Singer-composer Arjun Kanungo, who shot into the spotlight singing Khoon choos le in Go Goa Gone (2013), has now come up with a music video The Shine Song, which features Sonam Kapoor.
The Shine Song sees you serenading and dancing with Sonam Kapoor. What’s your take on her?
Sonam has one of the best smiles for sure, that’s why she is the face of a popular toothpaste brand!
Was the song tailor-made to suit the toothpaste sponsor (Colgate) or did they step in afterwards?
The brand approached me to make a song for them. They wanted me to recreate an already existing track with my interpretation of the song. I wrote something, they loved it. They decided to make a music video which best represented the song.
Why do you like to appear in your own videos? Do you nurture the actor within you?
I think the question people should ask is — ‘Why don’t singers appear in their music videos more often?’ Playback singing for a film is different; the music is situational and hence it’s fair to represent an actor’s voice. But in pop music I’ve seen actors lip-syncing to the voice of the singer, which doesn’t really appeal to me.
Did you get a funky haircut especially for the video?
No. But it’s a cool haircut, no?
Would you take on acting if you were not allowed to playback for yourself?
Probably not, if I’m convinced I can do justice to the song. If the director’s vision is something that my voice can’t embody, I would be okay with someone else singing it.
Which genre of singing appeals to you and why?
Every genre. They all have something to offer and they all teach you something.
When you look back at your career, what makes you proud?
It makes me proud that I have been true to myself so far. It’s hard, in this very complex, competitive and challenging profession. But so far so good.
Do you have a strategy?
I am not worried about success. I have faith in the effort I put in and the honesty of hard work. I think when you don’t worry about tomorrow, you do justice to today. It takes effort to think about tomorrow, effort which you can utilise better by doing your job. Worrying about tomorrow is left to people smarter than me.
And what is your next project?
There are lots of new projects, next one being my single!
There are lots of actors taking to singing these days. What did you think of
Sonakshi Sinha’s music video?
I think anything she does is awesome. She is beautiful, confident and honestly, I’m a huge fan, so maybe I’m biased. Musically, her true potential has not yet been explored.
Parineeti is singing in her forthcoming film Meri Pyaari Bindu. How do you rate the Chopra sisters — Priyanka and Parineeti as singers?
I haven’t heard Parineeti sing yet. I don’t think Priyanka’s aim was ever to be a conventional singer per se. She is amazing at what she does and is a very intelligent artiste. We need more artistes and role models like her.