'Bulleya' singer Shilpa Rao: Why do I have to say a yes or a no to the Pak ban?

When singer Shilpa Rao lent her mellifluous voice to the soulful indie-folk song 'Paar Chana De', composed and sung by Noori, at a televised live studio-recorded music show in Pakistan, she became the first Indian artist to perform in the popular show. She admits that it was a dream come true situation for her. She roamed around the streets of Lahore gorging on kebabs that had a very distinct taste from what she had in India.She was awed by the hospitality of Pakistanis and about whom she learnt that they closely follow Bollywood films and songs. But it was in May end, a few months before the Uri attack ��� that soured Indo-Pak relations ��� took place.
When asked if she supports the ban on Pakistani artists or not, she refused to give a monosyllabic answer and explained, "Why am I supposed to choose between a ���yes��� and a ���no���? It is hard times. I don���t think anybody is happy about it. At any given point of time, any artist���s motive is to bring peace with their art form and we will always try and do that. We wish we have better relations in future, not just with Pakistan but every country possible."
When prodded further, she said, "Every time has its own protocol. Right now, safety of our jawans is our priority. But as an artist, how are we supposed to contribute to the society? I can���t be at the war front, but I can give people hope with my music. If my music gives our jawans some courage, I would always do that." To make her stand clearer, she added, "I went to Pakistan and was well-treated. Others artists may have a different story to tell. Each person has their own way of looking at life. If now the situation requires involving the question of army and national security, we need to go by what the priority is. You need to judge the gravity of the situation and act accordingly. This ('Ae Dil Hai Mushkil') is not the last movie the industry is making. There will be peace in the future." On the ���mushkil��� that the film is now facing in many states before its release, she said, "Bahut logon ki mehnat lagi hai iss film mein. Ab kya kar sakte hain except hoping that people get to see it."
The singer is happy about her song 'Bulleya' from 'Ae Dil Hai Mushkil' drawing inspiring feedback and thinks lyricist Amitabh Bhattacharya has outdone himself with the song. She said, "I have always believed that be it a short story or a slogan, everything is part of literature and with Bob Dylan winning the Noble Prize, it is a great time for songwriters." While Bob Dylan said, "For the times they are a-changin", Shilpa hopes they do change.
Listen to the songs of Shilpa Rao on Gaana.com