Mika Singh never wanted to be a singer, took up Bollywood as a challenge: ‘Saawan Mein Lag Gayi didn’t matter to me’

However, Mika Singh recreated the song for the 2020 films Indoo Ki Jawani and Ginny Weds Sunny. And, this time he had a different approach. “Original sounded good at that point of time. But since I didn’t pay much attention to the song then, I did it properly in the recreated versions,” Mika shared, while adding that he feels lucky to be re-doing his old song.

“These days, singers who have been in the industry for 20 years are not getting to sing songs. Their originals are being used instead of getting dubbed again. But I am lucky to be re-doing my song after 22 years,” Mika said.

Mika Singh is now a successful playback singer in the Hindi film industry. But Bollywood didn’t happen to him because he was passionate about becoming a playback singer. He was doing well with his Indi-pop albums. But then someone told him, ‘Bollywood bada mushkil hai, vahan tikna bohot mushkil hai. (Bollywood is very tough. It is difficult to survive there.)’ So, Mika accepted the challenge and not only did he enter the Hindi film industry, but ‘conquered’ it too. And, today, he is ready for challenges.

Mika said, “Today, if someone tells me that Hollywood is very tough, I will go and make songs there as well. I am confident I will conquer that too. That is how I am. Earlier, when people used to tell me singing is difficult, leave it, I proved them wrong and became a hit singer. Then the next challenge came that I have not done any song with AR Rahman, so I took it on.”

The singer, who turns 45 on Friday, sums up his journey in the music industry in one word — ‘beautiful’. “I achieved a lot of things quite early in life which I don’t think any singer achieved in history. I got loved for my songs more than I deserved. In 2006, I was offered Bollywood songs, and by 2012, gaanon ki baarish hi lag gayi. I have no regrets in life,” Mika remarked.

Mika credits his success to his elder brother and popular singer Daler Mehndi. At the beginning of his career, Mika was a member of Daler’s crew, and he felt his brother was a ‘perfectionist’.

He shared, “Daler Mehndi ji was a package when he came into the industry. He was a perfectionist. He was a singer who danced well, wore good clothes, looked good and performed well. He was a good composer and writer as well. He had all these qualities, and I have inherited these qualities from him. Today, it is very important for me to wear good clothes when I am on stage. It is because of him that I have reached where I am today.”

Today, Mika Singh projects himself as a ‘king’ who lives life on his terms. Singer Shaan, his close friend and host of the upcoming reality show Swayamvar – Mika Di Vohti, feels Mika might come across as a brash and spoilt man, but he is a “sensitive human being”. Shaan said, “He is somebody who would care for you if you are around him even if he doesn’t know you personally.”

And, probably this is why the singer is deeply affected by the death of fellow singer Sidhu Moose Wala and wants other singers in Punjab to speak up if they are receiving any death threats.

Talking about Moose Wala’s death, Mika said, “What happened to him is not right. I have not seen any terrorist being killed in the way that Sidhu was killed. I just want to tell people to come out of their fake lives. Many singers are not posting about him on Instagram. But they should raise their voice and share if they are also facing any such threats. If you will sit quietly, who will speak? How will the government take action?”

Mika Singh has decided to not have grand celebrations on his 45th birthday in the wake of singers KK and Sidhu Moose Wala’s demise.