At a time when playback singers compete to get the most Bollywood hits under their belt, Roop Kumar Rathod likes to maintain a low profile.
Rathod’s best Bollywood tracks include the hit O Saiyyan from Agneepath in 2012 followed by Kahe Sataye from Randeep Hooda film Rang Rasiya.
“My absence from Bollywood is not deliberate or intentional, but I am a little choosy about my music. Whatever I do, I want to be there [for the long run]... I don’t want to be outdated after singing for two years. I think intervals should be there between songs so that people wait for my music,” Rathod said.
The singer feels the Hindi music industry is going through a phase where the craze for a musician is temporary.
“That’s the problem in our industry, nowadays one whole era is changing in six months. Singers are changing in six months. First it was Himesh’s [Reshammiya] time, then came Mohit Chauhan and now it is Arijit Singh, but I think these phases are temporary. I am worried about that.
“I don’t want this to happen to me. I [have been] singing for the past 25 years and even today people wait for my songs, that’s a very good thing. I am happy that I have an image,” he said.
Striking a balance between film and non-film songs means a lot to Rathod. The singer is launching his new ghazal album with wife Sunali Rathod.
“After five years we have done a ghazal album called Zikr Tera. Not much is happening in ghazals these days so we have tried and we will keep trying to create ghazals for its listeners. Nothing besides Bollywood music gets promoted today.
“Four different poets have written the songs in the album — Shakeel Azmi, Sahani Aslam, Madan Pal and Parveen Kumar Ashq. There are eight ghazals,” he said about the album.
Rathod said four out of eight music videos have already been shot in Udaipur and one of the songs is now online.
The Maula Mere Maula singer said the competition between artists in the industry has become fierce, which has resulted in them becoming insecure.
Rathod blames their insecurity on the lack of training among singers and their sole dependence on Bollywood for their survival.
“Singers consider themselves weak. There was a time when singers used to rule the industry. Today, singers don’t think highly of themselves. Maybe they are insecure of their future. There is desperation in them.
“I have never been insecure because I don’t solely depend on Bollywood for my living. I am trained well. I do fusion, devotional songs, ghazals and live performances, so I have never felt insecure,” he said.
