His 2015 debut single Baaki Baatein Peene Baad established Arjun Kanungo as the pinup boy of Indi-pop. In 2016, it was his second single, Fursat, that garnered over 1 million views and was shared over 8000 times within two days of the release on YouTube. Once again, Arjun is topping the charts with his latest song Ek Dafaa. A rehash of the Rahman hit Chinnama Chilakamma (from the 2004 film Meenaxi) Ek Dafaa is trending online and on most of the Hindi radio stations. With over five million views and still counting, seems like Arjun's third single too will keep playing on loop for sometime.
Though he has set the internet buzzing with his voice, Arjun is also actively touring all over India, particularly performing at college fests where most of his fan base is. On a recent trip to an engineering college in Mysore, on an invitation by celebrity manager and publicist, Akshat Mudbidri, Arjun made the audience swoon over his voice and stage performance. In an exclusive chat with Indulge he shared what makes his music so engaging.
All your three singles have been big hits. You seem to be giving tough competition to others despite being a newcomer. Are you now looking at composing for films?
Well... I did the opposite of what I am doing now. I did a few Bollywood films earlier, but I thought it wasn't the right thing to have done in the beginning and so I went backwards with independent music. In 2013, I sang Khoon Choos Le for the film Go Goa Gone and then Tum Chal Diye for the film Pizza (2014). My problem with Bollywood was, I was a newcomer and nobody knew me then. I didn't have good PR and didn't get any face time, people forget the singer easily. Even the films pass by. It's always about the actor, director, very rarely will you find people remembering you unless you aren't like a Badshah or an Amit Trivedi. I was doing so much stuff, but nobody knew what I was doing, so I took a break. I went to Strasberg (Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute, New York) to study acting and even there nobody knew me. This was quite a big problem for me. At that time YouTube was just picking up and I started putting out videos and I got noticed and people started appreciating me. The video-audio part was the biggest advantage on YouTube, so people see the face of the singer as well. Three videos down the line, Sony Music approached me but I was clear that I wouldn't do Bollywood films right then. But eventually all roads lead to Bollywood, but making your own music is a different experience and that's what independent music has taught me over the last two-three years. But you need money to do all these things and someone who knows to use the money, Sony Music has supported me all this while, they really know how to get the word out. Independent music is growing and everything is getting downsized, you don't need a budget of 20-30 lakhs, anyone can compose and make a good video and now is the time to be part of this independent music industry.
You were keen on learning method acting at Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute, New York, why?
I wanted to do musical theatre, but when I was signed up with Sony Music, everything changed. I really didn't get a chance to pursue that. But there's a bit of everything you do as an artiste, which I do through my music and videos.
Why did you choose to recreate Chinnamma Chikalamma?
Sometime in 2015-16, I was in Sri Lanka on a holiday. People play a lot of Tamil music over there and I heard Chinnamma Chikalamma after a very long time, almost after a decade. I was thinking, this song is such an epic and I don't know why we don't have it as a popular Rahman song like other tunes by Rahman sir. I just wondered why this song didn't do well like other songs, though it had the potential. Meenaxi didn't do well, so many people didn't get to listen, particularly the younger generation - the '90s born don't know this song. From the moment I heard it I felt this needs to be resurrected. I finished composing the song on the way back from Sri Lanka, on flight and made the melody, once I landed I sent it to Mayur Puri, the lyricist and he wrote the lyrics in one day and sent it back. I was very happy with it. We were very kicked about it. But the difficult part was to rearrange it, with new sounds. Eventually we settled down with a company in Sweden and we retained the original chorus sample with AR Sir's permission. And we built a whole new song with it.
What was AR Rahman's reaction when he heard this song?
I wasn't there honestly when he heard the song the first time, but people who were present tell me, he just said, Hmmm! (laughs) I suppose that's a good thing.
Most of your songs have sexual innuendos... Is it a norm now among independent music artistes?
Honestly, I don't even think of it. I suppose, when you make a song and make music, it's always an expression of your own personal statement. People interpret it in different ways. I never thought my songs had any sexual innuendos, I don't even think about it. For me, a song is a song. I grew up in a time when people's thoughts were free, especially when it comes to sexuality. I was in New York as well and even in acting school they always taught us to be free with our thoughts. It's also an image thing, and I think Sony Music wants me to be like this. It's not intentional, it's all the packaging and all. But if you listen to the songs there's nothing sexual about it. I think the videos are more in that line. Honestly, I don't think I am even being bold. But when Chinnamma came out people were like, oh wow! That video is really sexy, and I was like, really? Both of us (Arjun and the female model) have our clothes on. When my grandfather watched the song, he was like, oh my god, I can't watch my grandson like this (laughs) he has watched my earlier songs but it's only with this video that he seemed a bit perturbed.Till then I didn't even think about it. I thought it's a nice video and there's good chemistry between the boy and the girl. I think it's also to do with my directors' (Uma and Geeti who have directed Baby Doll earlier) style.
What do you do in your free time?
I like to sleep. There isn't much free time. I meet friends when I get time. Other than that I run a few recording studios and I am busy with my businesses. I go the gym. I am very keen about fitness, and my schedule is also crazy, I go to the gym about nine times a week, and I also practise martial arts. I finish working out in the morning, and start my day by 10, then I sleep early. By 11 pm, I pass out. When I have a late night event or a show I really struggle to stay awake.
Are you seeing someone?
In this industry it's very hard to be in a relationship, as we are working always. I was in a relationship earlier, but right now my status is complicated.