Did you like the music of Dilwale (composed by Pritam Chakraborty)?
I have been busy travelling over the past one month and so, haven't listened to any Bollywood song. The last number I heard was Pritam's Tu Chahiye (Bajrangi Bhaijaan) and it was fabulous.
But Pritam is often accused of plagiarism...
I don't like it when people blame Pritam. If a movie's producers are okay with the kind of music he makes, then why blame him? Also, Indian music is so rich, anybody can get inspired. There's nothing wrong with it.
After Tamasha, many people say A R Rahman is losing his charm...
That's not true. When I first heard the music of Rockstar (2011), I was deeply disappointed. But then, it grew on me and I listen to it even today. Rahmanji and Aamir Khan are two artistes who have evolved with time. They can never do a shady job.
You have mostly worked with Vishesh Films and Mohit Suri. What's the attraction?
It's very very simple; they allow me to do things my way. They will not put an artiste under pressure or dictate terms. This is one of the main reasons why many artistes wish to work with them time and again.
Ekta Kapoor is known to be a tough task master. Did she interfere when you rendered Zaroorat?
Not at all. Also, Zaroorat was actually dubbed for Aashiqui 2. But then Mohit (he directed both films) said he'll place the song in Ek Villain as it suits the situation.
You belong to an industry where there's no dearth of beautiful women. Do you get tempted? How does your wife (Jia Ali) handle it?
My wife knows that everything in the world comes with a package. She has been kind enough to ignore a lot, but at times when I cross limits, she gets insecure.
The songs today have lesser shelf life. Why?
Indie music is dying. Gone are the days of Sonu Nigam and KK doing Indie music... that was truly inspiring. If you are just rehashing old songs, how will people remember them?
Ghulam Ali's concerts in India were cancelled. What was the response to your shows?
Last month alone, I did six shows in India and each was attended by at least 6,000 people. When Ghulam Ali sahab's concerts were cancelled, many Pakistanis asked me to cancel my shows. Even my parents were worried, but I made them understand that I cannot do so, as people were waiting for me. The media talked about the concerts being cancelled, but they kept mum about another Pakistani performing live. I think the Press should start feeding positive news.
You have been very vocal about Indo-Pak issues. Do you face flak for that?
I don't think it's right to mix arts or cricket with politics. I fear the day when I will have to seek Pakistan government's permission for singing in Indian films. My stand is very clear and I speak it out. There are times when I have been labelled anti-national, but I have seen the love of Indians for Pakistanis and vice-versa.
Do you follow any particular norms before performing live?
I do not allow my band members to smoke or drink on the stage, as there are a lot of youngsters at our concerts and I don't want to influence them the wrong way.
How difficult is it to have a rock band in a country like Pakistan?
Music and culture are dying in Pakistan. We do not have YouTube, so even if the musicians compose something, they have no platform. Also, we do not have a record label. So, it's tough to keep a band like Roxen alive (his band).
If offered a song with double meaning, will you take it up?
No, because I cannot relate to it. Not that I dislike that kind of music. After all, we all listen to such songs in clubs. But as a singer, I cannot relate to it.
Thumbnail Image source: facebook/MustafaZahidOfficial