'There is a virus in Rahman’s hermitage!'

In Bollywood parlance, Sukhwinder Singh is said to be a cult figure, who has collected awards by the dozens.
If his Chaiyya Chaiyya, Chak De or Haule Haule went on to become a rage and brought him desi accolades, it was his Jai Ho, that finally broke all barriers and won a Grammy and also an Oscar for the composer A R Rahman. But, this elusive singer with Sufi leanings, has always believed in exploring new dimensions of his personality.As he gears up to don the greasepaint for the second time for Ram Gopal Varma's Rakta Charitra, Sukhwinder takes a break from doing "laadi pyaari to his six Lhasa-terrier pups" and speaks to NT, dil se...
Reality check
Sometime back the singer had made his acting debut in Kuch Kariye, which couldn't create magic at the BO. So, why's he hobnobbing with 70mm screen yet again? Ask him this, and he replies with great asperity: "Those who could see Kuch Kariye by mistake, actually sent me bouquets. I was appalled that the film wasn't even released in so many cities. Nor were any posters put up due to rotten policies of multiplexes, but now the film will be released in single screens. Ramu ji's film Rakta Charitra is different. It's an interesting and realistic portrayal, but I'm not allowed to speak about it! I’m doing it because it touched my inner core."
‘Busy with less work’
Looking at his repertoire, it's obvious that Sukhi has mostly worked with a select group of filmmakers, lyricists and composers. Ask him why this partiality, and he says with a laugh: "Since I find it difficult to say no to people, I just ask them 'Can we sit down and work on the songs? Do you have the time?' And they are quite embarrassed, whereas people like Vishal Bhardwaj or Gulzar saab always say: 'Aaja! Hum wele hain!' The reason is that they are also very busy with less work, just like me! So, that mutual tuning works!"
Beyond negativity
Speaking of tuning, Sukhi’s best songs were composed by A R Rahman. But, there were reports of differences cropping up between the two when Rahman didn't take him for the Oscars and even Grammy. To this, he says: "Success is a celebration, which has to be cherished! I believe others' success should also reflect on your face. And I've learnt one thing - If someone, who has always done his best for you, suddenly starts scolding you or behaves badly - try to remember the good things that he had earlier done for you!" But, when the two met after the controversy, wasn't there negativity in the air? "Not at all! In fact, I asked Rahman where's my biryani and both of us sat down and ate a hearty meal! We did Raavan after that, and will soon work on another project too. Rahman is a living saint, who can't do anything negative! But, there's a virus in his hermitage, which is not from the musical world. If that virus is not checked in time, it may just corrode his work."
Healthy romance
With Sukhi getting rather serious, it's time to turn the conversation towards lighter zones. His single status at 41 for starters! With a hearty chuckle, he says: "I've a feeling that I will find my dream gal at the beach! These days I carry my gym equipment to the beach every morning and work out for hours. After that, I play football there, and I'm the only goalkeeper who sits on a chair and does his job." And how will he recognise his soul mate amidst all this hullabaloo? "I'll know her instinctively. And the day I get that sensation, I'll marry her within a week," says he and signs off.
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