I might just do a single soon, says 'Ishq Wala Love' singer Neeti Mohan

Neeti Mohan on Bollywood, her other musical projects and language not being a barrier in music

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When Ishq Wala Love (Student Of The Year) and Jiya Re (Jab Tak Hai Jaan) hit the airwaves in quick succession and stayed on top of the charts in 2012, it proved one thing about singer Neeti Mohan.
The girl could belt out the hits as well as the best of them. Awards and accolades followed and since then, she has seen ups and downs, but one thing has remained consistent. She’s been the pick of a variety of music directors for all the biggest, most promoted Bollywood films.
She had to prove her mettle in spite of being a part of [V] Popstars and later, another much-hyped talent hunt, but prove it she did. Over and over again. Speaking to her over the phone recently, she seemed a little withdrawn, perhaps a little cautious, a far cry from her bubbly self I remembered from a few years ago. Excerpts...
Prem Ratan Dhan Payo was your last soundtrack. But let’s talk about Shaandaar’s Nazdeekiyaan and Senti Wali Mental.
Amit Trivedi told me to sing Nazdeekiyaan with a lot of feel as the brief was that it’s a waltz number, for a dream sequence. On the other hand, Senti Wali Mental was all about attitude and punk. It’s a different take on the girls-vs-boys song. It’s something we regularly experience at weddings, and sometimes in schools and colleges and other such spaces. We’ve never had a song for that before.
Do you think labels now promote singles better? Is there hope for the non-film music scene?
I’m happy that non-film music is getting its due. Most singles today are being produced and promoted very well... almost on the level of a film song and across platforms.
If you do decide to put out single or album, will it be an independent one or for a label?
Actually, I just might do a single soon. After Chai Chai. I did this single called Udne De on Internation Women’s Day and dedicated to all women in the wake of the Nirbhaya incident. The track was written and composed by me. My sisters shot the video for me. After that I got busy with my film work.
Do you intend to take up composing sometime in the future? Do you see yourself someday growing into the role. 
I just want to grow as a musician. that’s why I do different languages. I keep myself open to singing in different genres like classical dance songs, light classical folk, etc. There’s so much to learn and I’m glad I’m on the right path.
Have you been approached to judge a music talent hunt?
There was something, but I’ve just been so busy with recording, most lately for PRDP and now Hate Story 3.
You’ve also sung in Tamil and Telugu. Are you more conversant in these languages?
I’ve also sung in Bengali and Marathi. I have sung in Kannada as well, but have yet to do so in Malayalam. And in Gujarati...
What film is this?
It’s a new, unreleased one called Rom Com. I’ve sung the title track and it’s in the EDM space. It will be the first time I’ve sung for a Gujarati film.
One gig you performed at this year that stood out.
It was with AR Rahman for the Independence Day celebrations at the massive, prestigious O2 Arena in London. One can sense the excitement of the Indians residing there when they sing along. One can’t put down in words how that feels. It was a very touching moment for me.

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In Pictures: Behind the scenes of Bollywood film shoots

Dedication and persistence: This song from Chameli was shot at Rajkamal Studios. It was raining heavily and Mumbai was inundated. Inside the studio, they had filled the set with water. Hats off to Kareena and the entire team for working like they did for the song Bhaage Re Mann Kahin. They had couple of sets of the exact same costume ready. Every time a retake was needed, an all-dry Kareena would have to step into the artificial rain and water to shoot. When a cut was announced and she changed, the team would quickly dry the wet costume and keep it ready in line for the next time. Can you imagine? Too bad, my wife kept calling me anxiously as the flood waters raged outside and I had to rush home. I wish I’d stayed and shot more. I was moved with the dedication and persistence of the shoot. It exemplified what the unseen world of Bollywood meant. This is the reason why this shot made it as the cover of my book.
The phoren craze: 

