'I don't sing for awards, but I love rewards'

Getting candid

Be it Chaiyan Chaiyan, kaawa kaawa, Dard-e-disco, beedi or even Anarkali disco chali, Sukhwinder Singh’s songs have always been a hit with masses.

The talented singer has come a long way, with global achievement adding to his kitty. His Jai ho from multiple Oscar winner Slumdog Millionaire, won the Grammy for Best Original Song the same year.

In an exclusive one-on-one with Metrolife, Sukhwinder talks about his life post Jai ho.  “Life has been very much the same. I do not sing for awards, but I do love rewards. Whenever I have to sing, I sing with my heart. I always try to give it my best shot. Singing has never just been a profession for me. It has always been my passion, my inspiration to live my life to the fullest,” he says.

His high-pitched voice adds a punch to any peppy number and his live wire performances are often the mainstay of Bollywood. But apart from being a singer of international acclaim, Sukhwinder has also turned an actor with his recent acting debut - Khudi Ko Kar Buland Itna. “It wasn't planned at all. This role just happened. The moment I heard my role, I fell for it. Playing the lead of a common man was something that prompted me to do the movie,” says Sukhwinder.

So the audience might see him acting again if the role offered justifies the character? “No. Not at all. You are never going to see me act again. Acting is not my cup of tea. I actually found it to be very tough. I can’t do it. You can see that in my movie. The moment I come on screen, you will say, ‘what the hell is he trying to do’. So, no. No acting stuff ever again. It was just a one time thing,” Singh shares with a laugh.

Singh originally hails from Amritsar. He began singing at the age of eight and had continued to perform in small shows but never did get that proverbial ‘break’. So he thou­g­ht of launching his own alb­um but when that too didn’t work he joined Laxmikant -Pyarelal’s troupe in Mumbai and rose to become a music arranger, before heading South to look for work which would complement his passion for singing, but returned unsatisfied from there as well.

It was only after his return to Mumbai that Sukhwinder finally got his much-needed break through a Rajiv Nagpaul’s forgettable film starring Madhuri Dixit Aaja Sanam. The film sank without a trace but fate had already etched Sukhwinder’s name in gold.

Along came Mani Ratnam and A R Rahman’s Dil Se... and the rest is history. Great work including  Taal, Biwi No. 1, 1947 - Earth, Daag, Dillagi, Moksha, Thakshak, Tere Naam, Shabd, Musafir, Chak De! India, Om Shanti Om and Black and White - have made him a household name today.

But the success hasn’t gone to his head. If anything it has made him aware of the pitfalls. “I have made many mistakes, I have faced a lot of hurdles in my journey, but all of that has made me what I am. All that I have faced has taught me a lot. It taught me to learn from my mistakes and live in the present. I try my best not to repeat mistakes. Today, I take life as it comes.”

What advice would he like to give to newcomers and struggling singers from small towns looking to make a mark in the industry? “It’s all about being sincere towards music. If singing is a passion and not money-making business, then nothing can stop you from achieving what you want. Always believe in God. Most importantly, always believe in yourself. It helps. It helped me.”