MUSIC NOTES

Nikhil Chinapa's future plans

Nikhil Chinapa, better known as the one who wears silver rings on MTV, is certainly one of the better names the channel has. Ask him about his ambitions and future plans, and the guy quips, "I want to be happy, not rich or famous. I want to find that elusive thread that leads to happiness. For different people happiness means different things. For me if I could be a skydiving instructor, making 20 dollars a day, enough to feed my dog and myself, I would be happy. Right now I am quite happy with myself in MTV, because I'm with music all the time. I'm communicating with people and that's what keeping me happy too. Tomorrow I don't know about, but if this job goes then I know I'll find something else." Very deep stuff for a veejay. What say?

Remo goes to his roots

Remo's `O Meri Munni' might have not created a rage. But give him a hearing and one does like tuning into his Portugese song (`Maria Pita Che') and the Konkani one (`Maya Ya'). When replying to the query of what Folk stuff is doing on his Hindi album, Remo says, "If India can enjoy the Algerian `Didi', the Brazilian `Lambada' and the Spanish `Macarena', why not Konkani?" Logical baba! Remo ka logic!

Rajat, a la Hitchcock

Appearing in his own video `Valentines Day', Rajshri Music owner Rajat too has bitten the forbidden apple. Like those before him who also could not resist facing the camera, Rajat too succumbed to this temptation. Their claim to have released the first single, however, is a little hollow. Anaida as well as Ila Arun had released singles years ago. Bad show guys!

New anchor for `Antakshari'

Pallavi Joshi is taking a bow and Shefali Chhaya is replacing her in the mega musical game show `Antakshari', telecast on Zee.
Pallavi Joshi, who has anchored 160 episodes of the show, felt that `Antakshari' was coming in the way of her acting assignments.
After receiving accolades for her acting prowess, let us wait and watch if she does a double take in her new role.

    `Stolen Moments'

There's a new album from Ghazal maestro Pankaj Udhas. Called `Stolen Moments', it's in Hindustani, the English title notwithstanding. The album, he says, has been inspired by a letter from a fan, confessing all the things which happen to him when in love. So, all the songs, of which there are two Ghazals and six Geets, cover everything from the first feelings of love to the final sepraration, when love is over. Lyrics have been pennd by noted poet Zafar Garakhpuri. The video, of `Ashista', has been shot on exquisite locales in Australia and features model Sameera Reddy and an Australian student. Next stop for Pankaj is an album to conincide with the Millenium. Join the gang.

Daler Mehandi to repeat `Mrityudata' magic

Daler Mehndi, the jolly sardar, is always in the news, if not for an album release or music video, then it's the endorsment of a consumer product company for a fancy sum. The latest is that he will be composing and singing for a Bollywood movie for producer Arjun Pandit. Whether he is able to repeat the `Mrityudata' magic is to be seen.

Tagore Remembered

A joint venture between Akashwani (AIR) and Vishwa Bharati University has resulted in a biography of Rabindranath Tagore, costing a whopping Rs. six lakh. A CD version of the biography, produced by T-Series, includes a rendition of Vande Mataram recorded in 1896. The other recording is Tagore's recitation of the National Anthem, `Jana Gana Mana', recorded in 1932.
Tagore's voice, recorded at the age of 62, was found to be high-pitched and scratchy. But modern technology was able to decipher the range of his voice and make the necessary corrections to get the right balance. AIR has decided to release recordings of various renderings of `Vande Mataram', by reputed singers like Hirabai Badodekar, Mogibai Kurdekar, M.S. Subbalakshmi, Pandit Jasraj and many others. AIR plans to release this CD in April.

Zoheb Hassan in India

On the look-out for some lucrative music deals, Zoheb of `Disco Deewane' and `Qurbani' fame, was recently in the country after 10 years. Nazia and Zoheb, the brother-sister duo, may be on their way here to make some more music. For more details watch this space.

R2R