I have seen women from the Eastern bloc countries like Eastern Russia, Ukraine and even Uzbekistan growing in numbers, so much so that Indian extras are now being completely replaced. The last time I saw some Indian girls was on Shaadi Ke Side Effects where you had both foreigners and Indians. I’ve been told that they’re preferred since they are white skinned, willing to do whatever the director suggests, wear whatever they are told, are not fussy about exposure or camera angles. This was a set for Mission Istanbul and costumes were so itsy-bitsy that I was amazed the girls could move at all...
The kind of comments Vivek Oberoi and Zayed Khan were making at them within ear shot was also appalling. Since the girls didn’t know Hindi, they were none the wiser.
Not so Sunny side up: 

When I reached the sets of Ek Paheli Leela, I saw Sunny Leone covered from head-to-toe in a modest salwar kameez. So many people did not recognise her. Later, I shot her being escorted to the sets in costume. Her demeanour and body language had changed. Like she had become someone else. But she’s obviously worn and done worse in her past porn career, and had no issues with me shooting what could only be called ‘clothed pornography’. The assistant director didn’t want me shooting her intimate scene as he wanted to keep it secret till the trailer was out. Sunny may not speak Hindi and has the standard set of three expressions. However, there’s no denying that the camera loves Sunny and she loves it right back.
Jugaad:

This was the set of Extraordinaari starring Rituparna Sengupta and Abhishek Gupta that released this May. It was the rainy season and this scene required it to rain. But every time they rolled, the rain played truant. When this happened once too often, this is what they did to make it look like rain. I wonder whether audiences realise the amount of jugaad that goes into movie-making.
The show must go on:

Amitabh Bachchan was shooting for Dev. This shot needed him to come out of a white Ambassador car and walk up the Asiatic Library steps where he’s shot at. During a retake when the star sat in the car, he’d not removed his hand from the car roof he was holding while he sat inside when the AD, who thought he was already inside, slammed the door shut. As he shouted and winced, everyone on the set froze. Bachchan was in pain and disturbed. Ice was rushed to him, and it was assumed it’d be a pack-up. To everyone’s surprise, he not only gathered himself, but agreed to give the shot. No wonder he’s Big B!
Destiny's hand:

Kisna was one of the most lavishly made movies of its time. Subhash Ghai spared no costs. A R Rehman and Ismail Darbar did the music, the film was shot in sync-sound under Dilip Subramaniam, cinematography was by Ashok Mehta while Saroj Khan did choreography. The way the sets and costumes changed colour and lighting to look completely different every single day left me amazed. It would be a delight to find everything looking so beautiful from behind the lens. Too bad destiny played a cruel hand and the film flopped miserably at the box office. Had it clicked, who knows what trajectory Vivek Oberoi’s career would have taken.
Three seconds of fame:

This set was for Shaadi Ke Side Effects. These extras were posing alongside Farhan Akhtar. They had to stick their necks out for the day-long shot. “Left se teesra sar seedha rakh...arrey hil kyon raha hai?” I thought it was a nice idea. It reminded me of Dulha Bikta Hai (1982) till I saw the film. This shot ran for just three seconds. The editor obviously had no idea and couldn’t care less about its execution.
Starry nakhras:

I chased the Phantom team for four-and-a-half months to shoot stills on location, but in vain. Then, I heard they were shooting at the Gateway of India. I just showed up and confronted the production team. They let me shoot. But I had barely shot 3-4 frames before the AD came to me. “Katrina ma’am wants you out. If you don’t go she may get moody and not shoot.” I left. Often these stars don’t notice who holds up the reflectors or lights up their smokes. And yet here I was, noticed.

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Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Ashok Singhal is no more

International Desk: India's Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Ashok Singhal has died. Tuesday afternoon at 2:30 P.M. he died in a hospital. He was 89 years old. He was sick for the last couple of days. Today (Wednesday) afternoon is his funeral. The Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep shock and said "huge personal loss" at the death of this great Hindu leader. Modi said, "His life was centered in the service of the nation. Ashok singhal will source of inspiration for the next few generations. All the time I had the opportunity to get his blessing and guidance."

Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Praveen Togariya said after Ashok Singhal’s death "His wishes to build the Ram Temple in Ayodhya will be filled." After the installation ceremony of Ram temple in Ayodhya in 1989 Ashok Singhal said, "It is not only a temple, also a foundation stone of the Hindu state."

