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Let's Play Antakshari Challenge By Josh App Is A Great Initiative, Says Mamta Sharma [Exclusive Interview]
Josh App is celebrating World Music Day from June 21-27, 2021 with a challenge titled Let's Play Antakshari. This challenge includes artists from the industry play India's most popular game - Antakshari - with Josh app users. One such artist collaborating on this challenge is the Munni Badnaam Hui girl Mamta Sharma. The singer, who won accolades for her epic song from the Salman Khan film Dabangg, had a fun chat with Sarthak Chaudhary of Filmibeat where she discussed about various pros and cons of the music industry, challenges faced by music artists with the changing trends, and her nostalgia trip on playing the Let's Play Antakshari challenge on Josh app. Excerpts from the exclusive interview with Mamta Sharma.
How are you dealing with the new normal?
A lot of things have changed recently. There are a lot of restrictions and everyone is trying to adapt to the new normal. There are times when you have to step out. You can't avoid it. There are shoots as well and it is a bit stress-full at some levels. Also, there are a lot of covid tests, that is also problematic. But all of these are covid protocols and I am following them sincerely. I urge people to follow them as well. Please wear your masks properly. It's very difficult for us as we wear them after applying make up, so it can't be this tough for anyone. If we can still wear it despite the make up, then regular people should definitely follow the rules for wearing masks.
You belong to the music industry, which is so diverse as an art form. There are singers, producers, arrangers and a lot more. You have produced such energetic and powerful songs. What do you feel about them. Is there any particular song or memory etched to your heart that you feel if this wasn't there, my career would have been so different?
So, when there's a Bollywood production then we aren't required for the production part. We can't interfere with the making. We are given a full finalised draft - there are the lyrics, this is the composition and we just have to render our voice to that. We are even told what expressions or moods are required for a particular song. It's pretty smooth. But we don't contribute towards the making of the song. Yes, we are a huge and an important part while we are recording it.
There is this song of mine - Aa Re Pritam Pyaare. That song is really close to my heart. Wajid Bhai (of the Sajid-Wajid duo) called me at 1 in the night for that song. He asked about my well-being and then just shot at me that there's this song and come over, we have to dub it. There is a rough draft, some lyrics and a tune. I had a gig at Kolkata the very next day and had a flight at 8 am. I told him about the same and requested if I could come over and record the song in the night itself. But at that time the song only had some basic chords and there was a single beat. But I still pleaded to dub it the same way. I reached the studio at around 3 or 4 early morning and when I dubbed the song everyone - the recordist, Sameer sir (lyricist), Sajid-Wajid Bhai - all of them were stunned. They told me how 'Rapchik and Rowdy' the song turned out to be. And I thought this dub was just a rough version for just providing an idea to the song and we will dub the final version later. But the same dubbing has been used for that song. I never dubbed it again. They never needed a better version!
I still ponder, how did I have so much energy at five in the morning? I seriously have no idea how 'coz I am not a morning person. I just can't wake up early. So that vibrant energy I had during the dubbing, I still can't put up the same amount of energy to that songs when I am performing it on stage. This was just by God's grace and Sajid-Wajid bhai's guidance. They told me that you just imagine you are performing on stage and then I followed that cue and sang it as if I were live on stage. That's why this song is really close to my heart. As I thought this is just a rough recording but it became the final cut.
You just slayed it like a pro in an hour while recording it!
Yeah, really. This was such a task and we finished it in half an hour or so.
We often hear that commercial songs have a heavy budget but when we talk about independent music, there are financial constraints. We have a lot of math on figures, we think if it is all right to spend so much money on a particular song. There are a lot of equations playing in our heads. What do you enjoy more - the commercial work or the independent struggles?
I love both of them equally. You have got to understand this - what happens with commercial or Bollywood songs is, it has an elaborate thought process, which is huge. The same goes with independent music. It also has a thought process and you cannot limit the thoughts and ideas - they are as elaborate as the commercial ones. But you have to refrain because of the financial constraints and eventually it turns out to be a rich and poor song. But the thought process behind both the songs is the same. Everyone thinks big.
Imagine if you are preparing a pudding, then it depends on you if you use dry fruits or otherwise. But the basic ingredients need to be the same. It will have flour and sugar. That's the basic need. (Jokes) I am a foodie, so you have to deal with a lot of food references. Bollywood has all the rich ingredients, so it serves a rich delicacy. Independent music has its own limitations in terms of resources, so they plate their dish in a little different way. A pudding can serve your taste buds in both ways, it's just a matter of choice on how you cater it.
