In an exclusive interview with Lehren Retro, noted playback singer Abhibeet declares Shah Rukh Khan as the most nationalistic among the Khans, emphasizing Khan's unwavering dedication and love for his country.
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00:00 Along with Shahrukh Khan, your most famous songs...
00:03 ...and later on, there was a time when you reduced it.
00:06 No, I didn't reduce it.
00:07 After 'Main Hoon Na'.
00:08 Look, this thing has happened many times.
00:11 And then again, this thing...
00:14 What has happened, has happened.
00:15 Look, one is pride.
00:18 And the other is self-esteem.
00:21 One is...
00:23 ...ego.
00:25 And the other is self-respect.
00:28 Self-esteem, self-respect.
00:30 Shahrukh Khan was born with his own strength.
00:32 The self-respect and self-esteem in him...
00:35 ...is the same in me.
00:36 He is also a Scorpion.
00:38 Our date is one day ahead.
00:40 Mine is 30th October.
00:42 And his is 2nd November, or 1st November.
00:45 Whatever is one day ahead.
00:46 So, we are the same. Our nature is the same.
00:48 So, we are not arrogant.
00:51 But we have self-esteem.
00:56 So, that's it.
00:58 That's all I had to say.
01:02 Now, I...
01:03 I tried a couple of times...
01:06 ...to clear this.
01:08 But Shahrukh Khan is a very commercial person.
01:11 Very commercial.
01:12 He can put anyone aside for his success and career.
01:18 He will use them.
01:19 He can put anyone aside.
01:21 But it is wrong to say this for him.
01:24 If someone says that he was anti-national...
01:28 ...or that a lot of people tried to...
01:31 ...but there is no one more nationalist than Shahrukh Khan.
01:34 Whenever he made a film...
01:37 ...you can see which films he made.
01:38 'Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani'.
01:40 It flopped.
01:41 'Swadesh'.
01:41 'Ashoka'.
01:43 I mean, how can you say that?
01:45 And that too...
01:47 ...he promoted Indian and Hindu culture more.
01:52 Whether it's a mehendi party...
01:55 ...or a wedding party.
01:57 I don't think there is a bigger nationalist than Shahrukh.
02:01 But between me and him...
02:05 ...people made a commercial angle...
02:08 ...that I am anti-this, I am anti-that.
02:11 Among the Khans...
02:13 ...Shahrukh is the only nationalist.
02:17 Only nationalist.
02:20 No one else has anything to do with nationalism.
02:23 These days, you are away from songs.
02:25 From films.
02:27 So, 'Waapsi Kabhi'.
02:29 No.
02:30 People listen to me more.
02:33 They listen to me more.
02:34 Because now...
02:35 ...it's not that...
02:37 ...you are not on TV, you don't have a CD.
02:40 Most of the time, my songs are going viral.
02:43 No matter what I do.
02:45 So, today...
02:48 ...I am telling you...
02:51 ...an example.
02:52 When I pick up the phone, there will be at least an inquiry.
02:55 The music of today...
02:59 ...has increased our price.
03:01 Because when there is a concert...
03:05 ...like 'Book My Show' or 'Paytm'...
03:07 ...when my show is announced in a city...
03:11 ...within a day or two...
03:15 ...it becomes houseful.
03:16 Tickets are sold.
03:18 So, we will buy tickets.
03:22 The other people have increased their prices.
03:24 Because of them, our prices have increased.
03:26 Earlier, I used to charge 5 lakhs.
03:28 Suddenly, a singer came.
03:31 He charged 40 lakhs.
03:34 So, my price went from 5 to 10.
03:37 Today, they can't even ask for 2 lakhs.
03:40 No one calls them.
03:41 Now, if a singer comes...
03:43 ...and asks for 2 crores or 5 crores...
03:45 ...my price goes from 10 to 20.
03:48 People feel...
03:49 ...20 lakhs.
03:52 Now, they feel 20 lakhs is cheap.
03:54 I never even dreamt of charging 20 or 25 lakhs.
03:57 Nowadays, the other person asks for 1.5 lakhs.
04:01 Why?
04:03 Because they know that if you do one artist...
04:05 ...you will get it in his name.
04:06 You can do 3-4 artists with 10 artists.
04:09 There are so many million views.
04:11 No one takes a selfie with them.
04:14 Today, I don't know how popular I am or what I am.
04:18 When I sit in a flight, the captain...
04:20 ...comes to take a selfie with me.
04:23 The passengers also come to take a selfie with me.
04:26 The world is full of talent.
04:29 My songs are like Taj Mahal.
04:32 Once it is made, it is made.
04:34 So, what is the need for me to sing for anyone?
