Shreya Ghoshal on working with Sanjay Leela Bhansali for Sukoon, says he has a ‘revolutionary’ mind: ‘There is never a creative lull’

Praising Bhansali, she says, “Any work that he does, he puts his heart and passion into it. As a composer, he has been doing some amazing work in his films. I have sung so many songs for him as a director and music director, and it was a high time he came out with an album. A lot of it was brewing for a long time. I think he was waiting to come out with something like this. The pandemic was the right time, and it felt timely.”

For Ghoshal, Sukoon is an ‘important step’ for the music fraternity, as it comes in the wake of the pandemic. “The pandemic gave us perspective about life, and we all took a break. My way of working, thinking and leading my life has changed since the pandemic. We needed to listen to music that makes you feel something and not just dance—not just reels. I have grown up in that kind of time where we used to listen to albums all day. We have had that privilege, somewhere that privilege is getting lost. We don’t sit and listen to music anymore. Sukoon is an important step for the music fraternity.”

Shreya Ghoshal’s relationship with Sanjay Leela Bhansali can be traced back to 20 years ago, when he ‘discovered’ her on the show Sa Re Ga Ma. “It has been 20 years of my journey—as old as my debut which was with him. He saw me in Sa Re Ga Ma and gave me my debut song.” Calling the filmmaker one of the most ‘genuine’ people she has met, Ghoshal asserts that Bhansali doesn’t believe in ‘validation’ from people and there is never a creative lull with him. She also added that he doesn’t compromise on his vision. “There will never be another Sanjay Leela Bhansali, but we need more Sanjay Leela Bhansalis, who will change the tides and make the right kind of cinema,” she says.

Though she has an illustrious journey of more than two decades, Ghoshal isn’t keen on looking back. ”I don’t think about my success, I just keep singing, main peeche mudke nahin dekti hoon. I like all kinds of music and I enjoy being in the studio. I enjoy singing profound songs, Chikni Chameli, South songs.”

Speaking about the current state of the music industry, Shreya Ghoshal says, “Our music industry is full of variety, because of so many different languages. I think music has been evolving every year. When I started recording for Devdas, we did not even have smartphones. The way we are listening to songs, has changed. It changed so fast. Somewhere we are pressurised and the songs are becoming shorter. And that’s why we need revolutionary minds like Sanjay Leela Bhansali.” Ghoshal says that the lulls and highs are all part of an ongoing cycle. “There’s lull and there will be protests and there will be sudden successes like Pathaan,” she says.