Mika Singh slaps a fan during a conference?

The Gandi Baat singer Mika Singh says he wouldn't mind acting in his biopic provided he doesn't become old by the time it's made
Singer Mika Singh is becoming the flavour of Bollywood with his back to back hit songs. In the city on Saturday to perform at the annual festival Utkarsh of a private university , the singer, in an exclusive interview to Lucknow Times, bares his heart on his aspiration to act, the reluctance of Bollywood singers to perform in Pakistan and lyrics of film songs these days.
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I have turned vegetarian for nine days
The Punjabi singer is very fond of Lucknow's famous Tunday kebab but unfortunately he could not relish them because of the Navratris."Tunday ke kabab are very popular even in Mumbai. Every time I come here I make sure to have them but unfortunately not this time. I have turned vegetarian for nine days. But it's okay, I can control myself," says the singer, who also expresses his fondness for the city . "Lucknow is a beautiful city . I think it's been 15 years now, and I have performed here in almost every college, university and on all festivals barring Holi.People here are very congenial. Jab bhi main yahan aaya hoon mujhe bahut pyaar mila hai. I remember I had come here for a show of a private company a few years ago and usme bahut saare celebrities aaye thay.There was some tussle between the audience and the celebrity performer. Pathharbaazi bhi ho gayi thi.But believe me, the moment I came out on stage, the crowd became quiet at just one request of mine. Otherwise the police was wanting to end the concert," he recalls.
Bollywood singers are scared of performing in Pakistan
Mika had a public concert in Lahore on February 28, his first in Pakistan and he came back with some very fond memories of the place. "Lahore mein I had done private shows but this was the first time when I did a public concert. In ten years it was the biggest show by any Bollywood singer and the tickets were sold for `16,000 each and the venue was packed with more than 5,000 people.India mein saare singers darte hain Pakistan jaane se isliye koi wahan jaate nahi hain. People have security issues ki something untoward might happen. They are scared of performing in Pakistan. But I did not take any security with me. In fact, I would like to continue doing shows in Lahore in future too. Very few people might be knowing that Lahore has a population of 30 lakhs Hindus. Pakistan ka itna hauwa logon ne bana rakha hai but if you see the people there, they are very sweet. Meri bahut achchi khatirdaari hui wahan. Jitna hum sunte hain it is not at all like that. Wahan par joh Gurudwara hain, usey wahan ke bhaiyon ne bahut achche se sambhaal rakha hai. Why I also love going to Lahore is because hamare Sikhon ka sabse bada Gurudwara wahin se shuru hota hai. Uske bina hamari gaddi nahi ha. Andar jo sewadaar hain woh bhi sardar hain par the security and everything is looked after by the Pakistanis. Our first guru Gurunanak ji was born there, so from a religious point of view a visit to Pakistan is always good," says the singer, whose latest song Shake That Booty from Balvinder Singh Famous Ho Gaya is still topping music charts.
Nothing derogatory about lyrics in bollywood songs
People from within and out of the film industry have time and again pointed out usage of offensive and suggestive words in Bollywood. Among them are also songs that Mika has sung including Ishq Kutta, Jimmy Bhaand, Ishq Ki Ma Ki and Gandi Baat. But Mika says using such words has always been prevalent in Bollywood and it's nothing new. "Yeh toh shuru se hai. Agar aap Baba Bulleh Shah ke kafiya sunenge, woh jo bhi lyrics gaate hain ishq ko lekar , jaise `Ishq nacheve gali gali, main kanjariya bana gali gaali, mainu nachke yaar mila...oh tripliyan, chal uthe chali toh baazi mari kutte nu', this also has an offensive word. So shuru se hi aise words use kiye ja rahe hain. But yes, it's bad if someone uses gaalee in songs. If you see the older film's songs, usmein bhi lyrics aise hi suggestive hoti thi. Toh yeh audience ko pasand aate hain. We are not doing anything different, it has always been like that," Mika avers.
On to private albums
Mika currently is working on a private Sufi album. Ask him about it and the Tenu Main Love Kar Da singer says. "Aaj maine kuch sufi gaya hai which is from my upcoming album. Ek hamara commercial kaam hota hai jasie ki Pritam ji ne compose kiya, maine playback kiya and Salman bhai ne usme dance kar diya, which becomes a hit. But ek doosra kaam hota hai private albums ka. Till now I was conentrating more on commercial projects but but from now on I have decided to come up with a private album every year for my fans. I will give chance to new talent and I will promote good singers through my albums," he says.
Mika also wants to take a break from this constant singing for movies and devote time to his private album and a biopic movie. "Last year, almost every week, I had a film song coming out. The fact is aap manaa bhi nahi kar sakte ho.This year I want to take break from that.I feel achche gaane aane chahiye and not just doing whatever comes your way ," he says. Mika is also considering beginning the long pending project of his biopic that he had planned long back. "The film is still in pipeline. I really don't get the time from shows and other related obligations. The reason I want to take break from playback singing is to work on my private album and the film too," he says. So would he like to act in his own, we wonder, to which Mika says, "Let's see. Not all singers are actors but still they are popular. Nothing is planned as of now but hopefully I can play myself in my film. Agar main buddha nahi hua tab tak because for a film you need to look good," says he with a laugh, adding, "I do get offers acting ke liye but I don't do them because music is my priority ."
On punjabi songs hit in bollywood
Asked why he favours singing Punjabi songs and Mika says, "Jitne aashiqu hua hain, woh saare Punjab ke hi huen hain, except Romeo-Juliat. Bulleh Shah Baba ne bhi aisi bahut saari kaafiyan likhinn hain joh Punjabi mein hain. Punjabi ka jo sad songs hain, woh kamaal ka hai, sufi bahut kamaal hai, dance numbers and even ghazals are fantastic. Inka koi nichod nahi hai, upar se beat daal dete hain toh kamaal ho jata hai. Sabse zyaada josh agar kisi gaano mein hai toh woh Punjabi mein hai. I am not being partial, I also sing in Bengali, Kannad, Telugu, Tamil and will be singing in Gujrati too very soon," shares the singer.
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