Dream Duet

Singer-turned-composer Shankar Sahney on how he convinced Asha Bhosle to sing ghazals with him.

AS a young boy in Chandigarh,Shankar Sahney would keep the radio on. The voices of legendary Bollywood playback singers,he says,would soothe his senses. He would often dream of meeting them,perhaps even work with them. So,when he got the chance of recording an album with Asha Bhosle,he gave it his best shot,and convinced a “very skeptical” Bhosle to sing with him,and ghazals at that. “Initially,she was not interested at all. She said that she only sang special songs and had offers for many albums,” recalls Sahney. He persisted,for he had heard her sing along with ghazal maestro Ghulam Ali nearly 20 years ago and it stayed with him. “One would always like to sing with a popular and golden voice like that of Ashaji,” he says. Finally,she agreed,and Sahney turned music director for the first time for the album. Titled Wari Jawan Ishqe,it won the Best CD of the Year at Global Film Festival Awards for 2012 held in Noida. At a press conference held recently in Mumbai,Bhosle announced that she would like to work with him again.

Sahney,who has to his credit 32 albums (Hindi,Punjabi and religious),100 music videos and concerts across the world,has his hands full with music direction. “There is Bloody D,Democrazy,Maa,Poison,Wake Up India and Dharna Unlimited,” he shoots off the titles. “When it comes to films,one has to be ready with a hundred compositions,always be in touch with lyricists for the right words and songs,because producers look for variety,” says Sahney.

He adds how three songs are a must in the movie business — the item number,the Sufi number and the situational song. “Once you get these in order,half your work is done,” he says.

Born into a musical family,Sahney is a proponent of Kirana Gharana and was initiated in the world of music at age three by his father,Tej Bahadur Sahney,head of the music department,Government College,Chandigarh.