Adnan Sami shares insights about singing Bheegi Saree from Param Sundari
Sidharth Malhotra and Janhvi Kapoor have set the screen on fire with their sizzling chemistry in Bheegi Saree, the latest track from the film Param Sundari. The song is a throwback to the romantic rain numbers that were a staple of 1990s Bollywood cinema. You cannot simply miss the duo, thanks to its sensuous choreography, electrifying chemistry, striking visuals, and, of course, the dreamy vocals of Adnan Sami, who lends his voice to a Bollywood song after a while.
Adnan Sami on how melody is still the king
What made you say yes to Bheegi Saree?
Well, for me, the most important thing is always the song itself. When I heard the melody, I instantly fell in love with it. I felt it was beautifully composed and written. And I have a connection with many of these baarish (rain) songs. They attracted me in some form or other. The picturisation was absolutely fantastic too.
The colours, the whole atmosphere, mood, and the performances— both Siddharth and Janhvi have done a wonderful job.
This song has a similar vibe to the monsoon songs of the ’90s. Do you feel the same?
Yeah, it definitely has a retro, nostalgic feel. You know why—because this is focused on the melody. Songs till the early 2000s were focused on melody. Songs without melody are just like coffee without coffee beans. Melody is all about what the true essence of music is. And if that’s being termed as nostalgic, then so be it.
It doesn’t matter as long as the melody comes back into the scene, ecause that’s what makes songs memorable.
In the time of 1990s and early 2000s, the Indie music scene was very memorable. Do you think that’s coming back?
Honestly speaking, yes. Melody is being acknowledged yet again. Because there is no other way. What happened was that people somewhere, for whatever reasons, got a little defocused from that element. People are concentrating more on the production. Beats or rhythms, these are trends.
For example, a trouser will always be a trouser. The fact that it’s a baggy pair of trousers or it’s a tight pair of trousers or whatever, are just trends. Those are all production nuances, but they are not the most important thing. The important thing is that the trousers will always be there. I always see that any song, even in today’s time, if it becomes very popular, has a beautiful melody.
What’s keeping you busy these days? And why do we see you so little in Bollywood?
This is not a new phenomenon as far as I’m concerned. I have never churned out one song after the other. If you look at my timeline, I’ve always been a bit selective for better or for worse. I mean, I’m not saying that my method is the best—I just don’t want to sing for the sake of singing. I usually like to sing songs which I can genuinely relate to and which make sense to me. And sometimes I refuse to sing a song if I feel that it won’t suit me.
I’m a little selective about whatever I do, apart from being a bit lazy.
What’s next in the pipeline?
We’re doing a few concerts, with one in Hyderabad next month, followed by Mumbai, and Bengaluru.
I also have a few independent singles lined up for release in the near future besides a few film playbacks.
Are there any new generation musician you find interesting?