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Journalism of Courage
IF you8217;re wondering why every singer worth his or her salt is doing a Sam Fox or a Tom Jones if you please, for the big screen, no one spells it out better than composer Anand Raaj Anand. 8216;8216;An item number is the engine of the film,8217;8217; says the man who had Malaika Arora Khan revving male hearts with her pole-dance in Mahi Ve from Kaante.
In fact, Richa Sharma who rendered the number had no clue that it would turn out to be the next sizzler. 8216;8216;I8217;d sung it with so much dard pain and rooh soul thinking it was a sad number, but when I saw women in minimal clothing moving around a pole, it was quite a shock,8217;8217; she laughs.
Now, they all know what goes into the siren-call that draws the frontbenchers. 8216;8216;The notes in most item songs are easy, but it8217;s all about the singer8217;s attitude,8217;8217; says Sunidhi Chauhan, the formula number supremo. She has more than six new items lined up, including Jism,picturised on Maria Goretti for Shashank Ghosh8217;s Waisa Bhi Hota Hai. Chauhan8217;s voice has set the benchmark for upcoming singers such as Gayatri Iyer who crooned oomph in Mohabbat Hai Mirchi from Chura Liya Hai Tumne with Shaan. 8216;8216;Composers are actually writing songs with her vocal range in mind,8217;8217; says Iyer.
All agree that the singer has to be bindaas about the track. 8216;8216;Imagine singing a nautanki like a demure bride,8217;8217; says Sandilya.
While Sophia8217;s sinuous writhing in Maar Gayo Re from the film Sandhya raised mercury levels, Iyer8217;s unconventional voice set recording studios on fire. The 25-year-old management graduate from IIM Lucknow confesses that she dropped a corporate shark career to get behind the mike. 8216;8216;But I wish composers could find a middle path for voices like mine. I don8217;t have a thin, high-pitched voice that8217;s perfect for light singing.8217;8217; And true to voice, her track line-up includes Rakshash Rock from the yet-to-be-released Rudraksh and Dil Daara from Chupke Se.
Incidentally, Iyer and her fianceacute; Kunal Ganjawalla are a hot item too. The Elphinstone college alumni made waves with O Humdum Suniyo re from Saathiya. He has items in Rules Pyar Ka Superhit Formula and Vashu Bhagnani8217;s yet-to-be-released Bissat. 8216;8216;An item can be very male too and it8217;s been happening right from the time of Shammi8217;s Aao Twist Kare,8217;8217; says the man who8217;s sung chart-topping remixes such as Ghoongta and Bindu.
Of the newer lot, there8217;s Sowmya Raoh, 30, who8217;s a part of the Sandeep Chowta crew. Raoh8217;s taken the item plunge with Laila Laila from Samay, picturised on a belly dancer who was specially flown down from London for the number.
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Another Chowta prodigy Sonu Kakkar has found a place in the item number hall of fame, after her sassy, liquid-fire playback debut in Babuji from Dum. 8216;8216;I don8217;t care if it8217;s an item number or a romantic song, I just want to keep singing,8217;8217; says the 19-year-old.
Ever wondered who else catapulted to the altar of Bollywood pop with Harry Anand8217;s Kaanta Laga remix? Assamese singer Shashwati Phukan. 8216;8216;Given a chance, I8217;ll prove that I can deliver a slow ballad too, but I love the fact that people go crazy on the dance floor to my numbers,8217;8217; says the Loot Gaye Mumbai Matinee singer.
For now, Phukan8217;s ditty kitty has two more masala tracks lined up8212;Jugnoo Ki Payal Bandhi Hai picturised on Reema Sen from Aan and Haseen Hoon, Namkeen Hoon, Jawan Hoon Main from Jab Pyaar Mein Do Dil Milte Hain.
Item acts are also a scream at concerts. 8216;8216;Why would any singer refuse an item number when that8217;s all he8217;s expected to sing at shows?8217;8217; asks Chowta. Phukan, who has been offered at least 20-25 shows this year, reveals that the singers rake in the big bucks at concerts. 8216;8216;Depending on how big a hit your items are, you8217;re offered anything between two to two and a half lakhs per show,8217;8217; she says. In fact, post Kaliyon Ka Chaman and Kaanta Laga she8217;s upped her playback commission from Rs 2,000 to Rs 10,000. Irrespective of whether the track is the engine or the tail-piece, the money8217;s the same in playback.
8220;Even though I8217;ve sung so many beautiful ballads, the crowd insists that I sing Mohabbat Hai Mirchi,8217;8217; rues Shaan. Adds singer KK remember Ding Dong Ding: 8216;8216;It8217;s good to have a couple of these songs to your name and there8217;s no fear really of being branded an item singer.8217;8217; In fact, he has a few more chartbusters in the offing including Dilli Ki Sardi from Zameen and the recently released Surat Pe Teri from Footpath.
Some items set the film promos on fire. As was the case of Jo Dar Gaya set to music by Salim-Sulaiman for Ramgopal Varma8217;s Darna Mana Hai. Though Salim believes that pre-constructed songs meant to create a hype around the film, leaving no scope for experimentation for the musicians, are a bad idea.
Singers such as Abhijeet, who belong to the old balladbusters school, claim that they would never touch an item track. 8216;8216;Music directors dare not approach me with these compositions,8217;8217; he says. These chart-toppers don8217;t work for vintage music makers such as Naushad either. 8216;8216;Folk and classical music has been coffinised8212;there8217;s no sign of the tabla, sarangi or the jal tarang,8217;8217; he spits out.
But it8217;s no longer about slow serenading. It8217;s about pushing up the tempo, with some brows. It8217;s about rhythm and body. The soul can wait.
