Swapnil promises a musical year ahead

(Following interview is published in The Hitavada on 26th December 2007.)

“MY music is for my audience’s delight. I will continue to work with complete dedication and honesty to please them in the upcoming year,” promised noted musician and singer, Swapnil Bandodkar.
Swapnil, famous for his song ‘Radha Hi Bawari,’ was in Nagpur to perform at the “Athawanitil Gani” concert. He shared his views on light music, importance of classical base and current craze for reality shows with ‘The Hitavada’.
“Learning classical music from maestros like Suresh Wadkar and Pt Vasantrao Kulkarni was the turning point in my life,” said the young face of Marathi music industry about his early days.
“A good voice and basic understanding of music is a God gift. However, formal training and study of classical music make a perfect singer. It is equally important to tap the talent right from the childhood.”
Swapnil gives all credit for this to his parents. “Aai-Baba realised the singer in me and admitted me in a music class. Later on, I realised the importance of music in my life,” said Swapnil, who started learning music at the age of four. “Gradually, it became my passion and finally my life.”
“Learning classical music is like learning theorems and laws of music. After studying the basics, we can improvise further as per our creativity. Young singers are avoiding classical music these days and more inclined towards western music. But such ‘baseless’ music does not last for long,” says Swapnil.
When asked about reality talent hunts, he said “You may win a contest by receiving SMSs, but to remain in the race, study of music is must. Otherwise such singer’s craze is short-lived.”
Expressing reservations about SMS voting, he said sometimes, good talent remains ignored because of this mode. According to Swapnil, very few people know the technicalities of music while masses can be attracted by a good presentation. As a result, one who performs well may get more votes than the one who is a better singer.
On the other hand, Swapnil does not deny the importance of performance. “In today’s audio-visual media, music delights not only the ears but also eyes. Therefore, a graceful performance is also important. But ‘sur’ is eternal and the most important.”
Swapnil’s album, ‘Radha Hi Bawari’ has made him a busy star in the Marathi music industry. Currently, he is doing stage performances, Marathi films, and title tracks for TV channels.
“As a playback singer, I have lent my voice to about 60 Marathi films this year. The present era marks the golden days of Marathi cinema. We are producing good quality films, hence getting good music. Upcoming days are promising and we can expect a lot from the Marathi film industry,” said the young man who has also acted in the film, ‘Sawali.’
“It was the role of musician, so I did it. Currently, I want to concentrate only on music. So, no films, TV serials for now,” said Swapnil, who often receives offers for the big and small screen.
It is the tradition of Marathi artists to try their luck in Hindi. Swapnil too has sung for a few films including ‘Hanuman’, the first animation film of India. “It was a nice experience, but I am not planning any Hindi album in near future. We welcome the music and singers from other languages with great enthusiasm, but others are not as generous as the Maharashtrian audience.”
Besides music, Swapnil loves to enjoy long drives, sports and adventure activities. He reads novels and listens to old-time classical music during his free hours. When asked about his New Year resolution, he said, “I will continue to please my audience with my work. In the coming year, we are planning to launch ‘Radha Hi Bawari-II.’ Besides that, there are many new films, albums and stage shows scheduled.”
When asked about Nagpur, Swapnil said he was excited to perform here. Being a big lover of non-vegetarian food, Swapnil said, “I will definitely try some Saoji fare this time.”