“I want to shock my fans with a new sound and song,” says Badshah, a day after the release of his new single ‘Jugnu’ with Nikhita Gandhi and featuring Akanksha Sharma.
And he probably has. Packed with VFX effects, the musician’s latest, which has him singing about love and dancing without his trademark jacket and cap, has garnered more than 10 million views within two days of its release. “The sound is different,” affirms Badshah, who earlier sang ‘Tareefaan’ from Veere Di Wedding . That he has sung a love song is all part of a bigger ‘gameplan’, to do something that fans wouldn’t expect him to. “The love song is not a shock for me because I don’t want to be predictable any more,” he says.
He gives a big shout out to the Red Chillies team for the VFX effects. While some portions of the track were shot in Ladakh, the special effects was done at a studio in Mumbai. “The team did the work in 20 days. I would consider it as the ‘Bahubali’ of music videos.”
It was only a month ago that he launched ‘Bad BoyXBad Girl’ song with Nikhita. Earlier, he would wait for at least eight months before he released a new song. Is there a constant urge to release songs now? “After the pandemic, yes,” responds Badshah, stating that this phase has made him more focussed. “We are living in unpredictable times. I don’t want to hold on to my music,” he adds.
This hunger to explore more is one of the many lessons that he learnt from the pandemic phase. He explains, “One cannot afford to waste time now. Whether it wanting to spend time with family or learning a new skill... we just have to do it. Some people want to relax now after the pandemic phase, but I have a dream to achieve.”
He will also be seen on television as a judge alongside Shilpa Shetty for India’s Got Talent Season 9. While the shooting has not yet begun, he is eager to catch up with the young talent on the show. Describing his journey as a ‘crazy’, he says, “I tell the youth to not get inspired by my music, lifestyle or what I drive or drink. I want them to see how I gave up on my personal life to be what I am today.”
For now, he’s content with the kind of reception ‘Jugnu’ is receiving. The video also ends with a ‘to be continued.’ Keeping fans guessing, he says, “It is a part of a bigger story, and I will let audiences connect the dots,” says Badshah, who hopes to dominate global music charts in 2022.