He raised the slogan for the spread of Hinduism. His slogan was affected a large part of the public. February 23rd in 2013 a press meeting at Bhopal he said, “Now the days Hindus have to comes out from the thinking of we two and our our two children”. Now every Hindu family have to give at least five children’s to birth. He called invitation to make Modi as Prime Minister during last Loksobha elections. Make Modi win with 300 seats we will build the Ram temple in Ayodhya." To make Narendra Modi as Prime Minister Candidate Ashok Singhal was the main active leader. He was very happy at the party's victory over the election. He said, India will become a Hindu state in 2020. He predicted that the whole world will be turned into Hindus World by 2030.

He called BJP’s victory a revolution. He said it is not an ordinary revolution; the whole world will be presented in front of the new ideology. After BJP's victory was being excited he said that the country was freed from slavery of 800 years. Hindu groups have become deeply mourned at the death of the leader of the Hindu extremist. - See more at: http://www.eibela.com/english/article/vishwa-hindu-parishad-leader-ashok-singhal-is-no-more#sthash.7hHdiEqt.dpuf

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Sonu Nigam on Radhe Maa Controversy: Kaali Maa Wears Fewer Clothes

"In my eyes, Radhe Maa is someone's wife, someone's daughter, and many others, call her a mother."

"We have issues with her dancing on songs, most dancers like Hema Malini, portray Durga ballet on stage regularly. So? Big Deal? If her devotees have no issues with it, why should we be bothered?" he wrote

Singer Sonu Nigam has found himself embroiled in the controversy raging around self-proclaimed godwoman Radhe Maa. After being savaged on social media for a series of tweets in which he defended Radhe Maa, the 42-year-old singer has explained himself in a lengthy Facebook post.

The post is unlikely to pacify those criticising him, especially these 'points' that he makes:

# Point 1, I have no clue who she is. Never met her. But in my eyes, she's someone's wife, someone's daughter, and many others, call her a mother.

# Point 3, a country that worships Kaali maa, who's depicted in the least clothes, (and I've been ok all my life with it, so should everyone else be), has the galls to judge someone's spiritual quotient by his/her attire! A country that has a Mela called Kumbh, where thousands of Naked Naga Saadhus roam around; a country that has Digaambar Jains who don't wear anything, for religious reasons, has issues with a woman merely wearing a short dress in her personal time! How does the number and length of clothes on a person define his or her Spiritual Quotient?

# Point 4, we have issues with her dancing on songs, most dancers like Hema Malini, portray Durga ballet on stage regularly. So? Big Deal? If her devotees have no issues with it, why should we be bothered? They see their God in a dancing Guru, many others see their God's in a SAI Baba Idol, or a Shiva Idol!! What then is a difference between those terrorists who call everyone else who don't follow Islam as Kaafirs, and us? Where does religious freedom go?

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Indian PM Modi's Dubai Speech Takes on Pakistan

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi didn't mention Pakistan, but he didn't need to. "The intended recipients will get the message," he said at a packed stadium in Dubai, as he underscored the commitment expressed by India and the United Arab Emirates in fighting terror.

"The two nations reject extremism and any link between religion and terrorism. They condemn efforts, including by states, to use religion to justify, support and sponsor terrorism against other countries," said a joint statement issued by both countries, in a thinly-disguised indictment of Pakistan. The statement also called for the dismantling of "terrorism infrastructure" and the need to bring "perpetrators of terrorism to justice".

The PM's stress on the remarks against terrorism come amid seething tension on the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir, and ahead of talks next week between the National Security Advisers of India and Pakistan.  Six civilians, including a 12-year-old child, were killed by Pakistani fire on Saturday. "Good Taliban, Bad Taliban...Good Terror, Bad Terror...this won't work. A decision has to be taken - are you with terrorism or with humanity?" the PM asked, adding, "people on the path of terror will have to rely on bilateral talks for real solution."

The Prime Minister's two-day trip to the UAE concluded today with a massive audience cheering his name at a cricket stadium in Dubai.

40,000 people were inside the arena; nearly 15,000 others sat outside, watching his speech on huge screens.

Mr Modi is the first Indian premier to visit the UAE in 34 years, a point he raised in his speech.

The UAE has an Indian community of over 2.5 million people.

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