Sonu Nigam and music are inseparable – like soulmates. Even though the singer has had a knee surgery and is recuperating, he’s on song. His most recent renditions – the soulful Dard from Sarbjit, the sentimental Tu hi na jane from Azhar and the romantic Tere bin from Wazir are ruling the airwaves. More than two decades in showbiz, Sonu continues to be the voice of the age and pride of music boutiques. “My cartilages had been damaged due to extreme performances and trekking. I had to take a break to treat them. I’ve been on bed rest for almost four months. There are still six more to go. But I’ve recorded around 20 songs by now, two of which were Dard and Tu hi na jaane,” says the singer who’s glad to have hit a chord with his fans even as he’s convalescing. “Really, what more could one want?” asks he with a smile. His new hit single, Crazy Dil, which features Rajkumar Hirani, Kailash Kher, Farah Khan, Sunil Grover and nine-year-old son Nevaan has also created a stir over the internet. “Today CDs are out of fashion. The hits on YouTube bring in revenue. Maybe, this is the need of the hour. The world releases and relishes music this way,” says Sonu who’s all for reinvention and being in tune with the times.
Parallel to his growth as a performer, has been his constant endeavour to evolve as a person. One thing Sonu definitely steers clear from is negativity. This he believes has helped him survive the troughs of his profession. Every challenge, for him, brings in precious life goals. “I’ve changed completely from what I was 30 years back,” he reflects. “After this surgery I’ve learnt to be self-reliant. This period has granted me time to be with myself. And when you introspect, you wonder whether you’re going in the right direction or not. Somewhere, I’m unburdening myself,” he says philosophically. He asserts that contentment is far greater than success. “Around 2004-2005, I wanted to move further ahead though I was already on the top. If you’re not satisfied and you want more and more, it’s your failing. If you conquer Mount Everest and still want to climb higher, it’s sheer foolishness.” Another life-changing experience, he shares, was the passing away of his dear mother, the late Shobha Nigam in 2013. “I stopped fearing death after she passed away. A person who does not fear death stays neutral to the dread of defeat or the joy of success. When your birth is not in your hands, how much control can you have on your life?” he asks.
Sonu began his career at the age of four when he joined his father and singer Agam Kumar Nigam to sing Mohammed Rafi’s Kya hua tera vada (Hum Kisise Kum Naheen). Since then he has dabbled with every genre – pop rock, ghazals, film music, classical and more. At 40 plus, he’s known across the continents, his stage shows and concerts connecting with diverse audiences. He regards shows as a great form of creative expression for both singers and composers. “Today, composers are also performers. So singers now have composers, in addition to other singers, as competition. Since there is no concrete royalty system in place for singers and composers, concerts is the only way to prosper. The more hit songs you have, the better your market is in the concert business. Thus there’s bound to be fierce competition for singing hit songs in films. That’s why unlike the past, my audience cannot expect me to be a regular mainstream singer,” he says explaining the changing dynamics in the playback industry. The music industry has witnessed other trends as well. What he doesn’t approve of is the practice of getting several singers to sing one song on a trial-and-error basis and finally recording the song with just one of them. “It’s sad. I don’t agree with this. It hurts people. As a composer, you should be able to judge how the song would sound in a particular singer’s voice,” he states.
He elaborates on how times have changed and with it the technique of recordings, “I’ve worked with veterans like Salil Chaudhary, Anil Biswas, Laxmikant-Pyarelal, Usha Khanna... in the past. I’ve sung songs with120 people in a studio. Each song was like a festival. Today everyone sings in isolation. Even the musicians are not present,” says he. Nevertheless, he points out that thanks to technology, the sound quality has bettered. “Today you can hide your flaws with the help of software. But nothing compares with live music. It’s the litmus test,” says he.
He’s all praise for the new breed of talent. “Arijit Singh, Amaan Malik, Aishwarya Nigam, Mohammad Irfan, Javed Ali, Benny Dalal, Palak, Monali Thakur, are highly talented. They work hard. But the life of singers and songs has become short. Every singer has to persevere to maintain his/her quality. I’m not that gifted. But I’ve worked on myself,” he says with humility. He also differentiates with film music then and now. “Today, music is a vehicle to launch and promote films. The album is made to include all genres Sufi, Punjabi, disco... Earlier, composers like R D Burman, Madan Mohan and others made music for posterity. Maybe, hits on YouTube are the need of the hour,” he muses.
Through the years, he’s developed deep friendships with his colleagues. “Raju Singh, Wajid, Sandeep Chowta and Jeet Gannguli are my friends. Talat Azizji and Suresh Wadkarji, my seniors, are friends as well,” he shares. He does concede that relationships are difficult to maintain in showbiz. “You cannot be friends with everybody. Over the years, I made a lot of friends and lost a lot of them too. I believe when someone loses me, he just doesn’t lose an artiste, he loses a true friend as well.”
The conversation shifts to his family and Sonu is glad that the downtime has given him uninterrupted leisure time with son Nevaan – his source of unadulterated joy. “My son gives me happiness. I like his innocence, his truthfulness. He makes me a better person,” he smiles. A staunch believer in individualism, Sonu wants Nevaan to follow his own path. “Nevaan is a good singer. But we don’t pressurise him to do anything in life. He’s intelligent but if he doesn’t study we will not pressurise him,” he states. “Actually, we adults don’t teach our kids to be happy. We only goad them on to achieve something. The atmosphere confuses them and makes them feel insecure. I want my son to be happy... just as I am. I want my son to look at life with a positive attitude,” he opines. “You needn’t be the richest person to be happy. The richest men on earth may not be the happiest ones. If you have a decent amount of money, then enjoy your life. See the world, do yoga, meditate...” he says about life being beyond tangible achievements.
He gives credit to wife Madhurima for being understanding and giving him the space needed for an artiste. “I give her a lot of liberty and space too. She has started acting in plays. Her show Selfie is doing well. She’s a wonderful mother too. She’s given us a good home.” On a lighter note he says, “The concept of marriage needs to be reworked upon. A marriage should be time bound. Or else people start taking each other for granted. If marriages are for a short duration, then the partners will respect and value each other. Marriage kills love. You become like brother and sister. The promo promises something but the film turns out to be something else. You go to watch a comedy and it turns out to be a horror film!” he laughs.
Truly, Sonu’s had a chequered life. “I’ve faced so many controversies. How you handle them is what matters. Being an artiste is not enough. What also counts is having courage, being humane and holding a capacity to correct yourself. That reflects on your career as well,” he says. Ask him what he desires most and he answers betraying a Sufi slant, “I’d just like to thank God for everything. I do not wish to ask God for anything more. Kya laaye the, kya lekar jaaoge?” The attitude of gratitude couldn’t have been better illustrated.