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Hailing from the soulful city of Kolkata, Babul Supriyo has etched a remarkable journey that spans the spectrum of creativity and public service. Born with a voice that resonates with the harmony of emotions, Supriyo first captivated the heart of the nation as a playback singer in Bollywood. With a melodic career that began in the mid-1990s, he breathed life into lyrics, turning them into anthems of love, yearning, and celebration for a generation. From songs like Dil Ne Dil Ko Pukara, Chhaam Se, Chanda Chamke to his most recent Khoya Khoya Chand Lo-Fi mix, Babul Supriyo has a vast repertoire across genres and languages.
Through his journey from the recording studios to the high-paced world of politics, Babul Supriyo remains a figure worthy of admiration not only for his artistic contributions but also for his relentless pursuit of public welfare. His life story continues to be an inspiring saga of talent, versatility, and dedicated service to the nation.
In an exclusive chat with News18 Showsha, Babul Supriyo talked about his latest song Khoya Khoya Chand, a reprised version of the Indipop hit of the early 2000s, his career as a singer and more.
Here are the excerpts:
Please tell us about your new version of the song Khoya Khoya Chand and what inspired you to remake it?
As a Singer and as a performer who goes to perform in different countries and outside the countries to perform for the live audience we always you always get an immediate buzz about which of the songs, even if they are very, you know, very something that I have sung in the early part of my career, whether they want to listen to it or not. Like, I have more romantic songs than dance numbers. Though I have Kahuna Pehara and Kera Jagan Chamde and Main Na Koi Jagan Mika and all of those songs,
but yet I have a much more, you know, I have more romantic songs in my arsenal than anything else. So, in my show, there is a 20-minute, 25-minute segment in which I sing my romantic numbers like Hum Tum Pari Pari, Humne Ko Dilye Dediya. And I think, people ask for Khoya Khoya Chaand everywhere. They want me to sing it. I sometimes sing it only with my musician playing the piano, the pianist playing the piano. I only sing it while sitting on a chair. So, this was one song which I felt, we felt, Kumar Tauraniji in Tuts felt that we should probably, you know, have a new version in today’s contemporary style and kind of mark the 25 years of success, very successful album, which I had recorded with Kameezji. It started while we were doing the music and Kameezji and Nizam Dede. So, yes, but while doing, while, when we started, when we decided that we want.
Why did you choose this particular song for a Lo-Fi version?
I had to do a lo-fi version of this. This song is romantic, so we do not want to do a dance mix of it and all of that. But in a lo-fi way, the voice and everything else is treated in a low-fi song. A romantic song becomes more beautiful. And it’s a little contemporary. People like lo-fi songs these days. So that’s how this idea came about. And Abhimanyu Pragya, who made this lo-fi version, when we had a discussion with him, the draft that he sent in the beginning, I didn’t like it even once. I never liked the draft that he sent. I felt that the essence of the song is going away from it. And that’s why I think everything, by the end of it, it came out so smooth. And people are organically using it. And word to mouth is very important for non-film songs. That’s also very good.
What are your views about the popular remake culture in Bollywood?
I feel that whenever songs are remade, it should be a way to celebrate the old song, the original composition. It’s about giving love, affection, and respect to the great composition, suggesting that it was so good it deserves to be heard by today’s generation too. Take, for instance, “Chura Liya Hai” or the numerous Kishore Kumar songs that have been remade in movies these days. Look at “Bachna Ae Haseeno,” which was redone with Ranbir Kapoor; these songs become hits when they are remixed. They hit big because when the old compositions are presented like old wine in a new bottle and if the public likes it—even though there are always tourists who speak against it, saying the song was ruined—but in my opinion, there’s no harm or objection if you approach the old songs with permission and respect. Personally, I am not at all against it.
A lot of singers use auto-tune these days… Do you think it has ruined sound and music culture in today’s time? How do you view the use of auto-tune in the music industry?
There was a time in our history when birds were admired for their flight, and people would look in awe and appreciate how beautifully they soared. Subsequently, humans felt the desire to fly, which led to the invention of airplanes. Now, ironically, airplanes are a threat to birds. Similarly, Autotune is a good software. If songs are being made, if singers are using it, and if those songs become hits, then I believe there is no need to speak against it. My daughter also works with Pritam, and she sings a bit. Her mission is to make music, so today’s children are like this— if you ask them to sing in front of a mic, one might have an excellent expression but be slightly off-pitch, and they’ll say, “Daddy, just fix it with Autotune. The expression was really good.” There are many great singers today and exceptional ones at that. Then there are also many famous singers who are not truly singers in the classical sense; they can’t perform live on stage or sing in tune, but in the studio with the use of Autotune, music directors can craft a beautiful studio product that people love and become hit songs. When we listen to them, we shouldn’t criticize the technology that is moving forward. It’s good, I think there’s no harm in it. If we ever need it, we may use it as well.
What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of using auto-tune, in your opinion?
