Kumaar’s father had been a film distributor for a while and he knew a friend of composer Raju Singh. “My dad came with me to Mumbai in 1994, introduced me to Rajuji and went back. And Rajuji helped me a lot in every way. I would just sit at his sittings and learn all my lessons in writing, like metres and understanding situations. My break came with the title-song of Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin, which was an instant hit. After this I have done over 35 title-tracks with Rajuji like Pari Hoon Main, Shree and Ek Ladki Anjaani Si, written five songs for his album Mere Piya sung by Sapna Mukherjee and have done his Raaz II.” Also on his C-V are some 30 albums, including Karunya’s self-titled album with Leslie Lewis and Sukhbir’s Tere Naal Nachna.
Vishal-Shekhar, among the current big names, have been the other support system for Kumaar, right from his popular debut film song, Hota hai hota hai pyar for Sanjay Gupta’s Plan through Zindagi mein kabhi koi aaye na rabba (Musafir), Kyoon aage peeche (Golmaal - Fun Unlimited) and Kar le kar le tu sawaal in Shah Rukh Khan’s season of Kaun Banega Krorepati. Kumaar also penned the Punjabi portion of Jag soona soona laage in Om Shanti Om.
Kumaar has a good rapport with Siddharrth-Suhaas (Rama Rama Kyaa Hai Dramaaa, Bhram, Humsey Hain Jahaan) and Justin-Uday (Hijack, the forthcoming Sikandar and an album that never released a decade ago!). Lottery, Mahesh Bhatt’s Jashn, Toss, Kaccha Limboo from Sagar Bheja Fry Ballary and the animation film Rama - The Saviour are his forthcoming films.
“I am happy with my natural progression and have never approached any music director for work,” avers Kumar. “Out of whatever work I have done I have bought my own flat and a car. My two songs in Dostana, Desi girl and Maa da laadla have got me more mileage than my earlier work. A big-name composer called me up and said that he would like to work with me!”
Kumaar, however, complains that lyricists are always given short shrift in films, unless they are top names. “On the day of my film’s music release, my producer just rang up and said, ‘If you are free, please drop in!’ I did not go! How can a music release have stars holding center-stage instead of the music team?” he wants to know.
As a creative artiste, Kumaar feels that songwriting is easy, “But it is important what you write! Thoughts have to vary even if the words are the same! And the lyrics and the music must be like humsafar - neither should move ahead of each other! Most songs today are written to tune, and I always believe that tarz (composition) acchi bane to writing automatically acchi hogi!”
His idol is Anand Bakshi, and Kumaar says simply, “He is unbeaten as a lyricist. The first lines of a song are all-important for both their content and sound. The words should sound as if they had been written first and the mukhda should be strong and the antaras relevant to it!”
