Rekha Bhardwaj: A university alone cannot produce an artiste

Singer Rekha Bhardwaj talks about dueting with Rahat Fateh Ali Khan on both Zindagi Kuch Toh Bata (Bajrangi Bhaijaan) and Dum Ghutta Hai (Drishyam)
With Rekha Bhardwaj, for whom playback singing was not even on the agenda, the number of song released in a year doesn’t make a difference. Nevertheless, she’s happy that Dum Ghutta Hai and the reprise of Zindagi Kuch Toh Bata came out within a month of each other.She talks about singing for her husband Vishal Bhardwaj and the influence of Sufism in her life.
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How did the two songs happen?
Pritam always calls me at the last minute; he is very busy and also a bhulakkad. One day, he texted to ask me if I was in Mumbai. When I said yes, he invited me over to his studio. There, I listened to the song for Bajrangi Bhaijaan that Rahat Fateh Ali Khan had already recorded. Pritam said that Neelesh Misra will be penning a couple of lines and he wanted me to sing them. I tried including Kabir’s dohas in between, but they didn’t match the situation. I took Zindagi Kuch Toh Bata home and the next day, returned to the studio to sing my portion. I also dubbed harmonies for it. After I finished Zindagi… Vishal (Bhardwaj) told me he was dubbing songs for Drishyam and that he wanted me to record the female portions. It was 3 am, and I went to the studio to finish Dum Ghutta Hai. Interestingly, this song was also with Rahat. He recorded both the numbers from his studio in Pakistan. Zindagi… is my first duet with him.
Does Sufism influence your singing?
Actually, I got introduced to Sufism late in my life. As a child, I’ve been exposed to qawwalis of Shankar-Shambhu, and the Sabri Brothers. But, it was only in 2002, when my album Ishqa Ishqa came out, that I learnt about Sufiana kalam. I then did a course at a Sufi commune. There, I realised Sufism is a way of living, and not a religion. I did the course a couple of more times, including once in Taiwan. Whirling around for two-and-a-half hours in front of the Pacific Ocean and going in a trance was a great experience. If my rendition is soulful, that’s because I believe in feeling the song, absorbing it, letting it become a part of my being and then emerge from within me. If I’ve been able to deliver a song without making it sound artificial, it’s all thanks to the music director’s faith in me. I feel blessed that people like my style of singing and my choice of song selection as well.
Has graduating in music given you an advantage over other singers?
I did my graduation in music because I wanted to devote more time to it. I remember, I was late for procuring admission and the principal of Gandharva Mahavidyalaya, who we call Bhaiji, asked me to meet the dean and take the entrance test. I got admitted on merit. I then learnt from Pt Amarnathji. I follow the Indore gharana. I never attended lectures in college. My base was strong, and I would perform at college events. I believe a university alone cannot produce an artiste. You need to have the yearning to learn to become one.
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You’ve sung for Vishal and Pritam the most. Who brings out the best in you?
Pritam loves my singing. I first worked with him soon after I got married. We did a few remix albums together in 1993-94. He has a great sense of melody, and his songs are also commercial. Though my version of Phir Le Aya Dil (Barfi!) was not in the film, it was received well. And, Vishal has heard me the maximum. He has known me since the 80s, and has seen me grow as an artiste. He knows how to push me to my limits; he doesn’t leave me until I deliver my best. He also gives me numbers that are tailor-composed for me. So, there’s no way I can compare the two.
Do you sit with Vishal when he works on music?
No, he does it all alone. But when he’s completed a piece and if I am in the studio, he asks my opinion or gets me to sing them.
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How do you feel when you don’t have a release for months?
When I don’t get work, I don’t feel restless because I believe when you put in efforts wholeheartedly, nobody can take your share of work. The various shows I do and my albums keep me busy.
Have you given composing a thought?
I used to compose ghazals when I was 15, but after being exposed to good music, thanks to my association with Vishal and other musicians, I’d stopped because I was not too happy with what I was doing. But, my guru says you must compose to grow as a musician. So, I come up with my own bandish (four-liners).
What’s your line-up like?
Recently, I sang classical and semi-classical-based Hindi songs for Srijit Mukherji’s Bengali film Rajkahini, which are composed by Indraadip Dasgupta.
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Listen to Rekha Bharadwaj songs on Gaana.com
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