Noted playback singer Vinod Rathod’s journey to stardom began in 1986 when the renowned composer Usha Khanna discovered his voice. However, it was the 1990s that truly cemented Rathod’s place in the pantheon of playback legends. His voice became synonymous with some of Bollywood’s most iconic stars. From "Aisi Deewangi" in Deewana to "Nayak Nahin Khalnayak" in Khalnayak and the chart-topping "Dholi Taro Dhol Baje" from Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Rathod’s versatility knew no bounds. Watch his rare throwback Lehren interview, where he talks about his popular songs and singing for top stars like Anil Kapoor, Shah Rukh Khan, Govinda, Amitabh Bachchan, and others. #vinodrathod #govinda #shahrukhkhan #sanjaydutt #lehrenpodcast #podcast
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00:00The way I sing, people like it because when they see me in the theater, they think that
00:06my voice is going with the character.
00:08Sheeshe se sheesha takraaye jo bhi ho anjaam
00:14Wo dekho kaise chhalak chhalak chhalak chhalak chhalak chhalak chhalak chhalak chhalak chhalak
00:18chhala jaaye re
00:19Because I have prepared myself in this way, like Rafi sahab had prepared himself.
00:24What would you like to say about the coordination between the music director and the singer?
00:32Coordination is very important.
00:34A word is just to say coordination, but it means a lot.
00:38Because we, coordination means, I will tell you that you can say full understanding.
00:45It is very important for today's singers to follow the body language of the music director.
00:52Because I don't know if anyone else is doing it or not.
00:55But I try my best to follow the spirit of the music director.
01:00Because when he is making a song, we don't know what is in his mind.
01:05I don't know if he has made a song in 6 months or 6 years.
01:08And we just have to sing in 3 minutes and leave.
01:11So my effort is that I give at least 24 hours to each song.
01:16So this is the result that God is giving me.
01:20People like it because when they see it in the theater, they feel that the voice is going with the character.
01:26It will only happen when you give a lot of time to your song.
01:30Nowadays people say that if you look at the clock and sing, then nothing happens by looking at the clock.
01:34There is music, the more you immerse yourself, the more you will get.
01:38So as you said, coordination is very important.
01:42Today we sing with Anu ji, Ismail Darbar ji, Anand Raj, Bhapida.
01:49All of them are music directors.
01:52So it is very important to understand their body language and nature.
01:58Because first of all, it is important to make them happy.
02:01You will make them happy only when you show them what they have thought on the mic.
02:07This is our responsibility of every playback singer.
02:10You will be given a responsibility that you have to sing in front of the mic.
02:14The music director has done his job.
02:16He has made the tune.
02:17Now the tension of 3 minutes is on the shoulders of the singer.
02:21Now the singer has to perform how he is performing the song.
02:25That is why I say that until you learn from the music director,
02:28until you learn from him what you want exactly,
02:31you should give some time to every song according to me.
02:34Then the song becomes very easy.
02:37Because you know the character, you know the situation,
02:40you know the actor and you know the music director,
02:43who has made the song in what mood.
02:45For example, when I sang Anu Malik's song Munna Bhai Tu Saamne Aaye,
02:48I didn't know that I was singing for Amit ji.
02:50But when I did the rehearsal,
02:52the next day I was going to dub,
02:54then they told me that I was singing for Amit ji.
02:56So I changed my style of singing.
02:58You must have seen the song.
03:03This is a common song.
03:04If I sing for a common person, for an actor, then I will sing and leave.
03:07But for Amit ji, I chewed my wordings a little more.
03:12Like
03:17I gave a little weight.
03:18Because we have seen the combination of Amit ji and Kishore Da since childhood.
03:24I tried and people liked it a lot.
03:26And I consider myself very lucky that I have understood
03:31that how important it is to sing a good song well.
03:35For the entire film industry and for the whole world.
03:38Because it is very important to run a song in these days.
03:41It's not that you sang a song, took money and went home and forgot what the song is.
03:48That's why for the last 2-4 years,
03:51no song has been such an amazing hit.
03:54Every song has a time limit
04:00until you hear that song.
04:02On the 4th day, another song comes, another singer hits,
04:06another music director hits, another actor hits.
04:09That's why I am trying to do something different from my side.
