worst affected. The artists sign a contract of royalty with the music company. So when we get our yearly Royalty Statements we ask the Music Companies “Arre Sahab Itna hi??!!”. They tell us “Haan Itna Hi!!” The reason they cite popularly is PIRACY. If 40,000 units of an album are sold only 14,000 units are sold through the legitimate channel. The balance is all pirated. So ultimately we are the sufferers.
In some form if we can continuously convey to the masses that they are killing us the artists of the industry, I think there will be atleast some change in this situation.
I agree these anti piracy raids are making a difference but it is next to impossible to curb it down beyond a certain point in such a vast geographical expanse of India.
Besides internet and technology has made downloads a norm with the music listener of today. So until & unless there is a strong & continuous awakening campaign amongst the masses we will continue to suffer.

Do you listen to international music? Who are your favourite bands / singers internationally?
Yes. I absolutely do. I am very fond of Whitney Houston’s Songs.

Do you relate to the younger genres like Hip Hop, Rock, Rap, etc? Are you open to singing in these genres in HINDI?
I would love to do it.

Your favourite Indian singer?
Lata Didi

A song not sung by you but you think you would have made it sound better?
I would have loved to sing the the song 'Khwajaa Mere Khwajaa' from Jodhaa Akbar.

Favourite Song sung by you?
'Sandese Aate Hain' & ' Maula Mere Maula'