Raftaar reveals what he wants from Kareena Kapoor, Ranveer Singh

Raftaar talks about the role of his parents in his success and how it all began in a candid conversation.

Rapper and musician Raftaar has opened up about how he quit the job of a salesman to pursue his passion of music, thanks to his father. The rapper said his father set him free to pursue his dreams.

Raftaar talks about his life before becoming a rapper, Bollywood stars and more.

Speaking with Neha Dhupia on her podcast No Filter with Neha, Raftaar said, “Karna bilkul pehle se tha. Main aapko ekdum spasht batau toh 2006. Maine UCB mein salesman ki job kari thi. Par uss job pe mere papa ne kuch aisa kiya tha jiske wajah se maine kahan bas inhone chooth de diya, mujhe ab ladna hi padega (I always wanted to do it. If I tell you clearly, it was 2006 when it all began. I worked as a salesman in UCB but my father did something during that job that gave me the freedom to fight).”

Talking further, he added, “Meri salary thi 10,000 rupaye; mere papa ki salary thi 12000 rupaye. Woh usmein se 10,000 rupaye nikalke mere takiye ke niche rakh ke chale gaye bolke jaane ki zarurat nahi hai, yeh le teri salary. Uss din maine decide kar liya tha ki ab itni chuth saamne se unhone de di hai yaar, I don’t have excuses to say ki main isliye nahi kar paaya ki mere maa-baap ne sath nahi diya, mujhe bahut roka. Mere maa-baap kehte the ki koi naa tu aazmaale apni kismat. Kuch nahi hua ek dukaan khol lenge, bhuka nahi marega. Matlab, kisi bhi tareeke se you will live. (My salary was Rs 10000 and my dad’s salary was Rs 12,000. One day he kept Rs 10,000 beneath my pillow and told me that I need not go on my job as he handed me the salary. That day I decided that my father had given me all the freedom he could, I do not have any excuse that my parents did not support my dreams. My parents asked me to try my luck, they assured me to open a shop if nothing else worked out, ‘You won’t die hungry. Live the way you want’).”

“I started writing when I was in Class 7. I did not know then that I was writing rap, maybe it wasn’t even rap. I was pretty good at the rhyming structures. That’s where it started, like writing songs. And, then in Class 9, MP3 ka zamana aaya. This friend of mine gave me a CD. There were Eminem songs, Linkin Park songs and there was this remix of the band Queen – We Will Rock You. The song has a small rap portion. When I heard it, I felt it was great. It was similar to the rhythm I was writing and it was similar to the thoughts I had. Matlab kyu baar baar sirf pyaar mohabbat kyuki I can’t relate to that (Why only talk about love?). This, I can relate to. And, that’s where it started,” he added.

Raftaar also talked about a host of other things, including Bollywood stars. Raftaar said he would like to gift the privacy he enjoys to Kareena Kapoor. “What I want to give is my sense of privacy that I have. I can go to a place with a cap on, like baggy pants pehen ke apna, main kahin bhi jaa sakta hoon kuch bhi kar sakta hoon, who nahi kar sakti (I can wear baggy pants and walk anywhere, do anything but she cannot). What would I take from her? When she was on the sets of DID, she is so sweet that she would turn around and make me a part of a conversation. She would make me feel equal so that sense of freedom, who main chahta hoon, dimaagi tor pe hum kaam kar rahe hai toh humare kaam ke liye jaana jaye (I would like to be known for my work). I don’t care who sits in the centre to the side.

Asked about things he would like to give and take to and from Ranveer Singh, Raftaar said, “He doesn’t need anything. He’s got everything. Him, Varun Dhawan are the only two people who are in the culture and are fans of hip-hop. And, I would like to give them that credit, because a lot of people are like ki yaar yeh actors hai toh inko itna kyu deal wagera yeh sab milta hai(These are actors, why do they get deals meant for rappers?). Like, why did he play a rapper, somebody else could have and it was okay for us rappers also because he is a man of the culture. He loves that music. He listens to our songs. So, that credit. And in return, I would like to just, de de na, apne Frankwheeler wali gaadi de dena. Aaj subah hi dekhi, achi lag rahi thi (Give me your Frankwheeler car, I saw it this morning and it looked nice).”

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