If independent music has a budget of one rupee, then they invest all of it to garnish their content. I am such a person. I invest my heart and soul in my songs. The independent songs I do, they have their own charm. And Bollywood has its own glamour because it involves stars. You can turn into a sensation overnight, as your songs reach a wider audience. All of this is just like a dream and dreams of such people reach the big screen. They actually come true. Independent music allows you to dream as well but it has its limitations. But personally, I love both.
As you mentioned, there are a lot of restrictions and constraints. You can't pull off everything. But are there times when a music label or a director is responsible for the constraints as well. Suppose, if a director tells you to deliver your voice in a certain way and doesn't allow experiments. Does it add to the problem? Does it affect you as a singer?
It happens much often because of the process. A director has already imagined his film a certain way and he has this elaborate thought process and he has created his world and there is a creative vision behind that song as well. The way it will be shot and the emotion or mood he needs to fulfill that visual - he has already framed it in his mind.
So, when a singer attempts the song, the director already has a brief, the kind of voice he needs. Independent music is entirely different in this scenario. We don't have visuals beforehand. There is simply a song, you record it and when it is complete, you think of producing it visually in a certain way, which could appeal to the audiences.
Hence, Bollywood has its limitations in the creative aspect because, no one else knows that film better than its director. He has reiterated that thought probably a thousand times in his head. So, there a singer has only one job - understand what the composer needs, what the director needs and what the song needs. Blend the three and record or shoot. And this will definetely penetrate the hearts in the best way possible.
Yeah, then you can deliver it in an hour (referring to her hit song Aa Re Pritam Pyaare).
Yeah, exactly. That truly is an anecdote. It's very difficult to deliver such an enthusiastic and vibrant song in an hour.
Recently, you were a part of the Let's Play Antakshari challenge on the Josh app. Tell us more about it. How can one participate and what is the whole challenge about?
I fell in love with the concept of this initiative as a whole. Josh app is trying to understand the needs of the users. I played the Antakshari yesterday itself and let me confess, I played it after years! I don't even remember when was the last time I played Antakshari. I was excited like a child while playing it and felt like this ended so quickly! It should have continued for an hour or two.
Josh app has successfully retained the essence of Antakshari. And we as artists took a trip down the memory lane, witnessing nostalgic moments from our school and college days. The charm of Antakshari never fades away and you cannot limit it. Josh app helped everyone connect to their memories. And it was a moment of relief in these testing times, which should be appreciated.
People can participate in the Let's Play Antakshari Challenge, which started on June 21 and will continue until June 27, 2021. They can even lip synch to their favourite songs. I personally loved this part - if you can't sing, just act as if your are singing! That's such a cool concept. I really applaud the efforts taken by Josh app while keeping the spirits and Josh of the nation high!
In Antakshari, we have our personal favourite list of songs for each alphabet. When you are playing Antakshari, what are your go-to songs?
That totally depends on the alphabet. Like I am very scared of the Hindi letter 'Tha'. There are a limited number of songs with that alphabet. If it comes to you three times in a row, I bet you can't sing a song the fourth time. And the first song I remember is (sings beautifully) - Thande Thande Paani Se Nahana Chahiye, Gaana Aaye Ya Naa Aaye Gaana Chahiye. I so love this song! This is the first song I pounce at if someone throws a 'Tha' at me. I fail to go at any other song except for this one.
Such an evergreen classic, right?
True that. In the recent years whenever someone drops the letter 'Ma' at me I start crooning my song Munni Badnaam Hui. My Antakshari is incomplete without this song. I eagerly wait for a 'Ma' to start singing Munni. I love that song. It changed my life, my career. I just love it!
Did you ever bump into a real Munni who complained about this song?
Not really. But I did go through some news reports which said that certain Munnis took an offence to the song and were furious at how we could paint their name in such a bad way. But my personal experience has been a rather sweet one. So, I went to this wedding where I was performing Munni and there was a Dadi and a Nani, both named Munni! They were sporting enough to perform with me on the stage while their entire families were a part of that fun gig. That was a memorable one and I really feel that people should not take these songs seriously, as they are intended for fun.
This song is such a hilarious song. Just like a stress buster. Like the folk songs are. It does not literally allege someone for anything. The basic idea is to have fun. Else the person who should be offended the most should be Kareena Kapoor Khan (aka Bebo). You see the lyrics - Shilpa Sa Figure, Bebo Si Adaa. All sorts of meaningless things are included in this song. But still it's hilarious and such fun. You totally enjoy that song to the core.
I read an interesting comment - that '80s and '90s had such good music producers but now it is a lost art form. Do you believe in it as well that creators are catering content just to hog the limelight and don't really work on the quality of the song? Is it merely a viral race today?
