Face Off with Gurdas Mann

Married?

Yes, for the last 19 years. To a doting wife who is an integral part of his life and his work.

Does singing come naturally to this jawan from Patiala — Giddar Baha to be precise?

"I didn’t have a plan to be anything." Neither did he have to train under anybody. None of the senior Manns ever sang, things just happened to him.

Did the lack of formal training ever bother him?

His retort — "Dilip saahab (he means Dilip Kumar) didn’t go to any institute." (Gulp!)

"I am what I am today only because of Him," says the devoted bhakt of not any one God in particular.

So he does acknowledge his rise to somebody after all?

`How else would a person trained in Physical Education become a singer?’, wonders Gurdas — not we. In God he trusts.

But surelysomething must have happened for him to find rang in raag?

Yes. He started crooning. A song, what else? In a programme called Jawan Tarang for Jalandhar Doordarshan. The air waves did the rest. They carried his voice not only all over Punjab but also across the border. "Music doesn’t require a visa," he says. And soon Gurdas Mann became a known voice in Punjab.

But what is it that made him famous outside Punjab?

This Punjab da puttar shot to fame with Dil Da Mamla, his first album. "It was a major hit. Leh-Laddakh were probably the only regions where my songs were not heard."

But crooning is not the only thing that Gurdas does. He also writes all his songs himself.

"I was into drama, into singing, was a poet and a dancer. I am a combination of all four. I could rely on myself for the songs." Gurdas also takes credit for starting the trend of solo shows. "Vulgar lyrics were in vogue when I began singing. People often advised me to take another singer, preferablya ladki, along. But I never compromised," he proudly announces.

But is that the reason why the number of his albums reduced suddenly?

Gurdas doesn’t reply in the positive. He prefers another composition of words that run to the effect — "I never compromised na…"

What does he think of the success stories of Daler Mehndi and other specimens of the genre of Punjabi pop music?

"I’ve known Daler for many years now. When I heard his cassette I told him that it would be a hit."

But does he ever feel insecure about his status in the industry?

"Nah, never." What else did you expect him to say? "I only fear God, nobody else. One generally feels insecure when that is not the case."

Was the God-fearing Gurdas scared to venture into the filmi duniya?

No he wasn’t. After all, he did act in Punjabi, Hindi and Tamil films — so what if they didn’t quite click. Later he kept getting offers for roles in B and C grade films. "I was already a star." — Oh! — "A starcouldn’t possibly do the rounds of the producers’ offices asking for better roles." Of course!

So that’s the reason he decided to make his own film, huh?

"Mein maboli ka deewana hoon (I love my mother tongue). I always wanted to make a film in Punjabi." His film, Shaheed-e-Mohabbat, slotted for an August 14 release, is a true love story set against the backdrop of the Indian film-makers’ favourite slice of history — the Partition.

Gurdas would obviously play the male lead, right?

Absolutely.Then it can’t be a commercial film?

"It’s a mix. What matters is that we’re presenting what we are presenting, honestly." Gurdas’ team spent a lot of time looking for locations before they decided on Manikpur Sharif, 15 km from Chandigarh. "The place should resemble Shahadra, Pakistan, where Buta Singh, the lead, was buried."

Didn’t he feel like investing in a commercial project to reap a fine profit?

"What is the guarantee that a commercial film will be a surehit?" asks Gurdas.

And what does he, the hero in the film, do?

"I play a character called Buta Singh, a Sikh, who falls in love with a Muslim girl and marries her. My film also focuses on a law that helped women belonging to various communities cross over to their choice of the side of the parting line."

Does the theme of the film leave any scope for Gurdas’ crooning?

Gurdas has made sure that he gets space as a singer too. And that’s not all; he has penned three songs for the film.

What is the Sardar singer-cum-poet-cum-actor-cum-dancer most likely to say?

"Mard wohi hain jo zamane ko badal dete hain."

And least likely to say?

He is least likely to talk about his inner thoughts. That is a secret between God and him.