04:38 Which music director will tell me...
04:40 ...that this song is not for me?
04:44 Because the problem is technically...
04:46 ...the singer has been in his farmhouse for years.
04:51 He sells the song on click.
04:57 The company doesn't even know who the music director is.
05:01 The lyricist is sending the lyrics on the phone.
05:04 So, everything is going in different patches.
05:09 I have also done it.
05:10 And then someone is mixing it.
05:14 So, I am playing the music with the headphones.
05:19 It is the same as I do on stage.
05:21 And I am singing in the studio.
05:25 Mr. Javed Akhtar is sitting there.
05:28 Jatin Lalit is singing the song.
05:29 Anand Billin, Nadeem Shaban, Anu Mallik...
05:32 ...and big Samir.
05:34 All the heroes are coming.
05:36 The song is going on.
05:37 Appreciation is going on.
05:38 It is being created.
05:39 We sit here for 10 days on a song.
05:42 No one knows which patch is coming from where.
05:44 In our place, the song would start in the morning...
05:47 ...and end in the night.
05:49 I am singing with so many musicians.
05:52 How can I give them the mood?
05:53 Someone is sending so much on the phone.
05:56 He is sending a PDF file.
05:58 Listen to it.
05:59 Sing it on the headphones.
06:00 Everyone is doing this.
06:02 How will you get the flavor of the song?
06:04 How will you get the flavor of the music?
06:06 The live performance is also getting very less.
06:07 Whatever it is, the viewership is great.
06:11 Millions and millions of people are coming.
06:14 I asked who are they?
06:15 They said, "I have so many millions of viewers."
06:18 "I am coming from a show."
06:19 "I have so many millions of viewers."
06:20 In this much, the public comes and takes a selfie with me.
06:25 If we talk about the bonding between singers...
06:27 ...in your time, you, Kumar Sonu, Udit Narayan...
06:32 ...Alka Agnik, Sadhna Sargam, Kavita Krishnamurthy...
06:35 ...were at their peak in that era after the 90s.
06:38 Who did you bond with the most?
06:41 If we talk about friendship, who is your best friend?
06:44 No, I have not bonded with many people...
06:47 ...because most of my songs were hit solo.
06:50 Duet...
06:52 - You chose Alka? - Yes.
06:55 All the songs were hit, but most of them were solo.
06:58 You can pick any song.
07:00 Whether it is Yes Boss, Chalte Chalte...
07:03 ...Bhaagi, Ole Ole, Dhadkan...
07:07 ...most of the songs were hit solo.
07:09 Duet songs were hit, but my ratio was more in solo.
07:15 I sang with everyone.
07:18 I sang with Lata ji, Arsha ji, everyone.
07:22 How do you see the singers like Arjeet Singh or Javed Ali?
07:29 For me, Javed Ali is the ultimate singer.
07:32 He is not typed.
07:33 I mean...
07:35 ...he doesn't sound the same.
07:39 He is not typical.
07:41 He is the same. Every song is the same.
07:42 Javed Ali is a very talented singer.
07:47 One last question.
07:48 What would you like to appeal to the audience through Lehren Channel?
07:53 Or they can see you singing in films again.
07:57 No, no. Don't do this scenario.
08:02 Who doesn't know about music in films?
08:05 There are six or seven music directors in each film.
08:09 So many singers.
08:10 Why should I be in that league?
08:14 If they record my song today, they will not even know that it is my voice.
08:21 I don't know what they do to them.
08:24 Why should I do it?
08:27 And who is the music director who will make the song and create it?
08:33 It is not possible.
08:34 We have to sing in the studio.
08:35 If we sing at home and send it to them, it is not possible.
08:40 You have a room at home, you have a mic.
08:44 The music director is sitting thousands of miles away.
08:48 The singer is singing in his farmhouse.
08:50 Or he is singing in a car or in a helmet.
08:53 How did we come to that culture?
08:55 I will tell the audience that...
08:57 ...they are a very good audience.
09:01 They are listening to our songs to the maximum.
09:06 They are listening to our songs to the maximum.
09:08 They are either making our songs again or listening to our songs.
09:12 The audience should be like that.
09:14 The music is changing with time, but you are with us.
09:19 That is the biggest thing.
09:20 If you want to sing two lines while walking.
09:23 "The queen of my thoughts."
09:26 "The queen of my thoughts."
09:30 "All around."
09:33 Thank you very much for talking to us.
09:36 This was Jeet Bhattacharya, a famous singer who was talking to us.
09:39 Rehan Hussain with cameraman Khalid.
09:41 Lehren, Mumbai.
09:43 (Music)
09:47 (dramatic music)