Bollywood’s most loved celebrated composer, singer and lyricist, Amaal Mallik joined us for exclusive conversation on NewsX for its special segment, NewsX Alist. Amaal’s work comprises hit music for films such as Badrinath Ki Dulhania, M S Dhoni The Untold Story, Hero, Kapoor & Sons, Baar Baar Dekho, Airlift, Baaghi, and Kabir Singh among others. Mallik shared with us the making and success of his Pop debut, “Tu Mera Nahi” and his musical journey so far.
Shot across exquisite locations in Dubai, Mallik started off by telling us about his ultimate heartbreak song, “Tu Mera Nahi ” which brings in life heart-wrenching moments and has been a chartbuster ever since release. “This is a very difficult move and I want to thank Sony Music India firstly for supporting me musically and my vision. We did this video in the most difficult situation during the lockdown. They beautifully let us achieve our dream and of my family, my parents also. They have seen me take the film composer complete about 40 odd films and this is my 80th song as a composer. And it still feels like the first because this time it’s me in the video and I have to go all out, taking everything on me. Go back whatever happens, but everything is so positive and I’ve been welcomed.”
“My fans wanted it for three years but there are people who have their messages coming that this is the first song that they’ve heard of mine. And that is a very big feeling of taking into a newer audience. Yeah, that is very important for an artist if that doesn’t happen then we don’t feel alive, so I’m very happy with the love and success it has received on the charts and all over,” the singer continued.
Talking about the picturesque locations and overall picturisation of his first music video, Mallik said, “I have to give full credit to Arif Khan for directing it so beautifully very honestly, and I think he has wasted almost a year of just spending time with me daily, just to get to know me better. I wanted to not play any character but myself and how I am in my own music and my life, my relationships or friends. It’s just me, visually and musically showing to my fans also which they all must already know most of me, but you’re not to the world also that this is how this person is. And I’m glad that we could do this and that cinematic video in such a difficult time for such a song.”
So, I feel that leap of faith that has happened from the label, production house and my parents themselves started a production house with me. For the first time they have produced me and they produce this music, and they have supported my dream because this was the 15-year-old dream which the 30-year-old completed. They went to step up for me and they did so I can’t thank them enough and in the video, it is completely me. I have not shied away from who I am,” Mallik elaborated.
The singer-composer extensively gave a sneak into conception behind his songs at large and the matra behind the special connect with his fans, “Most of my songs, not just this come from my own life, and I obviously follow the script but the melodies hit me and the words hit me. I keep my eyes and ears open. But for a song like this, I just have to keep my heart open which is also something I’ve been doing for so long. In all my songs it is somewhere from my experiences, my friends and how they have faced life since from everything that is happening around me, I bring that to my music. So that’s why a lot of people connect on a different level. It’s not just about charts. A lot of young kids have told me things such as we got married on your song and those things feel really special.”
Mallik shared with us a very beautiful story of a special fan he met recently, “At the airport, I met a young kid who had Down syndrome, he was on a wheelchair and got up and hugged me. His Nani told me that he plays this song, Tu Mera Nahi Hai all day and if anyone changes that song, he gets really upset. So I realized I’m indirectly managing to heal their hearts.”
Much to his fans’ delight, Amaal Mallik during the conversation played a few lines from the chartbuster and his voice and piano clearly lightened up anyone’s day.
On a concluding note, Amaal Mallik shared with us and fans his game-changing moment throughout his life and career, “I would give that major chunk of credit to obviously Suraj Dooba hai and I did something new. But it was too early for maybe electronic dance music and somewhere it took a year more and I could then gauge how much time a particular time takes from the foreign market. Fortunately and unfortunately too we look to the west for a lot of music. So it depends if certain things are working today and they come over here about one and a half, two years, there I realize those things.”
“Also, but I felt very grateful that it was 90% my original work, I have had my share of recreations of six-seven but glad I made a dent into people’s hearts with original good music, and now slowly the time of that is coming back and the way independent music is almost superseding film music. It’s a great time. I think I’ve ventured into this at the right time, but because of the growth of this, I think film music will make that change absolutely.”