Neeraj Shridhar, known for hit tracks like "Race" and "Love Aaj Kal", attributes much of his success to the title song of Bhool Bhulaiyaa. Before making his mark in Bollywood, he was already recognized as a composer and singer-songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist of the Indian pop-rock group Bombay Vikings. The band gained popularity with remix hits like Kya Soorat Hai, Woh Chali and Chhod Do Anchal. Lehren had a special conversation with Neeraj Shridhar around the time Woh Chali was about to release. Let’s revisit that flashback interview in the latest Lehren Podcast to know more about the making of Woh Chali, his musical journey and more. #neerajshridhar #wochaliwochali #bombayvikings #lehrenpodcast #podcast #lehren #flashback
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00:00He's going, he's going, see the love waves, do not stop it, he's going, he's going,
00:12no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, let's go, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no...
00:19cannot if you have no love for love, don't hurt me, it's not a remix.
00:26I won't do a remix, but what they say, I can't change their views.
00:32I couldn't sing. My eyes were falling apart.
00:35My mom told me that my mother was so shocked to sing.
00:41To the newcomers, it's not to go by the liking of the critics.
00:46Just follow your heart.
00:48That's it, that's it. What kind of album is it?
00:52If you say something about style, it's a very simple album.
01:04With very simple music, simple lyrics to it.
01:08And which is Hummepo, you know.
01:13And there's nothing else in it.
01:15Because today's time, there's no time for anyone to make so complicated music.
01:25I think I can also make, which takes the same amount of time as this one.
01:31Making an easy album is not easy.
01:37It takes time, it takes effort.
01:39There's also an art to make an easy album. Easy sounding album.
01:43So, I'm saying a lot about it.
01:47Simple album is a simple album.
01:49Music is also simple.
01:52Hummable.
01:53People are trying to do it.
01:55You know.
01:56How many songs are all about love.
01:59Nothing very complicated.
02:01Music is not complicated either.
02:03Complicated technically, yes.
02:06Very complicated, but theoretically, it's very simple.
02:11So this album is made so that there is no time for people to listen to the complicated music.
02:20It is a very simple album.
02:36Mr. Sayedhana is a very complicated album.
02:41How many songs are there?
02:43There are 9 songs.
02:46And one song is repeated again.
02:49I did not do it.
02:51There is a record company which is chosen.
02:54It should be repeated.
02:56They have done that.
02:58There will be some meaning of it.
03:02But there are 9 songs.
03:05There are 3 songs.
03:07I always say it is re-done.
03:09But people say it is a remix.
03:11Like, you know,
03:13What is the beauty?
03:15The kind of thing I did.
03:16I did it.
03:17I did it.
03:18I did it.
03:19And there is another song.
03:22That one I have re-done.
03:27And there is another song.
03:30Yeah.
03:31In English, they say, I love you.
03:34Something like that.
03:35Amitabh ji had sung that.
03:38On that.
03:39And that's all.
03:42The rest of the music is my own.
03:44And even in these, why I call them re-done is because music's form is my own.
03:54I have given it to myself.
03:56I have taken it straight from there.
03:58There is no system that you have made a remix.
04:02Words are there.
04:04The song is there.
04:06The song is there.
04:07It is only a melody.
04:09It is only a singing melody.
04:11It is also a song that you have made different things.
04:14It has made different things.
04:15It has made different things.
04:16The lyrics have been changed.
04:17And the moment you change the lyrics, it gives you.
04:20It gives different feel to the song.
04:23To the whole song.
04:24It does not remain the same song.
04:27Like, I will go.
04:28That is completely a different thing I have said here.
04:31You know.
04:32So, it needs to change the lyrics.
04:34The lyrics need to change the feel.
04:38It needs to change the lyrics.
04:40It needs to change the style.
04:42So, I will not say this remix.
04:44But what they say.
04:45I will not change their views.
04:49But, yeah.
04:50But still, it sounds good.
04:52To my ears, at least.
04:54Who is the music director of this album?
04:57It's me.
04:58All in all.
04:59I have written the lyrics.
05:04I have made the music.
05:06And I have recorded.
05:09Almost 90% of the instruments are played by me.
05:12And.
05:13And.
05:14And.
05:15And.
05:16And.
05:17I am myself family sound engineer.
05:19I have recorded.
05:21And.
05:22It's all in all.
05:23Like.
05:24You are doing the job.
05:25So.
05:26So.
05:27It feels good.
05:28Like.
05:29When.
05:30You are doing everything.
