Interview
Published: 01:17 AM, 26 July 2021
'Music is an universal phenomenon'
Zulfiqer Russell with Indian music maestro AR Rehman.
Zulfiqer Russell has been a lyricist for three decades. His songs crossed the borders of Bangladesh long ago. Esteemed Indian composer and singer AR Rehman also sang his song. He has songs on Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman too which was played in the golden jubilee of Bangladesh's independence this year.
The golden jubilee's theme song "Ektai Achhe Desh" was written by Zulfiqer, while another number is dedicated to Bangabandhu's birth centenary "Hoyechhe Ki Sonar Bangla." Zulfiqer who has so far won different awards including National Film Award, three times Channel I Music Award and Indian Mirchi Music Award for Bengali songs.
Zulfiqer, also a front-ranking journalist, is the Organizing Secretary of Lyricists Association of Bangladesh and Campaign and Publications Secretary of Music Alliance Bangladesh.
The lyricist recently talked with Marufa Mazhar of The Asian Age. Follows excerpts:
The Asian Age (AA): How are you?
The Asian Age (AA): How are you?
Zulfiqer Russell (ZR): The whole world is not in a good shape. We all are praying for recovery from the ongoing Covid 19 pandemic. I am hopeful that we will be able to overcome this tough time very soon.
AA: We have come to know that you have tied up with AR Rehman for some special songs. Please tell us something about it.
ZR: Yes, you are right. Another song is coming. It is the main project. This time it is in Bengali. The Hindi song was composed first because Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was present on the parade ground marking the birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the golden jubilee of Bangladesh's independence.
AA: We have come to know that you have tied up with AR Rehman for some special songs. Please tell us something about it.
ZR: Yes, you are right. Another song is coming. It is the main project. This time it is in Bengali. The Hindi song was composed first because Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was present on the parade ground marking the birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the golden jubilee of Bangladesh's independence.
We had some more plans over the song but everything could not be done because of the coronavirus pandemic. It needs to be stated that both the songs were composed through the initiatives of Bangladesh Cricket Board. This time they will launch an official video. It will be unveiled through special arrangements as far as I know. The Bengali song has been already finalized. AR Rehman has given his voice for this song. The song's composition was done by AR Rehman too.
AA: Is it a Bengali version of the Hindi song?
ZR: Not at all. This song is composed with a totally different lyric and tune. It is about Bangabandhu as well.
AA: Please tell us about your journey with AR Rehman in brief regarding songs.
ZR: Bangladesh Cricket Board requested me in 2020 to write two songs on account of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's birth centenary. Bangladesh Cricket Board's Chief Executive Officer introduced me to AR Rehman's agent. I had a meeting on Skype with AR Rehman and his agent on 5 February 2020. Then I had a direct meeting with AR Rehman in Mumbai on 21 February 2020. Two songs were recorded in his studio on 26 February in Chennai. I visited Chennai once again in March. At that time the second song's recording was completed.
AA: You have seen AR Rehman closely. Please tell us something about him.
ZR: It's a pleasure for anyone to work with AR Rehman. I was so overwhelmed with joy that I forgot to take a snap with him during the first recording. AR Rehman is a man of high quality and a great mind. It is essential to be humble if someone wants to be great-I have seen that in AR Rehman.
AA: Everything has come to a halt because of the pandemic. However, we would like to know a few things about your upcoming works.
ZR: Around 60 songs of mine are fully prepared. If I want I can release these songs even today. But people are in a sad mood because of the pandemic. The world is not in a good form. Under these circumstances, I cannot seriously think about releasing these songs.
AA: You have said your 60 songs are prepared. Can you talk about a few songs in short? You have also done some works in Kolkata.
ZR: Out of these songs, Hariharan has one song, Beni Doyal has five songs, Jubin Gorg has six songs, Chinmoyi has seven songs and Annesha has five songs-these are all Hindi lyrics. In Bengali Nachiketa has fourteen songs, Shilajit has two songs, Rupankar has one song, Imon Chakraborty has one song and Shovon Ganguly has one song. Bangladesh's Samina Chowdhury, Fahmida Nabi and Tina Russell have four songs each. Apart from these songs, there are also some songs for films.
AA: In recent times, you have written more songs for India which include some Hindi songs. You have worked with celebrated singers like Hariharan. Do you aim to work in Bollywood?
ZR: It didn't happen overnight. I had to go a long way. Still I have been traversing. I have been working regularly on songs for India since 2003. I visited Kolkata for the first time to write songs for Anjan Dutta. Then I wrote songs for Indranil. After that I did some more works with singers like Sonu Nigam, Javed Ali, Palak Muchchhal, Nachiketa, Raghab, Rupankar etcetera.
I have composed a lot of songs for Bangladesh too. The problem is the songs for Bangladesh are getting released but the songs for other countries have some to a halt. I have to do a lot of calculations for the songs I compose for India. I have to go ahead slowly. It is quite normal. The Indian songs I have talked about so far have been made since 2015. When I got ready to launch my songs in India, coronavirus hammered the world.
AA: What persuaded you to work on Hindi songs besides working in both Bengals?
ZR: At one point it came to my mind I will have to write songs in foreign languages to get along with the globalized world because music is a universal phenomenon. It is not right to confine songs within just one language. Just working in Dhaka and Kolkata is not enough. Then I paid attention to Hindi language as far as writing songs is concerned.
AA: How did you master Hindi language?
ZR: There is an influence of Hindi songs on the lifestyle of all of us. The senior members of my family were very much fond of listening to Hindi songs. Later on I participated on a Hindi language course in Indian Cultural Center. I also did a great deal of practice. I shared my Hindi compositions with my Indian friends. Now I can easily write in Hindi language.
