[Reader-list] Himesh Reshammiya on Sarai

[Prashant Pandey]

Himesh - A posting

He has emerged as  the baap of all the entertainers in the Bombay
showbiz, whose shows are a greater sell out success than even the king
of Bollywood , Shahrukh Khan. The only composer in Bombay who started
signing contracts with music companies over his ring tones rights. I
am talking about Himesh Reshammiya. Television producer(yes he used to
make TV serials) turned composer turned singer turned hero( now he is
playing lead in a film)...Himesh moves fast and foxy. Himesh has an
acumen for turning out the same and same melody into 100 different
songs and a keen sense of music and showbiz business. I remember
meeting him last year in famous studios. I told him that I was the one
who was hounding him for my sarai fellowship interview.

"yessss.........yes yes...how are you....." It was for Indian Express right....

No...It was for Sarai...."

All through my sarai stint Himesh ALWAYS mistook  me for  some Indian
express guy, Times of India guy, DNA guy but could never understand
that i was a sarai guy. It perhaps made no sense to a jetsetting 17
hour/day working guy in the heart of the deeply commercial industry.
Nobody gives a fuck about non-mainstream media. Dont strain much.
Move on.

We had some time together to talk but Himesh was looking not into my
eyes but on my paper plate which had those stale TV industry
sandwiches.

Can i have a bite from this.....I havent had anything today...

As he took a bite, a hoard of young girls pounced on him eventually to
be shoo-ed away by 3 production people.
Two of them shamelessly  managed to disrupt our conversation and asked
me if i could lend my pen to them. I gave my pen to Himesh instead and
he started to sign the initial two of some 50 autographs. I was deeply
engulfed into two insecurities.

ONE, I will lose my pen.
TWO,I can never have  a posting on Himesh ....that is anything first
hand to write about.
However the fan frenzy died down as it was a call for make-up. We
resumed our talk. I managed to ask him about only one thing...
"whats next..."
I have been doing lot of experiments and my music next year will have
lot of world music."
I dont know what he meant but it was sure that he meant that he would
change his sound ( like anu malik did in the early nineties- Phir Teri
kahani yaad aayi, bazigar) and Nadeem Shravan- Pardes)
So one year has passed since then..... (my sarai fellowship and PPHP
work is sadly over )....so all of you who know what world music is ( I
dont know what is it...) can listen to our own Himesh...and dont blame
me if you dont find any....

by
Prashant Pandey