05:31So.
05:32The result.
05:33The result.
05:34The result.
05:35The result.
05:36The result.
05:37The result.
05:38The result.
05:39That's.
05:40The result.
05:41It's a different.
05:42When you are just singing.
05:43And.
05:44The result.
05:45The result.
05:46And.
05:47The result.
05:48That's.
05:49It means.
05:50That everything.
05:51Is being appreciated.
05:52Like.
05:53One.
05:54Something.
05:55That's.
05:56That's.
05:57It feels really good.
05:59I am really thrilled.
06:00That this album.
06:01Is doing well.
06:02And the people are liking it.
06:03It feels great.
06:04Is.
06:05Who is the director of this album?
06:07Video director.
06:08Video director.
06:09Raju Khan.
06:10Soroj Khan Ji.
06:11Dete.
06:12Or.
06:13He is a great guy.
06:14We are good pals.
06:15Actually.
06:16The whole thing.
06:17Started off.
06:18From.
06:19You know.
06:20Thinking about.
06:21Kya surat hai.
06:22What happened.
06:23That.
06:24I have never shown myself.
06:25Properly.
06:26Any video.
06:27So.
06:28People started saying.
06:29That.
06:30You.
06:31You.
06:32Not so badly.
06:33You.
06:34You.
06:35Not so badly.
06:36You.
06:37Not so bad looking.
06:38You can also be.
06:39On a.
06:40In a video.
06:41I said.
06:42No.
06:43No.
06:44I don't want to do that.
06:45But.
06:46You know.
06:47The time comes.
06:48When.
06:49Even you feel.
06:50That it's time.
06:51To.
06:52Show yourself.
06:53To your fans.
06:54And to the rest of the people also.
06:55So.
06:56So we decided.
06:57From.
06:58From.
06:59Universal.
07:00Music.
07:01And.
07:02He said to me.
07:03No.
07:04We got to have a video on you.
07:05And I also felt.
07:06Very strongly about it.
07:07So.
07:08They said that.
07:09Now this time.
07:10We.
07:11We.
07:12We are trying to show here.
07:13Is.
07:14That it's not the video.
07:15Which.
07:16Sells.
07:17Music.
07:18Sells.
07:19It's.
07:20It sells.
07:21So the video is very simple.
07:22As you know.
07:23As you know.
07:24As you know.
07:25As you know.
07:26As you know.
07:27As you know.
07:28As you know.
07:29As you know.
07:30Of course.
07:31I have to sit.
07:32There is no.
07:33It's simple kind of.
07:34A video.
07:35And.
07:36It's the music.
07:37People pay more attention.
07:38To.
07:39To the lyrics.
07:40To.
07:41To the song.
07:42To the music.
07:43So I think.
07:44I.
07:45Like it.
07:46I like it.
07:47I like it. And I like it because I'm there also.
07:52Could you sing for us,
07:53You want me to sing that?
07:55Yeah, you can do that.
07:58Okay, let's do it.
07:59You want to sing along with me?
08:17You want me to sing along with me?
08:22You want me to sing along with me?
08:24You want me to sing along with me?
08:27You want me to sing along with me?
08:31Oh, I like it.
08:34She's found the love that's real.
08:37Now her wounded heart is healed.
08:40Finally, finally,
08:43Oh, I like it.
08:45Leaving all her tears behind
08:48Only love's on her mind
08:51Finally, finally
08:55Thank you
08:57Being your album has written the lyrics, music, and your songs
09:02Do you have a personal favorite song that you are close to the heart?
09:08Actually, that song is close to my heart
09:14And there are two songs that I love
09:21One song called Baby, Once You Listen To My Heartbeat
09:25That is also very close to my heart
09:28This is not a song that I love you
09:33It's just a feel like
09:35Now, I've been in love also
09:37So, you know
09:39Certain songs which really touch your heart a lot
09:43There is a lot
09:44There is a lot
09:45There is something that happens
09:48That is something that is connected to your life
09:50It's not completely connected to your life
09:52It is because it's that way
09:54I feel that I am close to my life
09:57So, these two songs are close to me
10:02They are close to my heart
10:09You said that music is simple music
10:11So, what kind of music does it play?
