There is something effortlessly warm about speaking with Amaal Mallik. Even over a call, his enthusiasm is palpable — the kind that comes not from rehearsed answers but from someone who genuinely loves what he does. The composer and singer behind chart-toppers like Sooraj Dooba Hain, Main Hoon Hero Tera, Kar Gayi Chull, Soch Na Sake, Bol Do Na Zara, Sab Tera, and the indie favourites Chal Wahan Jaate Hain and Main Rahoon Ya Na Rahoon has gifted Bollywood some of its most enduring melodies. With his Hyderabad performances at Quake Arena on June 12 and 13 drawing closer, Amaal is brimming with excitement.
“Oh, very excited,” he says when asked how he feels about the upcoming shows, and continues sharing, “I think it’s going to be a massive show and Quake Arena is a great venue. I’ve been waiting to see my fans in person ever since I got out of Bigg Boss.” The concert, he promises, will feature a mix of his own music, songs he personally loves, and perhaps even one or two Telugu tracks woven into the set.
Hyderabad holds a special place for Amaal. His maternal family resides here, with relatives also in Vizag. “It feels like I’ve come home in a way,” he shares. But beyond personal ties, it is Hyderabad’s audiences that truly impress him.
He expresses, “The kind of love and respect they have for musicians, and the understanding they have about very intricate things — they’ll remember a flute piece or know exactly where the beat drops. I’ve performed in colleges in the South, and when I’ve sung a song differently, they’ve immediately noticed. I like that they catch those changes.”
That connection influences how he curates his performances. Unlike artists who stick to fixed setlists, Amaal actively seeks fan input. “A lot of my fans from Hyderabad have made lists of songs they really like. I think the MS Dhoni: The Untold Story album is something they love,” he highlights.
Those expecting only romantic ballads will be surprised. He hints, “There’s a lot of dance music as well. It’s a mix of electronic music, Bollywood, Punjabi — everyone will come there and witness something cool.”
The conversation naturally turns to the South film industry. While his brother Armaan Mallik has already established himself there, Amaal reveals he is currently in talks regarding a South film composition project. “It’s not anything concrete, but it’s something I’m looking at. If something nice comes up, I’ll surely step into the film industry there as well,” he reveals.
When asked about acting, Amaal remains candid: “It is a difficult job. I think being a musician is fun and being on stage is even more fun.”
Though acting offers — including a possible villain roles in South films — have come his way, nothing has excited him enough yet. “It has to be something really special. Maybe a musical role. Then, for my fans, I might take that plunge,” he gushes.
For now, touring has become a source of immense fulfillment. He states, “I haven’t done a lot of performing in the last decade because I was creating music. Now I get to meet my fans. They have loved me so much and done so much for me. I think I’d do anything for them.”
One of the most challenging chapters of his career came with Mere Dholna and Ami Je Tomar from Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3. “People see me as new-age and future-driven, but Indian classical and big-screen cinema songs were things nobody had really approached me for,” he notes.
Determined to get it right, he assembled eight to ten dholaks, multiple sitar players and nearly forty musicians in the studio, recording the songs the old-fashioned way. He recalls, “It was challenging because the original was such a cult classic. To create something that stood out again and build a new melody and environment around it was difficult. The song became a massive cultural moment, amplified further by Sonu Nigam’s vocals. It’s become an expression of the common man of India.”
Another milestone close to his heart was his 100th song Tujhe Chaahta Hoon Kyun — also the first release on his own label. “The whole country celebrated it. Radio stations celebrated my 100th song as if it was my birthday. It gives me an understanding that a lot of people love my music. And it gives me more motivation to keep going,” he expresses. By then, he laughs, he was already approaching song number 140.
Globally, one of his most successful collaborations was the Indian version of Dua Lipa’s Levitating, distributed by Outdustry. After her team discovered Sooraj Dooba Hain and Kar Gayi Chull, they sent him the vocals. “I brought a very India-meets-UK Bhangra space to the song. She was very excited to hear dhol, tumbi and a very North Indian approach,” he says. He later created an Indianised version of U2’s Beautiful Day as well. He adds, “If I’m doing a remix for an English or Spanish song, my most important job is bringing India into it.”
As the conversation winds down, Amaal speaks about the project closest to his heart right now: Awarapan 2 with Vishesh Films. “I always wanted to be part of Vishesh Films. These are the OGs of music,” he says. For the 36-year-old composer, it feels like a dream fulfilled. “Today, twenty years later, I get to live my sixteen-year-old dream,” he concludes, smiling.