Kunal Ganjawala: I'm okay being the voice of adult pop love songs

Back in 2004, Kunal Ganjawala's sensuous "Bheege honth tere" in the film "Murder" became a nationwide rage, and the singer became an overnight sensation. He followed it up with many more hits including "Yaar ko maine", after which he became the voice of "adult pop love songs in movies". He says he is comfortable with that.

He says he finds singing a sensual song tough. "There is always that fear of you can overdo the thing or if you are too shy or not comfortable, then you underplay it. I got 'Yaar ko maine' which is again (a sensuous song). Actors Neha Dhupia and Sonu Sood were in the video. I suddenly became that voice for so to say 'adult songs' and adult does not mean sexy. It means sensual. It means not bubblegum pop," Kunal told IANS.

"I suddenly became voice for adult pop love songs in movies. I am okay with that. I am comfortable with that," he added.

Talking about his ultimate sensuous song "Bheege honth tere", which not only put the spotlight on him but also on actors Emraan Hashmi and Mallika Sherawat, who featured in its video, Kunal said: "I was not the original singer for 'Bheege honth tere'. Mukesh (Bhatt) ji wanted someone else to sing it."

It was composer Anu Malik who made it all happen. Kunal was called to the studio to record the song.

"I got only one opportunity to sing this song. I sang it in one take and I was called in a very hush-hush way. Anuji said 'here's the tune, go quickly on the mic'. I assumed that he had confidence in me with what I was gonna do," he recalled.

Kunal recalls how he prayed to God before singing the song. Then, "Murder" producer Mukesh Bhatt heard it and told the singer: "You have created magic. You were not my original voice but I am very happy with what I have heard."

Back then, Kunal, who accidentally became a singer, didn't realise that "my life was going to change after 'Bheege honth tere'".

The man who belted out "O humdum soniyo re" went on to sing for movies like "Kaal", "Kya Kool Hai Hum", "Salaam Namaste" and "Krrish".

Now, the "Channa ve ghar aaja ve" is back with a new song "Pyaar ki baarish" -- a non-film number for Apeksha Music. It has lyrics and music by Faraaz Ahmed.

"It's a nice song. I was just coming out of my sabbatical (last year). I had also recorded 'Panipat' song also," he said.

At a time when music videos are all about the singer's voice and face, "Pyaar ki baarish" video has actors Manish Raisinghan and Alexius Macleod in it.

"I knew that Manish was gonna be in the video. I like him as an actor. He has a spark in him. He has a body language which is very cool. I was anyway not intending to push my way to be in the video because that was not the concept," said Kunal.

Eventually when he will do his own project, with him as a composer too, he will feature in those videos, he shared.

"When I'll do something, it will be different from what Kunal has been presented as. It may still be romatic or pop, it will definitely be different. When you will hear my music which will be produced by me, recorded by me, maybe written by me, but definitely composed by me, you will get to see a very different part of me," he promised.

(Natalia Ningthoujam can be contacted at natalia.n@ians.in)

Tags: Cinema, Showbiz, Bollywood