I'm flooded with offers: Neeraj Shridhar

He's being called the new item boy of Bollywood after churning hits like Hare Ram Hare Ram and Heyy Babyy in 2007. Neeraj Shridhar talks to Ritujaay Ghosh.

He is the new item song specialist. Last year, he gave many hit singles including

HT Image

Hare Ram Hare Krishna, Ticket to Hollywood

and the title track of

Heyy Babyy

.

Melody maker Neeraj Shridhar on why he excels in item numbers:

Why are most of your songs item numbers?

That's because of my voice. I did not work on my voice before getting into playback singing. It hasn't changed much from the way it was in

Kya soorat hai, Woh chali

and

Hawa mein udta jaaye

. But those were remixes. The word is remakes. I sang them in my own style. Bombay Vikings was among the first bands to bring that style to India.

Circa 2007 was quite eventful for you.

If you mean playback singing, then yes. As a composer, the last few years have been fruitful for me.

What happens to your second name Bombay Vikings?

It's intact. Speculations about the band's existence are rife because we haven't released an album in two years.

Are you satisfied?

I was never dissatisfied. But I'm happier now because my struggle has helped me mature. Before I'd put my band together in Sweden, I'd worked at McDonald's to save money. The band was a hit in Sweden and India. Despite this a top music director refused to give me a break in playback singing. But now, I'm flooded with offers.

You always wanted to be a singer?

After my voice was rejected I was adamant to prove that I could do it. I did.