MALKIT SINGH The man who pop(ed) bhangra

The original singing Sardar is back. The one who started the bhangra-pop revolution not only in India, but all over the world. Remember Tutak tutak, the song which made you break into a bhangra step the very first time you heard it? Well, it was Malkit who did the trick. The Punjab da munda took the flavour of the Indian culture across the world, but himself settled in London. Now he is back again, hoping to make an impact this time with his latest album Kudi Patole Vargi with Times Music. His last album with Virgin did not do very well, which he says was due to improper publicity and an unimpressive video. He hopes to make up for it with his present album.

A student of Khalsa College, Jallandar, Malkit started taking interest in Punjabi folk music from an early age. He even received formal training in folk music. "I was influenced by the styles of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and Kuldeep Manik (an old Punjabi folk singer). I have always loved the folk flavour in music," says the fashionable Sardar.

One look at him and you think he is into brand endorsement. Right from his T-shirt to his watch, all are branded. "Well, that leaves the turban alone," he says light-heartedly, "But I feel the upcoming Sardar singers need to remember that their pagdi has to be respected. You can’t make your turban an object of show. After all its Khalsa di pagdi."

Coming to the real stuff, the music of his present album, it has eight songs, six out of which are bhangra numbers, one romantic, and one song is based on the jeeja-saali relationship of fun and mischief. "I thought of adding a song that could be sung during an occasion like shaadi or a plain family gathering. All these songs have been recorded in London, but I have tried to Indianise them as much as I could," he says.

The tastes and trends of music followed by the Indian audience is different from that of the people in London. So Malkit prefers having two different mixes of the same album, one for his countrymen and a separate one for his fans in London. "It’s strange, but there is a reversal in the tastes these days," says Malkit, "Sometime back, the Indians wanted more lyrically meaningful songs, but now they want light numbers with a lot of drum, base and guitar, while the Londonwallas are opting for songs with a strong Indian feel."

The video of Malkit’s album is on air these days and it’s the usual young love story, with Malkit appearing in between the scenes, singing and dancing with a group of dancers. Malkit is a performer and has performed in 26 countries across the globe. He is the first Indian to have performed at so many places, which has even got him an entry into the Guinness Book of Records. "I love to sing live for my fans. Public is the best teacher and the best judge. They are the ones who make you realise what kind of music works and what dosen’t work," he says.

Malkit has given more performances abroad than in India. "I would love to sing for my people here, but its not easy," he says, "Firstly most of my musicians are based in London, and flying them all the way here gets expensive, and the entire budget shoots up. So far I have had two live shows here, but I would surely want to do more if I have the opportunity and the budget."

Lopamudra Bhattacharya

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