There is no point talking about advantages or disadvantages because in today’s studios, anyone who sings a song—where previously people used to say the old artists sang perfectly in tune—now, whether someone sings in tune or out of tune, the song that comes out of the studio is perfectly tuned and made flawless. Who sang in tune, who recorded a song in 20 minutes, and who kept singing for two days, picking the best takes and then finely tuning it with auto-tune and melody before releasing it—there’s no way to know. And now, the songs that are becoming superhits, I won’t say anything against them. Yes, I would say that these artists face difficulties during live shows when they have to sing in front of the public—then it becomes clear what is what. But we also see that we have started to accept this, and even moving forward, they lip sync to recorded songs during big shows. They prepare a mix for 40-50 minutes, and that keeps playing, and they just move their lips. The public has accepted this, they themselves dance and enjoy for those 50 minutes, so what difference does it make? Let what’s happening continue.
How do you stay inspired and motivated in an industry that’s constantly evolving?
What is the need to stay motivated when I have things to do, when I want to succeed? Motivation comes naturally. When I wake up in the morning, there’s only one thing on my mind: I have to do this today, I need to practice my songs, I need to learn and write a new song—that’s my purpose, my destination, my goal. So, what’s the need for motivation? If I have decided in the morning that by evening I have to learn a song, then I will learn it. That’s what I have written about in the morning. My wife shouldn’t need to wake me up from bed or set an alarm for me. When you set a goal for yourself, that you have to achieve, it is a motivation in itself. Why do I need motivation from others?
Could you share the most challenging experiences you’ve faced during your musical journey?
You see, I have one regret, and that is I once sang a popular song for Mr. Rahman, “Khoya Khoya Rahta Hai Dil Mein Soya Soya Rahta Hai,” for the movie ‘Doli Sajake Rakhna’. But to sing that song, as I was told, I took the very first flight in the morning to Chennai. After that, Mr. Mehboob wrote the lyrics for the song, and I was given the words that I was supposed to sing. But I was waiting. As you might know, Asha Bhosle Ji said that in ‘Rangeela’, they would initially record the song with a click track and then arrange the music around it. When Asha Ji sang for ‘Rangeela’, she didn’t know what the final song would be like. Similarly, I was waiting, restless and unable to sleep, worried that my voice would become hoarse. It wasn’t until 8:30 or 9 in the evening that I received the tune. I listened to it, Mehboob Ji came and explained the lyrics, and then we were called to the studio at around 11 pm. I went there, there was some work going on inside. I met Rahman Sir; there was excitement because I was going to sing his song, but there was also a tension because it was a good song. But after spending the whole day, all those things until 4 am—from the early morning I’d left with the excitement of singing Rahman sir’s song—when I actually sang, it wasn’t as beautifully done as it should have been, as I could have done in front of the microphone or how I might have performed in front of Rahman Sir. I felt like a showpiece that couldn’t perform my best.
Afterward, I only got to sing one song and didn’t get much of an opportunity to work with him. But if I had known earlier that the tune would arrive late or if the problem was that I’d arrive at the studio at noon and then sing at 4 am, maybe I’d have rested a bit more. I’d have taken some rest in the morning instead of staying awake all day, waiting and staying in tension—wondering whether the song will happen or not. The hours passed—12 pm, then 1, then 2 pm, and it wasn’t happening. If it didn’t happen, then what? And as I was a newcomer with Rahman Sir, that was the reason I couldn’t give my best performance in front of him. Perhaps it would have been better if I had been able to.
How do you balance your career as a musician with your other roles and responsibilities, such as your political career?
Since 2014, I have taken on a lot of responsibility and I feel that I am fortunate. I’m lucky because I have always tried to work hard—just like how as a singer, as an artist, this politics is not a very big mission for me. Politics gives me the opportunity to do good things for good people, for my constituency, and for the country. I am a workaholic. I love to work a lot, and there are different switches inside me. When I work, I turn on the switch for that task—so there is no need to switch from singing to politics or from politics to singing. I am an artist, and I will remain an artist. That’s why when I work, I am happy. When I am happy, my singing is very good. When the song is good, my peace of mind is good, and I feel at ease. When I feel at ease, the next day when I go to the office, my mind is good, and my work is good. This is a cycle, and I have been following it with great dedication. I love politics, and I won’t say that I can reach people through it or do something for them with pride—and I always try to fulfill this. Otherwise, I have absolutely no political ambitions.
What do you hope to achieve or contribute to the music industry in the coming years?
In the forthcoming times, I believe that I have a second innings remaining, and there are about four or five songs still left that are certainly mine, which I need to deliver. I eagerly await the moment when I can fulfill these songs to the best of my ability. I believe that some of my friends and colleagues who listen to me now feel that I used to sing even better before, and I also believe in this. With time, as well as age and experience, the impact of your experiences on your voice diminishes, and I will try to take advantage of that influence and see what happens in the future, whether my dream of embarking on a second inning will come true or not. Only time will tell.
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