You started your career as an actor. How did singing and composing music for films happenIJ
Manmeet: We had always been singing even when we (Harmeet and I) were actors. We had done theatre so acting was the next step. But singing was always a part of our lives. We never gave up on it. Due to the success of our single Jogi Singh Barnala Singh from the album Boond, we switched from acting to music. Then we got a chance to compose the music for Do Dooni Chaar and we grabbed the chance. Since then there has been no looking back.
Why compose music for vulgar songsIJ
Harmeet: I agree that some lyrics are unacceptable. But when a producer or a director tells you that the the wordings of the song are situational, it becomes difficult for a music composer to sit on a high horse. Also, the young generation identifies with such words. It is not as if we are independent singers who write and compose our own songs and take out an album. If we were, we could have taken a high moral ground. But composing songs for Bollywood is different. We have to go with what is being demanded from us.
This means that you are compromisingIJ
Manmeet: In some ways we are. Most music composers don’t like doing songs that have cheap lyrics. But like Harmeet said, if the producer says that the songs demands it, we have no option. Take for example the song ‘I want to sleep with you’. The director said this was the demand of the film and the song. One may not like it, but one is here to work.
What makes your music so different from othersIJ
Harmeet: We ensure that our songs have melody. It all begins with choosing a hook. For example, in the song from Singh is Bling, the hook is Dil kare chu che. While one may not remember the entire song, these words will settle in your head. The same goes for songs like Baby doll and Chittiyaan kalaiyaan. Unlike the songs in the 80s and 90s which were all about lyrics and melody, today they have to be dance numbers — for weddings, a disco or even a birthday party.
Is it very difficult to compose music for movies todayIJ
Manmeet: There was a time when there was a lot of emphasis on the lyrics. Today, the focus is on the beat, the music and the melody. There are remixes and raps. Producers and directors want songs that keep on playing on the chartbusters or at least remain in the top 20 for weeks if not months. Every music director wants this song to be played again and again. In that sense, one has to compose music keeping in mind all these things. It is a lot more complicated and complex today.
You recently visited Sion Hospital in Mumbai and sang songs for children battling cancer. How was the experienceIJ
Manmeet: It was great. All the kids knew all our songs and sang with us. Some had just come out of surgery and had a cannula inserted in them. Yet that did not stop them from dancing to our songs. It was amazing to see the enthusiasm in them.
What other projects are you working onIJ
Harmeet: We are on to a project with R Balki. We are also working with Ramesh Sippy. There are some seven-eight projects in hand. It is not as if we want to do all the songs. We are happy doing one song where we feature.