04:13And I think so I am very happy with it.
04:15Tell us something about Shahrukh Khan's film Deodas.
04:18Sir, what can I say about Deodas?
04:20God has shown it.
04:21God has done such a great miracle that all over it's a red color.
04:26There is happiness all around.
04:28The atmosphere in the industry is also very hot.
04:31Because it was very important for Deodas to be a hit.
04:34Sanjay Bansali and Ismail Darbar have worked very hard.
04:38This music and film was being made for 2.5-3 years.
04:43I am so lucky and I am feeling so beautiful
04:46that I am a part of the film in Deodas.
04:49Because there is only one song in the film,
04:51Chalak Chalak Kar Jaye Re.
04:58I am very happy that the history has been repeated
05:01after Mughal-e-Azam and other big films like Sholay.
05:05So I am also in Deodas.
05:07Thanks to Ismail Ji who again trusted me so much
05:11after Dholi Taro and Dhol Film.
05:14And thanks to Sanjay Bansali Ji.
05:16It was a classic experience.
05:18Because when we recorded Chalak Chalak Kar Jaye Re,
05:21we used to reach the set at 4-5 in the night.
05:24We sang so much today.
05:26Then we sang something else the next day.
05:28Then I used to see Sanjay Bansali Ji.
05:30His coordinator used to bring a kurta cloth.
05:33He used to ask which material of the kurta he was making
05:35should be finalized.
05:36I am talking about 4 in the night.
05:38I don't think this has happened in any other camp.
05:44Our job is to go for recording, sing and leave.
05:46But at 4 in the night, his 4-5 coordinators
05:50are so busy in that.
05:52What is the color of the kurta,
05:54what material should be used,
05:56which final should be done.
06:00Only Sanjay Ji knows how he must have gone through
06:04while making it.
06:09God has done such a miracle that it has become a history.
06:12Till date, we get calls asking for tickets.
06:15But we don't get movie tickets.
06:17So luckily, I have a few people with me.
06:19I get 5-10 tickets daily.
06:21I am showing them to my friends.
06:24I have seen Devidas 3 times.
06:28I would like to sing it.
06:30The song starts like this.
06:38The song continues.
07:08The song continues.
07:22How much do you practice before singing a song?
07:26I practice for an hour in a day.
07:29I do a one-hour gym.
07:32I have taken out 2 hours for myself.
07:35I rest for 4-5 hours.
07:38I watch TV and films.
07:40I spend the remaining 6-7 hours in my studio.
07:44Or I sit with a music director.
07:47I have more faith in the setting.
07:49When I get the song, I feel very happy.
07:52I spend a night with the song.
07:54When I wake up the next day,
07:56I feel that the song is mine.
07:58I am very sure about my songs when I go on the mic.
08:01I am very happy that I have learnt something.
08:04I have spent a lot of time in the film industry.
08:07I would like to tell you about my practice.
08:09I have some bandishes.
08:11Like Todi Raag, Megh Raag, Yaman, and Mian Malhar.
08:16I practice for an hour in a day.
08:19Whether it is morning, afternoon, evening, or night.
08:22But not a day goes by when I don't sing.
08:25After practicing,
08:27if you go on the mic without practicing,
08:30you will be afraid of the mic.
08:32If you practice, the mic will be afraid of you.
08:39What do you think about the album?
08:41I didn't get the time to think about the album.
08:44Because my career is taking a beautiful shape.
08:53People who don't know music,
08:58or those who know half-completeness,
09:01they come from somewhere,
09:03invest their money,
09:04picture a song,
09:05give it to a company,
09:06the company releases the cassette,
09:08and after 2-3 months, the singer disappears.
09:11Which actor fits your voice?
09:15It will be difficult to say right now.
09:17Because,
09:18from the beginning, when I sang Romeo,
09:20I felt that my voice fits Anand ji perfectly.
09:23I sang Ladla, Gharwali Bhaarwali, Diwana Mastana,
09:28and when I sang Diwana for Shah Rukh Khan,
09:30I sang Aisi Diwangi Hai, Koi Na Koi Chahiye.
09:32Because I have prepared myself in this way.
09:36Like Rafi sahab had prepared himself.
09:38I feel myself in this way.