10:13I mean
10:14I mean
10:15I mean
10:16Whatever, Western music
10:17Western music
10:18See
10:20I have a very good question
10:22I have asked a question
10:24It's just that
10:25Some people think that
10:28I don't have any fusion
10:30Of Indian music
10:32With Western music
10:33I have no other album
10:35I have no other album
10:36I have no other album
10:37I have no other album reviews
10:38I have no other album
10:39I have no other album
10:41People didn't write so
10:42Very good about it
10:43That it's going to be
10:44They thought that it's going to be a flaw
10:47So, my suggestion to the newcomers
10:52I'm sorry
10:53I'm going away from the question
10:56It's very important
10:57That's why
10:58To the newcomers
11:00Is not to go by the
11:03The liking of the critics
11:05Just follow your heart
11:07You like something?
11:08Just do it
11:09And it will become a hit
11:11I assure you that
11:12Do it with all your heart
11:14It will become a success
11:16People
11:17Whatever they think
11:18Just don't bother about it
11:19So, back to
11:21The thing
11:22You see
11:24Music
11:26Fusion
11:27It's not that
11:29I can't do that
11:30I can do it also
11:33And I think
11:34I'll be able to
11:35Handle that
11:36Very well
11:39But
11:40I don't want to do that
11:42Because then
11:43I'll become another one
11:44Following the stream
11:45Every Tom, Dick and Harry
11:46Is doing that
11:47And
11:48I am very close to
11:50Western music
11:51Every form of music is good
11:52There's nothing bad
11:53I mean
11:54Okay
11:55I'm Indian
11:56Or
11:57Hardcore Indian
11:58I love my country
11:59I love
12:00It's music
12:01But
12:02But I happen to go into
12:03Western
12:04Music also
12:05And I like it
12:06There's nothing wrong
12:07About it
12:08I mean
12:09People used to wear
12:10Different Indian clothes
12:11Outfits
12:12Now we wear jeans
12:13And we wear different
12:14And they are Western
12:15Clothes
12:16We like them
12:17We feel very comfortable
12:18In them
12:19And the same way
12:20I feel comfortable
12:21Playing Western music
12:22So
12:23I think
12:24This is good
12:26That
12:27I will do
12:28Westernized
12:29People have done
12:31And they have succeeded
12:33Up to some point
12:34But here I am giving
12:35Completely Western music
12:36And
12:38I will fusion
12:39the next album and I could fusion
12:40and I'll show it to people that
12:42yes, I can do this also.
12:44You know, there's no problem about it.
12:46But I have kept this album very western
12:48and even my last album also.
12:50So I've kept it completely western.
12:54And I think there is a sweetness in that also.
12:58You know, because you have some Indian elements somewhere.
13:00You know, they're heard.
13:03You can feel them.
13:05So I feel like a good thing
13:07and I feel like a good sound
13:10and I'll do it in the same way.
13:12I'll make the whole album in this way.
13:15So in the next album, I'll make a little change.
13:17Actually, I'll do that.
13:18I don't like sticking to one form of music.
13:22All singing came as a profession.
13:27I was a profession.
13:28I couldn't sing from my childhood.
13:30I couldn't sing.
13:31I had tears of tears.
13:32My mom told me.
13:33My mother told me that
13:35I couldn't sing.
13:37I couldn't sing.
13:38So I don't know.
13:39Somehow I managed.
13:42So professionally,
13:44I had a lot of fun.
13:45I used to hold myself back.
13:46I'd say,
13:47I'll do it again.
13:48I'll do it again.
13:49I'll do it again.
13:50I'll do it again.
13:51I'll do it again.
13:52I'll do it again.
13:53I'll do it again.
13:54I'll do it again.
13:55And then I'll do it again.
13:56After doing it,
13:57I've had a lot of time.
13:59Professionally,
14:00in a way,
14:01like college,
14:02we used to go and play
14:03in the college festivals,
14:04like winter festivals
14:05and stuff like that.
14:06And we used to get handsome money
14:08in those years.
14:09Pretty good money.
14:10So,
14:11you could call it like professional,
14:12but I call it semi-professional.
14:14So,
14:15hardcore professional music line
14:17when I went to Sweden.
14:18So,
14:19I said,
14:20I'm leaving everything.
14:22I left my job.
14:23This is what I'm going to do.
14:25Full time.
14:27It took a little while.
14:28It took 2-3 years.
14:29It took me to Sweden.
14:30It took me to Sweden.
14:31It took me 2-3 years.
14:32And now,
14:33everything is going.
14:34It's good.
14:35People give me jobs.
14:36They say,
14:37can you do this?
14:38Can you do that?
14:39Feels good.
14:41Thank you so very much.
14:42And it's nice being with you all.
14:44Bye.
14:59Bye.