'I don't want to be stereotyped'

Playback singer Sukriti Kakar can spin magic with her tunes. With popular numbers like ‘Kar Gayi Chull’, ‘Pehli Baar’ and ‘Labon Se’ to her credit, she keeps her fans thoroughly entertained. Recently, she lent her voice to ‘Zubi Zubi’, a remix of the old song sung by Asha Bhosle.

She talks to Anila Kurian about the art of making music and her upcoming projects.

How excited are you about ‘Zubi Zubi’?
I’m very excited! It is a song in ‘Naam Shabana’, which is a great project, and I have been looking forward to its release for a while now. It has Taapsee Pannu and she is an amazing actor. ‘Zubi Zubi’ is a remix of the old song sung by Asha Bhosle, so it was a lot of responsibility for me.

What made you choose it?
When music producer Rochak Kohli called me to sing the song, I didn’t know it was a remix of an old song. But it was a lot of fun and he did a fantastic job with it. I was nervous to sing and fill in the shoes of a legend like Asha Bhosle but the reviews have been great and I can’t wait for the release of the video. It’s the second time that I am singing for an Akshay Kumar film; I think he is lucky for me!

Many old songs are presented as remixes now. Your take on this...
I think remixes are very popular with listeners these days. The older generation, which heard the original version of the song, gets nostalgic when they hear the new version and the present generation get to relive the hype as well. The music producers are doing a wonderful job with remaking it into a brand new song while still retaining the originality.

Your upcoming projects...
I have a song in ‘Noor’ which stars Sonakshi Sinha. It’s the first time that I am singing a love song. I also have a few individual compositions that are waiting to be produced.

Some of the things that a singer should keep in mind... 
Sleep is very important; if you don’t sleep enough, it will be evident in your voice. You also have to maintain a good diet as the acid reflex is very harmful to your vocal chords. And try not to go out too much.

A throat remedy that has worked wonders...
It’s my grandmother’s recipe — consuming a concoction of warm honey, pepper, ‘ghee’ and water. I also have a tablet named ‘Vocal Zone’ that I usually get from abroad. It’s very helpful.

A film you watched recently and enjoyed...
I am a big fan of Alia Bhatt and Varun Dhawan and I loved their new movie ‘Badrinath Ki Dulhania’. I also enjoyed ‘Lion’ a lot. It’s a very well-made movie.

Your future plans...
I want to be known as a versatile singer and work with as many composers as I can. I have been doing a lot of party tracks but I don’t want to be stereotyped. I also want to work on my independent music.