Babul Supriyo: There are people who’ve told me that they don’t subscribe to my politics but enjoy my singing

Singer and Union Minister Babul Supriyo, who recently released his single Shayera, says music keeps him charged up, it’s like that part of him without which he is incomplete.

From leaving the comforts of his home and banking job in Kolkata, coming to Mumbai for his singer dreams to taking the plunge into politics, Babul Supriyo prefers exploring life to the fullest. Recently, he tried his hand at direction with the music video for his latest single. While his political work keeps him occupied, he reveals that the artiste in him still holds a stronger ground.

Singer and Union Minister Babul Supriyo recently released his single Shayera.

“I’ve been thinking of releasing a single for long and have been in talks with Pritam since 2017 regarding our song Shayera which finally released this year. I feel grateful for all the love around the song. There are people who’ve told me that they don’t subscribe to my politics or the party I support but they enjoy listening to singer Babul. I respect that and understand where they’re coming from,” he says.

Apart from his work as a Union Minister, he takes out time for his riyaaz as he wants to balance both. “Music keeps me charged up, it’s like that part of me without which I’m incomplete,” adds Supriyo, who has also acted in a few Bengali films recently.

Talking about his journey so far, he shares that unlike Kumar Sanu, Udit Narayan and others who sang to the fullest of their career, the singers of his generation, be it him, Shaan etc weren’t that lucky.

“Shaan rightly said that our generation was kind of made to retire. This happened when studio products and auto tuning took over. And those songs started becoming the order of the day. It does feel bad. You know sometimes you’ve to be your own godfather,” he explains adding that nepotism and camps exist. But then such things are everywhere else too.

“When nepotism is detrimental to nurturing new talent then that’s the problem. Talented children from film families getting plump projects aren’t wrong if they’re talented. But newcomers who’re equally talented must also get a chance. Also, if being the so called outsider, Arijit Singh, who’s one of the best singers we have, is singing maximum songs then how can we say nepotism is ruling?” he says.

However, he adds that debates around these issues in Bollywood and even the drug menace coming into the forefront after actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death needed to be addressed.

“Prevalence of drugs in a high tension industry like this would push people more into a dark hole. That should not happen. If bad elements in Bollywood learn their lessons, things will be better,” he adds.

Supriyo’s daughter Sharmilee, is also planning to make a career in music and might also get dragged into nepotism debate.

“Yes I know, but then as a father why won’t I help her? I’ll do the same with my younger daughter Naina too. Now only if they’re good, they’ll survive. If a businessman’s or a doctor’s son can follow their father’s footsteps, why can’t an actor or a singer’s son do the same? But I won’t push someone back to put my daughter ahead,” he concludes.

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Author tweets @Shreya_MJ