The way Tamannaah Bhatia grooves in Aaj Ki Raat from Stree 2 is bewitching hearts all over. Now, it’s your chance to discover who has truly hummed the hit song! The vocalist responsible for the current sell-out tune is none other than, Madhubanti Bagchi, who has also crooned on hit songs like Burj Khalifa from Laxmii and many more. The singer’s statement, “I don’t know how classical training has influenced, but it has definitely influenced,” in an exclusive interview that was set up for us, opened our eyes. “That is something I am certain of. It goes without saying that classical training provides you with great vocal control. It’s like you get the necessary abilities to perform a task. You are therefore sufficiently skilled after that instruction, but in addition to skill, you also need to have a particular level of subject comprehension when it comes to commercial Bollywood or any other type of pop music. The skill part can undoubtedly be obtained via instruction in classical music, but that needs to be developed separately.” Readers, hold that intriguing thought for a moment as Shayad fame reveals later in the interview, “I’ve worked with people that I have always enjoyed, but I enjoyed working with Sanjay Leela Bhansali and I continue to work with Sachin-Jigar. We can try a lot of things, even strange ones that might not succeed, because we are so comfortable with each other. Working with Anurag Saikia and Amit Trivedi has also been a pleasure; they are both very talented and collaborative.” With some smashing hits like Nazariya Ki Maari, Barbaadiyan and Shayad, Madhubanti Bagchi has genuinely left her mark in both the Bollywood and independent music scenes. Here’s to yet another accomplishment with Tamannah Bhatia! Likewise, she remembers, “Nobody told me how exactly Aaj Ki Raat fits into the story of the movie, so I didn’t know. According to an interview that I recently watched, Rajkummar Rao said that the song sort of advances the plot. This song isn’t just any old random item. Indian music is one of my favourite genres and this song has a really solid melodic foundation. It’s danceable because of excellent production and beats, which is a big step in Bollywood music! Being a member of this genre-bending music makes me incredibly thrilled.” She didn’t ask what the music was for when the call arrived because it went against her morals! When the song ended, she discovered that it might be for Stree 2. The fact that it’s a well-known franchise didn’t alter her strategy because her role is to perform the song. It helps to minimise additional pressure to learn about the franchise later. Bansuri fame also says, “It was pretty late the first day I recorded Aaj Ki Raat. Amitabh Bhattacharya was present and offered advice on delivery and pronunciation. The song is difficult; it calls for a delicate balance between sensuality and simplicity, accented with Indian classical music. After a few hours, I begged for extra time to work with the music and process the criticism because I had arrived at the studio exhausted. The songwriters were really helpful and everyone was happy when I eventually recorded the piece.” Despite being her first time, she felt at ease working with Sachin-Jigar and Amitabh Bhattacharya, as he was collaborative and knew exactly what he wanted. The singer praised the Aaj Ki Raat crew for making the shoot stress-free and joyful. “It is critical to be skilled at your craft. Having a strong social presence is important, but mastering your art is essential for success in the studio. To improve, it’s important to practice often, collaborate with other artists, learn from experienced mentors and prioritise real-life experiences over virtual reality. One mindset is to not take failure too seriously. Failures provide valuable insights into areas for improvement. Instead of being self-centered, view failure as a learning opportunity.” So, that concludes an amazing chat with the Aaj Ki Raat fame, as one can still not avoid grooving at this chartbuster.