AA: "Joy Bangabandhu" a song you composed was played at the parade ground while celebrating the birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. President Abdul Hamid, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Indian Premier Narendra Modi were present at that time. What was your feeling during that moment?
ZR: I cannot express my delight in verbal or written form. I was too excited. On the same occasion, the theme song for the golden jubilee of Bangladesh's independence was also composed by me which was sung by fifty singers.
AA: You wrote another historic song for 2011 Cricket World Cup.
ZR: That's right. It was the official song for the Cricket World Cup which was held in 2011 in Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka. The title of the song was "O Prithibi Ebar Eshe". Ibrar Tipu gave the song's tune. It was a huge inspiration for me to write more songs.
AA: You are also a journalist. You are the editor of Bangla Tribune which is one of the most credible and most popular online news portals.
ZR: Journalism is another world for me. I do not want to mix up journalism with music. Music is my passion while journalism is my profession.
AA: Thanks for sharing your valuable time with us.
ZR: You are welcome.
AA: Is it a Bengali version of the Hindi song?
ZR: Not at all. This song is composed with a totally different lyric and tune. It is about Bangabandhu as well.
AA: Please tell us about your journey with AR Rehman in brief regarding songs.
ZR: Bangladesh Cricket Board requested me in 2020 to write two songs on account of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's birth centenary. Bangladesh Cricket Board's Chief Executive Officer introduced me to AR Rehman's agent. I had a meeting on Skype with AR Rehman and his agent on 5 February 2020. Then I had a direct meeting with AR Rehman in Mumbai on 21 February 2020. Two songs were recorded in his studio on 26 February in Chennai. I visited Chennai once again in March. At that time the second song's recording was completed.
AA: You have seen AR Rehman closely. Please tell us something about him.
ZR: It's a pleasure for anyone to work with AR Rehman. I was so overwhelmed with joy that I forgot to take a snap with him during the first recording. AR Rehman is a man of high quality and a great mind. It is essential to be humble if someone wants to be great-I have seen that in AR Rehman.
AA: Everything has come to a halt because of the pandemic. However, we would like to know a few things about your upcoming works.
ZR: Around 60 songs of mine are fully prepared. If I want I can release these songs even today. But people are in a sad mood because of the pandemic. The world is not in a good form. Under these circumstances, I cannot seriously think about releasing these songs.
AA: You have said your 60 songs are prepared. Can you talk about a few songs in short? You have also done some works in Kolkata.
ZR: Out of these songs, Hariharan has one song, Beni Doyal has five songs, Jubin Gorg has six songs, Chinmoyi has seven songs and Annesha has five songs-these are all Hindi lyrics. In Bengali Nachiketa has fourteen songs, Shilajit has two songs, Rupankar has one song, Imon Chakraborty has one song and Shovon Ganguly has one song. Bangladesh's Samina Chowdhury, Fahmida Nabi and Tina Russell have four songs each. Apart from these songs, there are also some songs for films.
AA: In recent times, you have written more songs for India which include some Hindi songs. You have worked with celebrated singers like Hariharan. Do you aim to work in Bollywood?
ZR: It didn't happen overnight. I had to go a long way. Still I have been traversing. I have been working regularly on songs for India since 2003. I visited Kolkata for the first time to write songs for Anjan Dutta. Then I wrote songs for Indranil. After that I did some more works with singers like Sonu Nigam, Javed Ali, Palak Muchchhal, Nachiketa, Raghab, Rupankar etcetera.
I have composed a lot of songs for Bangladesh too. The problem is the songs for Bangladesh are getting released but the songs for other countries have some to a halt. I have to do a lot of calculations for the songs I compose for India. I have to go ahead slowly. It is quite normal. The Indian songs I have talked about so far have been made since 2015. When I got ready to launch my songs in India, coronavirus hammered the world.
AA: What persuaded you to work on Hindi songs besides working in both Bengals?
ZR: At one point it came to my mind I will have to write songs in foreign languages to get along with the globalized world because music is a universal phenomenon. It is not right to confine songs within just one language. Just working in Dhaka and Kolkata is not enough. Then I paid attention to Hindi language as far as writing songs is concerned.
AA: How did you master Hindi language?
ZR: There is an influence of Hindi songs on the lifestyle of all of us. The senior members of my family were very much fond of listening to Hindi songs. Later on I participated on a Hindi language course in Indian Cultural Center. I also did a great deal of practice. I shared my Hindi compositions with my Indian friends. Now I can easily write in Hindi language.
AA: "Joy Bangabandhu" a song you composed was played at the parade ground while celebrating the birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. President Abdul Hamid, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Indian Premier Narendra Modi were present at that time. What was your feeling during that moment?
ZR: I cannot express my delight in verbal or written form. I was too excited. On the same occasion, the theme song for the golden jubilee of Bangladesh's independence was also composed by me which was sung by fifty singers.
AA: You wrote another historic song for 2011 Cricket World Cup.
ZR: That's right. It was the official song for the Cricket World Cup which was held in 2011 in Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka. The title of the song was "O Prithibi Ebar Eshe". Ibrar Tipu gave the song's tune. It was a huge inspiration for me to write more songs.
AA: You are also a journalist. You are the editor of Bangla Tribune which is one of the most credible and most popular online news portals.
ZR: Journalism is another world for me. I do not want to mix up journalism with music. Music is my passion while journalism is my profession.
AA: Thanks for sharing your valuable time with us.
ZR: You are welcome.
---Zulfiqer Russell
