It is more than a year since Dum Laga Ke Haisha was released but “Moh Moh Ke Dhaage” refuses to leave the mind space and so does the voice of singer Papon. He has beautifully brought alive the depth in Varun Grover’s words. Composed by Anu Malik, Papon says when he first heard the song he felt he should get the song. The music labels and composers are increasingly getting capricious about the voices and Papon was not sure whether his voice will be retained. The song not only presented the different side of Anu Malik but also reflected that a melody combined with soulful rendition still works despite blitzkrieg of baby and babu.
It is not the first time though that Papon has got the measure of a melody. Some time back he made “Humnava” in Humari Adhoori Kahani sound more profound than the actors who enacted it on screen. And who can forget “Kyon” in Barfi ! Papon gives it to his voice texture and training and which is an eclectic mix of folk and classical. Add to it his interest in Western music, which reflects in his Coke Studio performances and the folk-fusion band East India Company, and you have a wholesome voice which appeals to different moods and age groups.
Son of popular Assamese folk artist Khagen Mahanta, Papon says, “For an artist training is a life long process and it goes beyond the technical aspect. Now I realise why my father used to send me to attend most funerals in the neighbourhood. He wanted me to see the transient nature of life. Similarly, during summer he would send me on foot to buy grocery. Perhaps he wanted me to understand the daily life of a common man. All these experiences reflect in your voice when you sing for a character.”
It again reflects in “Bulleya”, which he has sung in Sultan . Unfortunately, the sufi number has yet to get the desired traction. “These days FM stations, labels and producers push the ‘dhamaka’ songs so hard that other songs get ignored. Mainstream music is increasingly about marketing. I have not lost hope though.”
On the increasingly whimsical nature of the industry, Papon, whose voice was replaced once, says that he doesn’t want that singers should have a say in composition. “My job is to sing the way the composer and director has conceived it. Also, I am not concerned by the increasing numbers of singers in the industry. This variety is good for the industry and should be encouraged but the problem is once I have recorded the song even then there is no guarantee that my voice will be retained. Also, I agree that sometimes a star wants to sing himself but many times it is the composer and the label which are not sure.”
At the mention of monsoon, Papon, who grew up on the diet of Salil Chowdhury songs breaks into “O Sajna Barkha Bahaar Aayi”. A follower of Hemant and Kishore Kumar, this rainy season Papon is coming to perform at the Red FM concert in Gurgaon this Sunday. Papon, who studied in Delhi has a strong connect with the city because it helped him correct his Hindi/ Urdu diction. Popular for his live events, Papon says live events are more like theatre where I can improvise every time I sing my song. “But it has to be right in the first take. In recording studio, the mistakes can be corrected.”
So what’s next? “I can’t tell you because, as I said, I don’t know which song will make it to the album.” Sad!
