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Nirmal Pandey

Life is Music

Nirmal Pandey has changed tracks, from acting to singing. And he puts in the same amount of passion into singing, just like he puts into acting. Those who have watched him rehearse and record the songs for Jazbaa, released by Times Music, swear by his involvement. He stretches his vocal chords to their limit, the veins stand out, his fists beat a rhythm, and his eyes are focussed - a complete picture of dedication.

All this proves that the actor, with his trademark long tresses, is an authentic and committed singer, unlike others who come into the pop-scene for instant fame. Well, he better be, since Nirmal, from Nainital, has folk music as a backdrop to his life. His grandfather was a renowned singer of the area, and his mother trained him in the complexities of Indian classical music. And Nirmal assimilated a thoroughly focussed knowledge of music in its rich variety.

But despite the training and inherent talent, Nirmal never wanted to become a singer. Simply because he was attracted to acting. And acting was the path which brought him closer to music. Nirmal’s first brush with fame came when he was 13 years old - a play in school, where he had to act and, sing too. He did both with aplomb, and the memory of applause still lingers on.

After doing about 100 amateur plays, Nirmal joined the National School of Drama, and worked with legends like BV Karanth, Robin Das, KN Panicker, John Retallic and Maksui, who shaped his personality. Nirmal lived and breathed theatre at the NSD, writing music for stage plays, acting, and directing.

BV Karanth recognised his aptitude for singing and encouraged him to travel to Uttarakhand for a year on a music fellowship. Honing his skills on local musical custom, and later producing musical plays with his group Yugmanch, Nirmal performed at break-neck speed and with startling success. The musical scores of each of the plays he produced were his own, and took him back to the musical roots that he so loved.

Nirmal then joined Tara Arts and went abroad to perform in over 200 shows of various stage plays (Heer Ranjha, Clay Cart, Troilus And Cressida), across continents (Ireland, Japan, Australia, France). Tara Arts proved lucky for him because he bagged Bandit Queen after he joined the group, and life changed for him forever.

For all the fame that his films have got him, Nirmal is uncertain about his film career. “Films do not attract me totally,” he says. “There has to be something more. Music, acting on stage and films may give me the whole experience.”

When Nirmal finally decided to make some serious music, he decided to combine his fondness for folklore with music-for-the-masses. “When I decided to record an album, I knew I had to make music worth remembering. It had to mean something to a wide cross-section of people. Not simply to have them spend an evening dancing to my tunes, but to think a little about the lyrics and the meaning of the songs,” he says.

Nirmal’s album Jazbaa has eight raaga-based songs. Every track speaks of the many-hued India, its ethos, its quirks, warts, and above all, its humanity. Amod Bhatt has composed the music, while Nirmal’s wife Kausar has written the lyrics. Jayanta Pathak has done the arrangement for all songs. The video track Maar daala, being played extensively on all music channels, has been shot by Pradeep Sarkar.

For the singer who says, “Life is music,” the album is an example of his philosophy.