At a time when most singers are producing songs on the pandemic, Ssumier Pasricha has released his debut devotional single, Teri Jyota Toh Balihari.
“This number is very special to me. I was supposed to record it in 1998 for a music label. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out, and I was so disheartened that I left the thought of becoming a singer, and got busy with my acting career,” says Pasricha, 40, an alumni of Modern School, Barakhamba Road.
“Last year I met Tusli Kumar (of T-Series), and told her about my urge to sing Mata Ki Bhentein. She said she will make it happen. During the lockdown, I messaged her asking if I could still sing the song, and she readily said yes. An actor colleague, Gunjan Utreja, put me in touch with music composer Sandeep Batra, whose work I liked and so went to Mumbai and recorded the song in his studio. Hopefully, we will produce more songs with Tusli Kumar in future,” says Pasricha.
The actor-singer shot to fame with his hilarious videos as Pammi Aunty, a middle-aged Punjabi woman who rants about everything under the sun.
“The role was unplanned, and came up during the sabbatical I had taken from TV. One day, I was exploring Snapchat filters, and liked a particular one and posted a video on social media. It went viral, after which I made more such videos, about 500 I think.”
Pasricha thinks that perhaps the real life situations he talked about clicked with people.
Trained in Hindustani classical music from Gandharva Mahavidyala, Mandi House, Pasricha always wanted to be a singer. In fact, as a child he used to sing for the All India Radio. Later, he trained in Hindustani classical music from the Gandharv Vidyalaya, Mandi House.
But after the first rejection in 1998, he quit pursuing it professionally, and left India for higher education in Australia, where he started doing theatre and dance gigs.
He was almost settled in Australia, when the ill-health of his father brought him back to India. His father had a flourishing pharmaceutical business, and being the only son he was duty-bound to take care of it.
“But I have no regrets. Along with looking after the business, I also forayed into acting, and did a number of TV serials like Code Red, Sasural Simar Ka and theatre plays like Amawas se Amaltas and Mahim Junction. I am quite satisfied with what life has given me,” he remarks.
Pasricha is also a trained Kuchipudi dancer, who performs “whenever my guruji wants me to”.
This apart, he is deeply involved in social causes, spreading awareness on cancer and AIDS, and issues like homosexuality, pollution and problems the differently-abled face.Pasricha flits between Delhi and Mumbai for business and work.
“Mumbai people are more active and creative, but Delhi is where the business is. After my dad passed away, my mom has been helping in the business. She has been supportive of all my creative endeavours. So was my dad. He always told me, ‘do whatever makes you happy” he signs off.