09:40Because I have proved my material.
09:42It's not that only people talk.
09:44I thought, first do the work,
09:46and then talk.
09:48So you saw,
09:49the songs I sang for Amit ji,
09:51I tried to sound like Amit ji.
09:53For Sanjay Jat,
09:55I have recorded 15-20 songs in Indira,
09:57like Nehle Vedela, Pratibheem,
09:59Vastav Part 2.
10:01I sang Vastav for him.
10:02Then Khalnaik was there.
10:04I have sung 10-15 songs before.
10:07I have followed the character.
10:09I do act,
10:11but I try to bring the character
10:13inside the actor.
10:16For Govinda ji,
10:18I sang Sajan Chale Saswaral.
10:20I have not stopped from there.
10:22From Sajan,
10:24to Dhule Raja,
10:26I have sung the best songs for Govinda ji.
10:32Even the public liked it.
10:34The main thing is that the song should be a hit.
10:36Actor and Govinda ji,
10:38the world knows that they know music so well,
10:40that they perform 100% better than us.
10:44When we see a song on screen,
10:46for example,
10:48the song of Govinda ji,
10:50or the song of Kawali,
10:52between Khadar Khan and Govinda ji,
10:54where Raja Bhosh and Gangu Teli,
10:56there was another song,
10:58which had different beats.
11:00Govinda ji made the song so beautiful
11:02that it feels like
11:04I have not sung it.
11:06I love it when I go to the theatre
11:08and I watch my own film.
11:10It feels like I have put in a lot of effort.
11:12I sing for all the
11:144-5 actors
11:16and I sing for all of them.
11:18I don't feel like
11:20I am singing for one or the other.
11:22I sing for all of them.
11:24As I told you,
11:26I am working very hard for each and every song.
11:28I got the news
11:30because I don't know how
11:32I got the news.
11:34I have not had such a hobby since childhood.
11:36And I will never do it.
11:38In Bazigar,
11:40I picturised the song on myself
11:42because they wanted me accidentally.
11:44Anu Malik ji
11:46was inviting me
11:48to play Vinod Rathore,
11:50the famous singer of our country.
11:52I don't think anyone else
11:54would have been able to refuse.
11:56It was a prestigious issue
11:58which I achieved for a lifetime.
12:00Even today, when I go to any corner of the world,
12:02people still recognise me.
12:04They say,
12:06I don't even know how to hide it.
12:08This is a very beautiful thing in my life.
12:10I don't have any interest in acting.
12:12I am trying to
12:14bring that acting into my songs.
12:16I have recently recorded a song
12:18for Road.
12:20It is Ram Gopal Verma's film.
12:22It has Sandesh Shanil's music in it.
12:24It was my first song with Sandesh.
12:26When I went for the rehearsal,
12:28he asked me about my range.
12:30I told him to tell me the exact tune.
12:32I will tell you yes or no.
12:34It was very comfortable.
12:36I was feeling very beautiful.
12:38It is very important
12:40to have a good scale
12:42before recording a song.
12:44I asked him about the hero.
12:46He said, it will be a new combination
12:48with Vinod Rathod's voice.
12:50Like Shah Rukh Ji, Govinda Ji,
12:52Sanjay Dutt, Anil Kapoor
12:54and other actors.
12:56I will sing two lines for Vivek Ji.
12:58You will get the mood of the song.
13:00You will know how hard I worked
13:02for all my songs.
13:04When I see that song on ATC or any other channel,
13:06I am very happy that this is my work
13:08which is speaking.
13:10The song goes like this.
13:12The song goes like this.
13:36Then comes the classical part.
13:42Only the person who knows the song
13:44will be able to do this.
13:46The one who knows the need of the song
13:48and the situation.
13:50The way a snake walks on the road
13:52and the way a snake walks
13:54is the feel of the song.
13:56I am sure whenever the public
13:58will see this song,
14:00they will be surprised
14:02about the combination.
14:04I want to do that.
14:06I am working hard for that.
14:08I am enjoying life.
14:10Work hard.
14:12Work less.
14:14I believe in a very beautiful quality.
14:16Not the quantity.
14:18I am taking the quantity which is coming.
14:20I don't deny it.
14:22I am really enjoying my work.
14:24Thank you very much.