His Bum bum bhole... from Taare Zameen Par was a chart-topper. “That was a great number,” agrees the young singer happily. Armaan is currently all excited about his Bhootnath duet with Amitabh Bachchan that he recored last year on October 10. “It was Amit uncle’s birthday,” he points out. “I gave him a greeting card and got a picture clicked with him but he sang his part and went on to record another song for Aladdin thereafter,” he elaborates. Although there wasn’t much time to be shared with the iconic actor, Armaan felt that “just sitting next to him was a great thing, a dream come true”.

Needless to add that his photograph with Bachchan occupies a prime spot in the house now. What makes Armaan (music director Daboo Malik’s son) happy is that the Mere buddy song has become a hit with his friends and they keep requesting him to sing it,”We are going to gang up and watch Bhoothnath,” he announces jubilantly.

The 12-year old, Standard Eight singer has just recorded the Reliance IPL song and the Boost jingle being filmed on Sachin Tendulkar and Mahendra Dhoni. He’s sung all songs of the animation films Rama The Saviour, My Friend Ganesha Part -2 and the animation serial Bal Pandavas. He’s also sung in Zor Lagaa Ke Haiyya.

Armaan’ not averse to acting either,” I enjoyed working in Sagar Ballary’s Kaccha Limboo, a kiddie flick for which I have sung the title-track and played the guitar too,” as he proudly reveals learning the instrument. Although he gets many acting offers, Armaan maintains that singing is his main “passion”.

His older brother Amal, a sixth grader at Trinity College of Music in London, often plays the piano with Armaan. “Dad also joins us in our impromptu concerts and mom has no choice but to listen,” he laughs impishly.