Priya Karthik’s Down Vintage Lane turns the spotlight on villain songs

A hero’s triumph remains entirely hollow without the visceral menace of a compelling antagonist. Yet, the songs associated with these villains remain largely overlooked. Seeking to address this, versatile playback singer Priya Karthik turns her focus to the dark side with the fourth edition of Down Vintage Lane — a musical evening built around songs picturised on villains. Ahead of the show, we catch up with Priya to talk about the idea behind the performance and what audiences can expect.

A curated ensemble and a personal Pran connection

Moving away from predictable, hero-led tributes, the classically trained vocalist chooses to base her concert on villains, driven by a conscious effort to avoid the obvious. “I always like to think out of the box and do something different!” Priya explains. Acknowledging their importance, she notes that these actors are the true catalysts of conflict. “Villains add colour and thrill to the films and make the heroes stand tall. They are the less celebrated and unsung heroes of our cinema,” she enthuses.

For Priya, the appeal also lies in how these songs are remembered. “Many of these songs stay with us because of the characters they are attached to,” she reflects. She adds that revisiting them in a live setting allows audiences to engage with them differently. “When you hear them outside the film, you start noticing the music and lyrics in a new way,” Priya tells us. Curating a setlist around such figures opens up a wide range in sound and mood. “The most melodious and beautiful songs are picturised on the villains, ” Priya says, pointing to a repertoire that moves across eras and screen personas. “When we have a theme — curating songs becomes easy. The songs revolve around the villains in their various avatars,” Priya notes. “The selection reflects the evolution of villainy on the silver screen,” she tells us.

The performance brings together singers Aishwarya Kasinathan, Aniket Prabhu, Yaseen Khan and Niyazuddin Niyaz alongside her on stage. “I have understood the kind of voice and energy every song requires and divided the songs among all my singers accordingly,” she shares.

When asked about her favourite villain, Priya is quick to name the legendary villain, Pran Krishan Sikand. “He is the Villain of the Millennium, the one and only Pran,” she laughs. “I had the blessed opportunity of singing at his daughter’s wedding reception in Mumbai when I was a teenager,” she recalls. “The soft-spoken gentleman even walked up to us artistes and shook our hands along with his fellow guest actors,” she adds. Offering a glimpse into what’s coming next, “Our upcoming presentation is a musical tribute to Bollywood dons like Shahenshah and Baadshah!” Priya reveals signing off.

INR 500. March 29, 6 pm. At Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Race Course Road.

Written by Anoushka Kundu

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