Arko: It has been more than two years since Teri Mitti releases, we still get messages for it

Composer-singer Arko Pravo Mukherjee talks about his upcoming slate of work, and why he doesn’t get the reason for Teri Mitti’s popularity.

Nazm Nazm, Tere Sang Yaara, Baarish — Arko Pravo Mukherjee’s soulful compositions have always struck a chord with the listeners. What stands out in his repertoire, though, is Teri Mitti from the Akshay Kumar-starrer Kesari. It’s been two years since it released, but it had such an impact that it catapulted it’s singer, B Praak to overnight fame and fetched him the National Award for Best Singer this year.

Singer-music composer Arko Pravo Mukherjee composed Teri Mitti for the film Kesari (2019)

Arko still doesn’t get what about the song has made it so popular. “We do so much work, we don’t think like this song will do so well. It’s been more than two years since it released, even now we receive messages for Teri Mitti. Somebody showed me recently, it’s still on some charts. This is a strange thing, I have never seen this,” he exclaims.

As for the singer’s National Award, Arko says B Praak is very talented, but not many people outside Punjab knew it back then.

“This song was destined to be his Bollywood debut. He sung it so well, with every emotion so well executed. Hamesha waisa nahi hota. You watch these reality shows, every kid sings so well, our country has a lot of good singers. It’s not a question of skill, but more about emotions and things falling in place. Hats off to Manoj Muntashir, who wrote the lyrics,” says Arko, currently busy with a host of independent singles, and his own YouTube channel.

Last year, due to the onset of pandemic, a lot of film projects got affected, including those involving Arko. “None of my films released then, everything got postponed. It has all come into motion now. I will start promoting my YouTube channel. The first project will be Satyameva Jayate 2, then Mission Majnu,” he continues, “This initiative of doing independent songs, I have signed a deal. The market is huge now, there are a lot of releases and clutter. Hopefully, if we have a few songs which can break through that clutter in the long run, that’s what we are thinking.”

An excited Arko further says that he’s really looking forward to how people would react to a particular song in Satyameva Jataye 2, which will be on the lines of Teri Mitti. It reunites Muntashir and B Praak with the composer.

“Now, we will be judged in comparison, so we are trying to keep up the standard. This will happen with me for the first time. I have had big songs, but nothing like this,” he reveals.