Kumar Sanu recreates Vande Mataram, talks about comparison with AR Rahman
Kumar Sanu has come up with a new version of Vande Mataram that will feature in an upcoming documentary. The song has music by Bappa Lahiri.
Many musicians and singers have paid tributes to the patriotic song Vande Maatram with their own versions but music maestro AR Rahman's remains the most popular one. Now, Kumar Sanu and Bappa Lahiri have collaborated for a new version of Vande Mataram and comparisons are bound to be made. In an exclusive interview with Hindustan Times, Kumar Sanu talks about the new song, and the inevitable comparisons. (Also read: Bappi Lahiri's son Bappa recalls being ragged in school over his father's style )
AR Rahman's Vande Mataram
Asked if he is skeptical of comparisons with AR Rahman, Kumar Sanu said, “There's no competition. The audience will enjoy each of these compositions I would say tremendously, equally & each of such songs is a gift to the audience, to go through that feeling of patriotism, and through these songs, we salute our motherland. So there is no competition, each of us will have its unique texture of style and presentation.”
Why new Vande Mataram?
The song's writer-composer Sandeep Khurana added, “Vande Mataram by itself represents one's feelings towards India as their motherland. “Vande Mataram”, the set of words represents that unified feeling, that devotion, gratitude and love we have for our motherland. Different composers, different writers, and different lyricists express this feeling through a different set of words and each set of words makes a different unique song which represents the thought process of that writer or composer but the underlined feeling is the same.”
The singer said, "Vande Mataram is a salute to our motherland. So, when we salute our motherland, we can do it in the form of choosing different words or lyrics and composing different tunes but the underlined feeling is the same. Hence, there's no limit to the number of versions, or number of songs that can come to represent the same feeling called Vande Mataram, we salute to our motherland.'
Patriotic songs
Talking about the popularity of patriotic songs and content, the singer added, “Now, I think there are a lot more channels & people can, you know, publish their work in so many ways, different styles, & people are more creative, more & more people are getting into creative fields like music & composing, so we may see a lot of such compositions & productions being released and published. I think that is the reason but the feeling is always been there and I think it will continue to be there because this is part of our upbringing, our education system, and our learnings.”
The new song will release later this month and a prelude for the same was released on Tuesday. Bappa has created the musical score while Sandeep composed the music. Sandeep also wrote the new version. Bappa has also produced the song that will be part of a documentary under production.
AR Rahman's The Vande Mataram album was a tribute to India and was released on the golden jubilee anniversary of India's independence in 1997.