Toshi Sabri: Folk and Bollywood don't need each other to thrive

One of the popular composer duos in the block, Toshi-Sharib burst into the music scene with 'Maahi' ('Raaz The Mystery Continues'). Over the past eight years, the two have belted out several hit numbers and composed for popular films, including 'Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhaniya' ('Saturday Saturday', 'Samjhawan' and 'Emotional Fool') and 'Housefull 3' ('Pyar Ki'). The brothers' latest composition ' 'Resham Ka Rumaal' in 'Great Grand Masti' ' has been getting a positive response.Toshi, who has also sung the track that is based on Rajasthani folk song, says it is 'close to Toshi-Sharib's heart'. In a freewheeling chat, the singer-composer talks about how the song fell in place, his take on reality shows and how his fights with Sharib never last beyond 30 minutes, all the while referring to himself as 'Toshi-Sharib'.
'Resham Ka Rumaal' is not a recreated version
We've only used the hook of the song and come up with our own mukhda and antara. It's a new creation in terms of production and sound. We were born and brought up in Jaipur and have grown up listening to Rajasthani folk music. 'Resham Ka Rumaal' is a playful banna-banni shaadi song that's usually sung during the mehendi ceremony. The tune is peppy and we've always wanted to blend it in a Bollywood number. So, we recorded it a while ago for our bank. We heard that Indra Kumarji (director of 'Great Grand Masti') was looking for a naughty number for his film, something that's not a regular party track. So, we played our version and he liked what he heard.

Folk in Bollywood?
We used a folk song as base for 'Great Grand Masti' because the number was being shot in a palace and it would totally do justice to the flavour. Blending folk numbers in Bollywood just for the sake of it does not serve any purpose. We come from a rich musical gharana ' Saharanpur. My grandfather was a darbari singer and we are shagirds of pure Hindustani music. We are also greatly influenced by our rich folk tradition. But, we love listening to those songs in their original format ' singers belting them out without inhibitions and accompanied by folk instruments. Out of the 400-odd songs that Bollywood churns out every year, hardly four or five are folk-based. And that's fine because those few numbers get etched in our memories, like 'Balam Pichkari' (a holi song in UP) and 'Banno'. Folk and Bollywood don't need each other to thrive; both have their own place in music.
Life's biggest lesson
I've been singing since I was eight and the last 23 years have been a learning ground for me. We've faced many ups and downs, but we've learnt a lesson from everything. There were times when we struggled to get even a single show, but today, we can safely say we are treated like kings on stage. Earlier, we would get dejected if a producer or a director rejected a tune which we thought was beautiful. We now take these failures as a challenge; we've learnt to stick to our conviction and not go by formulae or trends.

Reality check
We've appeared in some popular reality shows and we respect the stage. But such shows just give you a platform to be recognised. But what next? If you are in the race, you have to deliver all the time. No one will say, 'I have seen you in that show, so make music for me.' Getting them to trust you is a big challenge. Yes, reality shows give you a platform, but there is a lot of competition and the audience's memory is short. However, passion for music will set you apart from others. Talented people have survived in the industry because of hard work.
Sibling rivalry
Sharib and I hardly disagree on lyrics or composition because we have faith in each other. Our fights are for silly reasons ' you took my car, you wore my shades! But it doesn't last for more than 30 minutes. When we sit together to make music, we don't even remember what the last argument was about.
Collaborating with other composers
It might sound funny, but one composer doesn't know who else is involved in the project until the album releases! But I love recording for other composers because it gives me a chance to broaden my horizon. I've recorded for about 17 songs in the South industry alone.
Listen to 'Toshi Sabri song' on Gaana.com