Mumbai: With growing number of Bollywood actors and actresses taking to singing in their own films, musician-singer Shekhar Ravjiani feels the trend is “amazing” as it brings to fore their versatility.
“I think it's amazing to see the kind of multi-talented people we have in our industry. And when an actor can sing beautifully, that's just the icing on the cake. It can really bring a role alive,” Shekhar told PTI in an interview here.
When asked on another trend wherein filmmakers are recording songs with more than one artist, he said, “The film industry is always changing. All you can do is adapt and make the changes work positively for the film and the music industry.”
After three successful singles, ‘Saazni' and ‘Saavli' in Marathi, and ‘Butterfly' in Telugu, Shekhar's fourth single, ‘Hanuman Chalisa' is an interpretation of the prayer that was originally written by saint-poet Tulsidas.
“The ‘Hanuman Chalisa' is a part of the many values and traditions that were instilled in me by my late grandmother in whose memory I decided to compose and sing my own interpretation of the prayer,” Shekhar said.
Aiming to appeal to the youth, not only is the song more meditative in its feel and tone, Shekhar has composed and sung it in a mellow and soulful manner, making it a soothing version of the usually high-tempo Chalisa.
“My interpretation of the ‘Hanuman Chalisa' is more spiritual than devotional in its essence and I hope it can help people and especially the youth make sense of all the chaos that we live in. Hope it brings them peace and gives them strength and happiness,” he said.
Shekhar said that even in today's modern times, devotional songs have their own importance in India.
“No matter how modern we become, it's our traditions and values that keep us rooted. Prayers like ‘Hanuman Chalisa' that have been passed down through generations are a core part of people's lives. As musicians and singers we can only put out our humble versions of these epic prayers and hope that people find peace and comfort through them,” Shekhar said.
The single was recently launched by megastar Amitabh Bachchan. Shekhar's next project is Shah Rukh Khan's ‘Happy New Year' which is one of the most awaited films of this year. “Contractually, I am not suppose to say anything in detail about it. But all I can say is Vishal and I had a blast making it,” he added.
Vishal-Shekhar duo have worked on several films with Shah Rukh, and they share a great equation with the superstar. “We share a great working relationship and he is one of the people who has always given me his love and support. He made my second single ‘Saavli' very special by reciting a poem for it. He's got a great heart,” Shekhar added.
