JOIN USShe likes to describe herself as a singer, performer and a music activist! So when you are speaking to Akriti Kakar, the voice behind Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania’s ‘Saturday Saturday’ and ‘Iski Uski’ from 2 States, understanding the ‘activist’ in that short bio is on top of the mind for you.
This confident lady, who shifted base from Delhi to Mumbai over a decade ago, has pounded her way through established norms and popular names to make a niche for herself.
Love for all music
She loves music and sings not just for films — Bollywood and regional — but also believes in keeping the independent music scene alive. “There is so much talent out here. If we keep restricting ourselves to film music, one part of music will just wither away. We’ve got to keep it alive by encouraging independent composers, musicians, lyricists and singers to keep making fresh music. It’s time to get back the era of the 90s when we had a lot of singles and independent albums on the market,” says Akriti. Aha! Activist decoded.
That’s refreshing to hear from a singer who wields a very steady grip over film music that not many would like to let go of. Setting her popularity rankings soaring was the earthy title song of Johny Gaddar and Akriti has only surged forward with hits like ‘Dil Vich Lagaya’ (Chup Chupke), ‘Khudaya Khair’ (Billu Barber), ‘Freaky Freaky Raat’ (Kismat Konnection) and ‘Daingad Daingad’ (Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhaniya).
“I have had a good chance to work with the best in the industry — Vishal-Shekhar, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, Himesh Reshammiya — and I am really happy about that. I believe that if you are a good person, good work comes to you! And it has. What also matters is that you keep on working hard,” says the singer, who has a website and a YouTube channel of her own where she showcases mash-ups, cover versions and original soundtracks (done independently or in collaboration with her friends within the industry), besides her film music. “I love doing independent music, as I said. There is a bigger platform than ever before in the digital world and it gives you more freedom to experiment, and reach out directly to people who listen to your music,” she feels.
Now there are more Kakars in the music industry with Akriti’s twin sisters — Sukriti and Prakriti — too stepping into the ring. Sukriti has hit the bull’s eye with ‘Ladki Beautiful’ from Kapoor & Sons, while Prakriti’s sensual voice is winning her accolades since she was heard in ‘Katra Katra’ (Khamoshiyaan). “They are both very talented, and I am happy they have found their space in this world too. We are right now preparing for our first awards’ night concert in Melbourne, so the three of us are terribly excited,” she says.
The trio will be heard in unison at the eighth Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM), where they are performing together for the very first time at the awards’ night. “We plan to have a mix of everything — including everything Indian. So, there will be Sufi going hand-in-hand with mashups, pop, and, of course, each of our hit tracks. People who have seen us on stage before feel we are electrifying. We bring in a camaraderie that is natural to siblings, and we are in the same field, so that gives us an edge,” she says, adding that off-stage the three of them are as nasty to each other and as loving as sisters can be. “We rag each other, but we love each other more.”
In her genes
The girls owe their musical genes to their mother Nirmal Kakar, who is a postgraduate in Hindustani Classical music and a music teacher by profession. Akriti was also trained or rather ‘musically adopted’, as she prefers to say, by the late Byomkesh Banerjee. He trained her in dhrupad, dhamar, tarana, khayal gayaki, bhajans and even Rabindra Sangeet, she reveals. That’s where her inclination for Bengali music comes from.
Akriti has not just sung several Bengali songs but has also judged Zee Bangla’s Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Li’l Champs. Talking about her Bengali connection, Akriti laughs out and says, “I think even though I am a Punjabi, I have turned into a half Bengali! I have my guru, my dada, to thank for this. I got a chance to sing in Bengali and then the songs just kept coming in. I was very apprehensive about the pronunciation and nuances since it is not my mother tongue, but then I would rehearse every song to perfection. I am amazed at the love I have received from the audience. Even for the reality show, I was very worried. But it worked out well,” she smiles.
Akriti has just released her version of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s ‘Mere Rashke Qamar’ on her Twitter handle and it has been wowing audiences. She has a few more aces up her sleeve. “I want to make independent music a movement. I am going to concentrate on it from now,” she says.
Wait and watch, this lady is all set to enchant once again.