No, I wouldn't agree much. The '90s had some beautiful songs but that doesn't mean we lack the quality now. Take for instance Kalank's title track or Ae Dil Ha Mushkil songs. Even Mithoon (composer) for that matter (hums Dil Ka Dariya). I believe that every era has all kinds of songs. There are varied interests and genres. If you notice there is a vast difference in style and patterns of songs as you recede from the '90s to the '80s. The form of music might have changed, genres might have changed but the quality remains intact. These days, the lyrics are more easy and smooth as compared to the old times. It's more day-to-day lingo, shayari form if we might say. There are couplets and people connect to it more. Earlier, songs were more poetic. You couldn't relate them to the daily chores. Today, everyone can connect to the lyrics more, they are easy and believable and thus they make a connect with the audience in an instant. Songs in the '90s were dreamy.
As a matter of fact, people who are creating music today are just fans of the era gona by. They are Nadeem-Shravan fans, AR Rahman fans, Kalyanji-Anandji fans, Laxmikant-Pyarelal ji fans...so when you are idolising such legends while creating music and you try to infuse flavours of the present era, it would differ in a lot of ways.
If you draw a parallel then the '90s also had the same pattern. If there were 10 songs, six were hit and four were a dud. The same happens today as well. And this is merely a continuity circle. It doesn't end. As they say, old wine tastes better or old is gold. The value or worth of a song increases as time passes. Four years down the line, you will still be discussing the same issue, only saying that 2021 songs were better than today's work.
The pandemic has changed a lot in the working pattern, as we see a surge of OTT platforms where possibilities for songs are rare or minimum. How do you feel about the challenges this would pose to upcoming artists?
This is really heart-breaking, I have to admit. I am filmi at core and I wait for songs or the background music while I am watching a film, as I adore songs. When films start to tend towards a realistic approach I feel like this could have been a place where they could have used a song and add some creative visuals. Earlier, a film album used to have eight songs, then it came down to six. Gradually four, then two. Now, there is a single song in the whole album, which is just used to promote the film. This new trend is disheartening. Especially for the music artists. Where will we showcase our talent then? Because films have a strong impact.
I won't say that independent artists don't get their share of recognition but it is a long journey and rather not a smooth one. As compared to Bollywood, an independent artist has to struggle a lot to reach out. Bollywood is an artist's breakthrough. So when songs are depleting that fast from films it would be a great struggle for artists who don't know music production, programming and everything else. They just know how to sing and they don't have a chance at that anymore. It's their bread and butter.
Also, it's a lost opportunity to form a connect as well. How will they get shows if they don't have enough on their portfolio? It poses a threat to their careers. Though I am thankful to the digital platforms and reality shows who are helping these artists connect to their audiences, give them a platform to showcase their talents. Artists are not an extinct species, but still no one can do what Bollywood does.
What is your take on song remixes. Do you feel the older versions are getting spoilt in the remix race?
Listening to some of them does give me that vibe. I feel recreating a song is a huge responsibility. You just can't pick a song, change two lines, chose a beat and just throw it at the listeners. Every song has a personal connect with the audience and you can't play with their emotions and just rip them off. It's as real as sharing your favourite pencil or perfume or shirt. It's just how you lend it to someone but keep praying that it doesn't get spoilt, as it's your favourite thing. The same applies to a song. If you are recreating it you have to shoulder the responsibility with utmost sincerity.
The new songs are free from this burden. You either connect or you don't. But with old songs, there is already a connect; you have to repackage it in a way that the audiences are mesmerised. It should just be rehashed. Unfortunately most of the remixes are just a formality and exploiting the popularity and worth of a certain classic, which is heartbreaking. I have recreated old versions on my YouTube channel Mamta Sharma Official, but I have made sure that the essence of the song remains intact. You can't add pasta sauce to dal. It's neither dal nor pasta then.
Since most of your references involve food. I can't help asking, did you experiment with cooking during the lockdown?
Definitely. Some were a disaster, some turned out well. I tried a garlic bread once, which was so hard that I had to hammer it! The same applies to songs as well. But yes, I experimented a lot. See one who loves to sing loves their dishes as well. You cannot not be a good cook if you are a good singer. Take for example, Asha Bhosle ji and Lata Mangeshkar ji. They are great cooks.
Finally, your message to the music lovers of Josh app.
I would tell them to keep the Josh high and keep producing good content. Josh infused high spirits in me as well. I loved playing the Antakshari. I have explored this app recently and honestly I fell in love with the way this app thinks about the emotions of the users. It's so cool as a concept. It even guides you through challenges and opportunities. Like you can connect with celebs while playing the Antakshari. It's providing a platform. Also, Sugandha Mishra is hosting the Antakshari. So keep the Josh high and keep listening to our songs!
(Signs off singing Munni Badnaam Hui!)
Watch the full interview of Mamta Sharma here:
