The singer tells us what worked for ‘Ghar Se Nikalte Hi’ and how creative differences with his brother have resulted in better songs

Remixes can be tricky. Transporting a listener into a different space and yet not dilute the original is a tough balance to achieve. The Malik brothers, Amaal (composer) and Armaan (singer), seem to have a knack for it, as is evident in their recent reworking of Udit Narayan’s Ghar Se Nikalte Hi (from Papa Kehte Hain).

Touching a three-crore viewer base, the revisited version of the song sees Armaan giving it a twist with a newer story, better instrumentation. Armaan tells us, “When my brother composed this and we worked on it, we treated it like an original. That’s the reason people connected with it. Merely re-releasing a 90s chartbuster in 2018 wouldn’t have any novelty.”

Fight for the better

Armaan Mallik

Armaan claims the original and this single are different on many counts. “You’ll realise how different the singer’s approach has been; there’s a different story to tell and that I got to star in it was another reason to cherish.” Musically, Amaal’s sensibilities and his are quite similar, but they do have creative differences. “Sometimes I have to get into the shoes of a composer and ask what am I contributing to the track; there are instances where I’ve to explain myself. There are fights but it only leads to the song coming out better. We’re more honest like friends.”

Although he sings for composers across many languages, most of Armaan’s recordings happen in Mumbai. It’s only for the shows that he keeps travelling across the world. Telugu numbers have contributed to Armaan’s popularity as a singer. “Musically, Telugu films are more open to dabbling with newer genres than Bollywood. It’s not often that your songs work commercially without compromising on musicality. I’m glad to be managing that here and also to have found composers who capture that elusive balance.”

Films and more

His latest hits in Telugu have been from Hello (the title song), Tholi Prema (Vinnane, Ninnila), Katama Rayudu (Yemo Yemo) and Naa Peru Surya (Beautiful Love). Allu Sirish is among his few friends in the Telugu industry. “We have been good friends for long; he always wanted me to sing for his brother. I’m glad that this finally happened for Naa Peru Surya.”

Musically, Telugu films are more open to dabbling with newer genres than Bollywood.

What next for the Malik brothers? “We’re going to focus on a lot of originals from now. Remixes tend to get a lot of flak. Many of them haven’t been well received recently. The next time I try one, I’ll make sure people connect to it.”

Armaan makes it a point to star in his singles, for he believes they deserve to be stars too and needn’t be confined behind the mic. “That there’s a face to this voice really helps. Apart from having a good voice and getting good numbers, it’s important to have a strong personality as well. People want to know you as a person. The videos do that and the popularity is a bonus.”

He also takes his off-screen personality seriously, for he senses an additional responsibility as a public figure. “You may not behave the way you want to. Still, it’s important to set a good example.”