March 12, 2010 (Sampurn Wire): Jaidev Kumar, the music director, who garnered fans on the strength of his most celebrated song, Dil Le Gayi Kudi, now offers his latest work - Sukhmani - Hope of Life. He promises listeners a variety of flavours in his numbers, taking Punjabi music to another level. Overwhelmed by the fact that he was working with personalities like Gurdaas Maan and Juhi Chawla, Jaidev cannot thank them enough for their support.

What does music mean to you? Is it a family passion?

At the risk of sounding cliché, I would want to assert that music is my life, and I cannot live without it. I cannot express my passion in any other way. As far as my family is concerned, my father, K. Pannalal, was a well-known music director in the Punjabi Film Industry. My mother, Kiran Khatan, was also very closely associated with the world of music. Given the atmosphere that prevailed in my house, it is natural that music became a part of who I am.

Tell us about your journey so far.

Since I came from a musical family, I was always interested in doing something related to the field. I began my career as a guitarist, and eventually, became a part of the troupe associated with Gulam Ali and Chandan Das. I played the guitar for them for many years, and learned a lot from them. Later, I was fortunate to get an opportunity to assist Charanjeet Ahuja. I worked as an assistant music director with him, for almost 14 years. My first song, Dil Le Gaye Kudi, was released all over, and, if I am not mistaken, became a very big hit, a chartbuster. This was a morale booster for me, and the rest, as they say, is history.

What was it like to work on Sukhmani?

It was not an easy job at all. It was only because of the tuning I had with Gurdaas and Manjeet Maan, and the trust they have in me, that the project became a possibility. Manjeet always demands the best, and, as a producer, strives towards excellence. She has a very hatke taste in music, and it was my responsibility to give her something different. Gurdaas was always there to help and inspire me. The only thing that ran through my mind while I was working on this film, was the trust that the Maans had in me.

How is the music in this film different from other Punjabi films?

Sukhmani has the flavour of Bollywood. People usually associate excessive use of the dhol with Punjabi music. In this movie, I have used various musical instruments and combinations. For example, I have used the guitar and dhol for one of the romantic numbers. Each and every song has a different mood and style, although all of them are soulful compositions. What I am trying to say is that Sukhmani has taken Punjabi music to a whole new level. After listening to Sukhmani, listeners will change their pre-conceived notions of what Punjabi music sounds like.

You chose Juhi Chawla to sing in this film. Why not a professional singer?

We wanted to lend an authenticity to Juhi’s role in the film, and one way to do that was to make the songs sound real. Which is why I asked her to sing. Since she is such a famous Bollywood actress, I was prepared to accept whatever she could give us, and not waste too much time on the finer details. All my apprehensions about working with this legendary actress disappeared when I met her. Let me tell you, we were all surprised by her attitude towards the job. She is a great singer, and she does proper riyaaz with a tanpura. The quality of her voice is amazing. Even after we were done with the songs, Juhi was not satisfied with her work. She thought she could have done better. This attitude has humbled me. It was great working with her. Please tell her I feel privileged to have worked with her.

Tell us about Gurdaas Maan.

I had a great tuning with Gurdaas Maan and was comfortable working with him. In fact I think that every time you sit with “Paji’ (Gurdaas), you learn something new. He is my role model in whatever I do, and whoever I am. I never felt that I was working with a big shot, but with a normal person. He is very down to earth, and sometimes behaves like a little kid, literally. I have always wanted to work with Gurdaasji, and my dream has finally come true. This is my first recording with him. He puts his soul into his work, and drives himself to perfection, till he is satisfied with the output.

Who do you think is the best music director in the industry?

A. R. Rahman, undoubtedly. I admire the way his music speaks to the listener. He gives music and lyrics a different perspective, creating a mood that surprises even the most seasoned listener. What makes him special is the purity in his music. In comparison, I am a little fish in a big pond, and cannot imagine comparing myself to the big fish, like A. R. Rahman.

Tell us something about your future projects.

I am doing a couple of films - one is with Jasbir Jassi, untitled, and the other is Mel Kara De Rabba, starring Jimmy Shergil. I am also working on some albums, one of which is with T-Series, starring Harbhajan Singh. And I am looking forward to some more exciting projects.

-Tejashree Bhopatkar/ Sampurn Wire