AN APACHE INDIAN AT HEART

Apache Indian was in Mumbai recently. No, not to croon for one of our music directors or record a song for an album, but to shoot for a Hindi feature film. Surprised? We were too, until we visited Kamal Amrohi Studios and saw the international singer shooting for Bappi Lahiri’s Love Story ’98 on a chilly night. Apache looked very much at home as he faced the camera for a high-intensity scene with leading Indian actress Jaya Prada. The only hitch seemed to be the Hindi dialogue, which he was trying his best to mumble with some prodding from the director. In between shots, we cornered Apache, for a quick update and asked:

You had earlier featured in a song sequence in the Tamil film Love Birds. How does it feel facing the camera again, that too in a full-fledged role?
It’s a bit tough but I am working hard and enjoying it. Before this, I had done the song No problem in the Tamil film Love Birds with Prabhu Deva. That song became popular but it was just a cameo appearance. Doing a full-fledged role makes more sense than popping up in one song. Acting is a language through which you convey your feelings, and it is very important that you feel. I have done a lot of videos back in London earlier, but this is a whole new experience. At present though I am just obeying my director’s orders mechanically, but soon I should be able to express myself better.

Have you heard of Jaya Prada?
Yes of course, she is a big name.

How does it feel facing the camera with her?
Oh, she is a very good actress.

Hindi seems to be a problem with you.
How are you managing with your dialogue?
(Laughs). Hindi is a not a new language for me, but I am not very well-acquainted with it. I am having some difficulty speaking my lines. At the moment I am pronouncing the words exactly the way the director is telling me to. Of course my Hindi will be very accented, but thankfully, I am playing a foreign-returned character in the film. So speaking Hindi with an accent will seem natural.

Why did you decide to act in Bappi Lahiri’s Love Story ’98?
I have known Bappi Lahiri for sometime and he is a very nice human being. He wanted me to do his film, and came all the way to England to talk to me about it. Boy George is also making an appearance in the film and both, George and me, belong to the same artist management company. When Bappi told me about Love Story ’98 and my role in the film, I liked it because it was a major role. I have already shot for a song-dance sequence and it was fun. I have also written and a one song, O Chachi for the film. It has Hindi and English words and is in typical Apache Indian style.

In Bappi Lahiri’s earlier film Rock Dancer, pop singer Samantha Fox had also made a special appearance in a song-dance sequence. Except for some initial excitement, the film went unnoticed. What makes you confident about this film?
This film has an interesting story which is sure to appeal to everyone. Even if it doesn’t make any impact it’s okay. I’ll always think of it in terms of an experience which I will cherish.

Have you got any more offers to act in a Hindi film?
I keep getting offers, but it’s the kind of people one works with that matters. These people here are real nice and are going out of their way to make me feel at ease. (Pointing to director Inayat Shaikh). You have to write about this director, he gave me a lot of trouble. (Laughs). No, seriously, he has been very encouraging and patient, urging me to give my best. I’d like to work in such set-ups. But I am not interested in doing bit roles.

In 1993, you made a big splash on the Indian music scene with Arranged marriage followed by Boom shak-a-lak and became an instant rage. You were among the first to bring reggae-rap to India. You started a trend and there were so many who copied you. But then you disappeared into oblivion and there has been no news from you. What happened?
I never anticipated the huge international success of Arranged marriage and Boom-shak-a-lak. I never thought they’d make me so popular in India. Thanks to them, I could re-establish my connections with India and discover my roots. Today my bond with India is for keeps.

But one has to move on in life. After my success In India, I travelled all over the world, doing shows and concerts, touring countries like Japan and America. Music opened a whole new world to me and I did a lot of other things related to music, like programmes on radio in England. Now it’s time to come back to India again.

How are you planning to stage a comeback?
Around April-May, I will be making a comeback in a big way with my album, Real People. It will be a reggae-rap-hop album with very interesting numbers. There is one special track I have sung with Malkait Singh, who is another popular Punjabi pop singer in England, which goes India AIF, and which I am particularly fond of it because it is devoted to a cause. The AIF in the song stands for the Apache Indian Foundation, which is a fully registered charity organisation I set up in India way back in 1993. We have made donations to Alert India for leprosy victims and also to underprivileged and destitute children.

Have you kept track of the music scene in India?
I have been going to a lot of clubs and discos here and I find a lot of Western influence. It’s like going to a club in London. I think that’s because of MTV and Channel [V] which brings to India music trends from the world over.

What is your opinion about the music videos being made since your videos were among the first to be aired in India?
My Arranged marriage was among the first videos to be aired on the music channels. Today, a lot of good videos are being made but I find that most of them have been inspired by the West. A lot of people have copied my videos, which is sad. Besides my videos, even my singing style has been copied. When I come to India, I want to hear something different, see something different which is unique to this country. I wouldn’t want to come here and see my style of singing again. But that is what is happening. There have been so many different versions of Arranged marriage. But eventually, my style is my identity, and even after 10 years it will remain unique to me.

Have any of your songs been copied by Indian music directors?
I know that one of my numbers, Chok there was used in Gambler and picturised on Govinda. It is very funny actually, this copying business. Music directors here are so talented, so why can’t they be original? But I don’t really mind if my music helps them to make their music popular. There are Copyright laws, but it is too much of a hassle suing them and getting into court cases.

What do you think about Bappi Lahiri’s music?
The fact that he has composed music for 450 films does the talking for him. He is among the leading music directors in India, so he has to be good to make it to the top.

Are you getting any offers to sing or compose music for films in India? What do you think about the sudden rise in East-West fusion music?
I haven’t got any interesting offer as yet, though I have enjoyed singing for Indian music directors. I have sung for A.R. Rahman in the Tamil film Love Birds. He is among the few music directors who knows how to blend the East and the West in his music. East-West fusion music has suddenly become popular but then it should be done well.

Indian pop singers who have made a name for themselves internationally like Biddu, come to India, make a splash, and go away. What does India mean to you? Is it just a place where you come, create a sensation, make some money and then fade away?
I can’t talk about other music directors. Some may find India a good market to sell their music, but that’s not the case with me. For me it is much more than just a potential market for my music. My roots are here. I like everything about India. As I said earlier, I am doing my bit for the country. Even my name Apache Indian has the word ‘Indian’ in it, which shows my feelings for the country and my Indian connection.