Josh and Speed

Speedy Singhs might not have made a splash at the box office,but its team anthem is a huge hit. With more than 50,000 hits in the first five days on YouTube,and still counting — Rup aka Rupinder Magon and Q aka Qurram Hussain,the Canadian music duo who go by the name Josh — are ecstatic. Not only has their debut playback song rocked it online,Rup’s comic capers in the film have also won him adulation.

But before we get in the Josh pit,here’s a little lowdown on the two: the first time their music entered the Indian soundscape,Josh had everyone tuned in. The boys from Canada hit the right note in 2001 with Main Hoon Tanha. In 2004,their track Kabhi turned out to be a huge international hit. By that time,the band of four had come down to two: Rup and Q. Initially,Rup’s brother and Q’s brother were also part of the band,now it’s just the two of them.

Four chart-topping albums,including the irresistible desi twist to Nelly Furtado’s numbers — Powerless,Promiscuous and Maneater — the boys are now back with their first playback for Speedy Singhs.

For those who still have to tune into the track,Rup and Q are the voice behind the fun number,Chaddee Waley Yaar,composed by Meet Brothers and written by Kumaar,which is being dubbed as team Speedy Singhs’ anthem.

“Chaddee Waaley Yaar is a uniquely written song,with a lot of playfulness to it. It manages to put a smile on everyone’s face and is also the essence of the film,since it’s inspiring,” says Q. “It has got the whole chaddee-buddy feel to it,” says Rup,who has also made his debut appearance in the film,adding,“I always had the acting bug in me,and when I got the chance to play Jassi,a comedian and a Speedy Singhs ice hockey team member in the film,I said ‘why not’.”

Like everyone on board,Rup had to master the stick and that too on ice. “It’s funny how all these years of staying in Canada,we did not play the sport even once,” says Rup. However,he has played field hockey for the under-21 team in Canada,while his father was part of Kenya’s hockey team. He says that very few Asians get to play ice hockey. “It is dominated by Canadians and immigrants. Our parents never really enrolled us into the sport,” says Rup,still nursing the bruised elbows and knees from all that practice and shooting,and insists on thanking his coach,Ankita Singh,for making it happen. An unforgettable experience,Rup confesses he has a renewed appreciation for actors and the profession.

“I never gave them the credit they deserve. I always thought acting was an easy job,” he says. For Rup,the moving from music to movies was a humbling experience,being in the company of veterans such as Akshay Kumar,Russell Peters,Rob Lowe and Anupam Kher. “We were so used to having the spotlight on Josh all the time,” he says,as Q catches up and talks about their latest album,Beyond Kismat.

“When you go against the norms,beyond your parents’ dream to see you as an engineer or a doctor,then life is a struggle,” says Q,reflecting on their career,and how they decided to never really stick to any genre by being adventurous with music. And that’s what makes them different. “We started in 1997,and we’ve had our ups and downs. We are not millionaires yet,but most of our richness comes from music,” say Q and Rup,as they wrap up and set out to catch their flight back to Canada.