KOCHI: “Like many, ‘Drishyam’ was one movie which thrilled me. However, never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I would be singing in its sequel,” says Zonobia Safar, who is on cloud nine. The Thiruvananthapuram native has lent the voice for ‘Ore Pakal’, the only track from the much-awaited ‘Drishyam 2’. The song has managed to mesmerise the listeners.
“I’ve been getting a lot of messages from people appreciating the song. Many have said I have an exotic tone. My parents are of course happy and proud,” says Zonobia. An IIM-graduate, she left her job with IBS Software in 2019 to pursue a full time career in music. “Music director Shaan Rahman messaged me on Instagram congratulating me. This song is the best break I could get. I feel I took the right decision,” she adds.
Zonobia’s tryst with playback singing began with the song ‘Saare’ from the movie ‘Queen’. She has also lent her voice for ‘Oru Caribbean Udayippu’ and an Emirati movie for Kailas Menon. Now on the threshold of fame, Zonobia initially did voice-overs and worked on many jingles after leaving her job. “The ad directors encouraged me to send my singing clips to music directors. To be honest, I didn’t expect a response from any,” she quips.
She was surprised when music director Anil Johnson contacted her. “He didn’t reveal the details of the project. My heart skipped a beat when he finally said the movie’s name.” Zonobia says she was nervous during the recording session. “I took an entire day to record the song. However, Jeethu Joseph sir and Anil were confident of my voice. This boosted my confidence.”
Zonobia is planning to resume her Carnatic and Hindustani music classes soon. “My family had apprehensions when I quit my job but I was confident about getting voice-over opportunities. In a few years when my children talk of their passions, I can narrate my own story to encourage them,” she quips. Zonobia’s dream is to sing for A R Rahman. “Of course, I would like to work with Anil again. Also, I would love to collaborate with Shaan Rahman, Deepak Dev, and Sushin Shyam, to name a few.”