When Mahi (Minisha Lamba) in the 2008 film Bachna Ae Haseeno sang ‘Pyaar maanga tha maine rab se/ Wo rehata tha yahin pe/ Maangu main yahi duwaaye/ Laut aaye woh kahin se (I had asked for love from god/He used to stay here once/I would pray to the lord, so that he comes back), she was expressing her long-suppressed feelings for her husband holding nothing back.
Through the song sung by Himani Kapoor, Mahi finds the joy and motto of her life. And that’s what the Delhi-NCR (Faridabad)-born singer and lyricist Himani Kapoor loves to do through her music.
Kapoor says her mission is simple. “There are so many people across generations who suppress their emotions due to their daily grind or due to their inhibitions. But music is something that helps you break free—what you may find hard to express can be done through song. Recently, in a Sufi event, musicians Shalmali Kholgade and Abhay Jodhpurkar came and hugged me with tears in their eyes. An old lady in a wheelchair also approached me, blessed me, and said, ‘you touched my soul with your singing’. I was very moved. And I felt overwhelmed,” she says.
Band apart
Kapoor’s latest album, RaagRaanis, an all-women album, is a celebration of multi-layered human emotions. Prajakta Shukre is its music composer, and Kapoor’s co-singers are Pratibha Singh Baghel, Varijashree Venugopal, and Kalpana Gandharv. Says Kapoor: “It is a work of five friends who work in the same industry. Shukre and I have been friends for almost two decades, and our bond is reflected in our work together on the album. Venugopal, Gandharv, and Baghel are fantastic singers, and their collective efforts have brought life to the album.”
A fusion
As the name RaagRaani suggests, the album has a classical touch. All the songs are based on multiple Hindustani ragas but have utilised other musical genres as well. “This album is a work of multiple musical genres. Though ragas form its base, they are infused with pop, jazz, and EDM. We have used a Bossa nova track, a dubstep track, and an EDM track,” Kapoor adds.
The album also focuses on multiple layers of human emotions. “Venugopal’s song ‘Sajan Ghar Aye' is a song about a long wait for one’s sajan (beloved), and celebration once the partner is back. ‘Saiyaan Na Aye’, the song which Gandharv has sung, is a sad song. Shukre’s song talks about the complaints one has against the partners. And finally, my song, ‘Tere Bina Sawan’, explores viraha. ‘Also, these songs are perfect for the monsoon,” she adds.
Her inspirations
The album, RaagRaani, which released on June 12, also includes Kapoor’s work as a lyricist. It was singer-songwriter and the director of Namyoho studios, Manan Bharadwaj, who “pushed” her initially to try her hand at lyrics.
Kapoor is a Punjabi. She loves reading Punjabi poetry and that also helps her to write the lyrics. “I explore multiple literatures as I go along. I am into Urdu poetry and still learning the nitty-gritties. I am also drawn to the work of lyricist Amitabh Bhattacharya. His lyrics have always inspired me,” she says. She also loves listening to Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and the legendary Noor Jahan. “They are Pakistani singers. However, what we call Pakistan today is also a part of the other side of Punjab. So, that music is connected to my roots,” she says.