Sukhwinder singh singer biography paper

The year: 2008; the place: Sukhwinder Singh’s studio in Mumbai; the event: one that was responsible for rewriting the history of Hindi film music for all time. 

Subhash Ghai and AR Rahman were working on the songs for the Salman Khan starrer Yuvvraaj. Rahman had presented the first draft of one of his songs but the producer-director wasn’t happy. He rejected the track saying it did not fit his protagonist’s character at all. And after the initial banter about the rejected song was over, Subhash Ghai and Rahman left the studio in their respective cars. 

It was just Sukhwinder Singh and the renowned lyricist Gulzar Sahab, who were left in the studio along with the musicians and recordists. There was a general aura of dejection around everyone, because of the earlier incident. 

Sukhwinder went up to Gulzar sahab and said, “In my entire career and my whole life, I have never heard lyrics like this - Aaja zari wale neele aasman ke tale’. I really want to record this song today.” While he was a tad hesitant at first, he gave in to Sukhwinder’s keen enthusiasm. 

The singer then asked his recordist to put up three microphones and he recorded the entire song, jumping between the mics with passion, as he powerfully rendered the song Jai Ho. Once done, he burned two CDs - one for Gulzar Sahab and the other he sent over to Rahman. 

A week after that day, Sukhwinder received a call from Rahman, “Hello Hollywood Singer! Your song has been selected for Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire." 

And that is one of the small stories behind the song Jai Ho, which went on to win the Best Original Song at the 81st Academy Awards and later the Grammy Award for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture.

Sukhwinder Singh has many such interesting stories tucked away in the three decades of his career as a popular Bollywood singer. 

Loved and applauded

Among the most renowned singers in the Indian music industry, Sukhwinder Singh's name goes hand-in-hand with chartbusting hits and heart-wrenching melodies that stand the test of time. With a career spanning several decades, the singer has left an indelible mark on Bollywood and continues to reinvent himself as an artiste. His ability to infuse emotion and energy into every note has made him known for his unique style of playback singing, winning several accolades, including the Oscar for Best Original Song for the song Jai Ho from the movie Slumdog Millionaire. The song, composed by A.R. Rahman with lyrics by Gulzar, not only brought the singer international recognition but also showcased the global appeal of Indian music and talent.

In a conversation with Khaleej Times, the singer recounts his path-breaking journey, from the nostalgia of the song Chaiyya Chaiyya from Dil Se to the evolution of Bollywood music and the tech-infused future that lies ahead.

Edited excerpts from an interview:

Q) How has your experience in Dubai been?

I love this place. It's incredibly peaceful, secure and beautiful. The people are amazing. The food is amazing. What's not to love?

Q) Do you enjoy listening to Arabic music or follow the local music here?

Local music here inspires me a lot. I've been listening to Arabic music since my childhood for a specific reason. Arabic music has a rich history. What's particularly interesting is its use of chromatic scales, in the sense that it beautifully combines emotions like pain and dance, which can be found in Sufism. It's quite rare, and you can only find this kind of music in the Middle East.

Q) You've been in the music industry for over three decades, witnessing its evolution and the emergence of new artistes. How do you view this change?

Music can change, but emotions remain the same. The way we f

Meet the versatile singer in conversation with Arnab Banerjee.

You are back after a long time with Is Dil Se…… What is it about?
Is Dil Se comprises eight songs. Each song reflects an amalgamation of pain and happiness. The entire album is a unique combination of romantic, sad, Punjabi folk and fast tapping rock-n-roll songs. But the message is clear: it comes straight from the heart and I want to reach out to my fans' hearts.

Do you think there's room for romantic melodies in an age of techno beats, fast paced tempo?
I do and very strongly believe that anything that's a labour of love would find its niche in the market. The songs have been penned by Sameer and Dr Harjeet Singh has directed the music videos.

You have co-written and composed for the album.
It was while recording that I suggested to Sameersaab that the song Sukhiya… could have a second line which rhymes and takes the thought forward. In fact he shared how he was struggling to get the right rejoinder and I came up with Tauba Tauba aisi tanhai ke bas. Fortunately he loved it and then I even worked on the compositions briefly but not without the nod from Harjeet Singh saab. You seemed to have changed your looks too.

I don't think I have. In my sixth year in Bollywood, you can't take away what I have earned and people have accepted me the way I am. I don't feel the need to change at all.

But you were never this hip?
May be in terms of a few accessories and some as youngsters would like to call them - hip clothes, I think I am just the same. I have always been very