$$$ Koffee With Karan $$$

His is truly the most surprising success stories in the history of Indian cinema. His nasal twang and aspiring acting careers was the butt of many jokes, but he combated all that criticism and emerged victorious when his film opened to an unprecedented response. Love him or hate him... you can not deny his brand value… hats off to the man with the cap… none other than Himesh Reshamiya.

Karan: Welcom to Koffee with Karan Himesh… how does it feel to be on the show?
Himesh: Superb!

Karan: Firstly, congratulations on the super success of your film… I know a large section of the industry was surprised, but were you expecting this kind of success?
Himesh: I think, I just believed in God, destiny and somewhere I think everyone just prayed for me and that is something that worked for me.

Karan: By everyone, you mean who, large sections of the industry were not praying for you…
Himesh: No, no… only that 1 %… people just felt that this cannot happen, a singer not a very good looking guy.

Karan: Not conventional looking not hero material?
Himesh: I think you are being nice to me… but, it was something that was unprecedented… when the film started, people did say, paagal ho gaya hai. I understand. But, when actually the film was declared a hit… then, people realized.

Karan: What made you think that you can be a lead actor?
Himesh: When we used to travel for our shows… we really got a very good response from the audience… it was not a very conventional film… it was about this character who goes to Germany… it was a thriller… it was a very different kind of film… we just felt that we will definitely get an audience to watch and the music and the performances in the videos was really liked by a lot of people and Prashant, the Director, he really believed that…yes…

Karan: You were capable of it.
Himesh: Yes.

Karan: But, of course there were audiences, who were swinging to your music, at nightclubs, at weddings, but, there was so much criticism that came your way… from sections of the industry and I knew that… it would anger you… because I could feel that when I saw you at award ceremonies… what do you have to say about that kind of criticism… people spoke about your nasal twang…
Himesh: The first year, I really didn't feel that I need to defend… when my first song Aashique Banaya came… they said 'nasal' and I said 'high pitch'… and I think they got angry because of that… because I said, 'nahi, high pitch hai… main high pitch mein gaata hoon… main nasal nahi gaata hoon". I should have accepted that, 'Theek hain yaar… naak se gaata hoon". For the first year, I really tried to defend… I don't know, why? I don't think they were really against me… they wanted me to accept that, "I am a nasal singer".

Karan: You were trying to defend your talent?
Himesh: Not my talent… but, why are you calling me nasal, and why are you not calling the other singers nasal, who are nasal.

Karan: What kind of singers are nasal?
Himesh: Ahhhhh… Saigal saab… Then, I said something about RD Burman saab, when Ashaji got…

Karan: Very upset.
Himesh: Ya… very angry…

Karan: You didn't mean to offend him?
Himesh: No… jab high pitch mein koi singer gaata hain, tab surro ki kutch rutiyan nasal ho jati hain…

Karan: Ho jati hain…
Himesh: Jab RD Burmanji aur Mukeshji ka naam liya… jis tarah se… samne aayi baat… I should haven't said that… I shouldn't have named anyone… and I was maybe trying to defend… I don't know what… I was really feeling guilty that itne bade legend ka, main dil nahi dukha na chahta tha… Maine sorry kaha… Ashaji ne maaf kar diya… yeh unka badhappan hain…

Karan: But Himesh Reshamiya ko gussa kyun aata hain?
Himesh: Gussa tab aata tha.

Karan: Maine aapko stage pe dekha tha… once on an award ceremony… you were very angry… when you went to receive the award… you were upset with people… what was making you so angry?
Himesh: Ahhh… Honestly, in the first year… all my songs were becoming huge hits… but somewhere woh criticism bina wajeh aa raha tha… yeh mujhe us waqt lagta tha… ab jab main … when I look back… I feel that they had a point… this film also has got so much of criticism from the critics… but, it has done well at the box office… so that 1 %, I really want to win them over

Karan: You want to win them over?
Himesh: Ya…

Karan: I am happy to know that your attitude is like… who cares what they say?
Himesh: No, who cares, kaise ho sakta hain… then it will be wrong.

Karan: But you are aware that there are sections who might want to watch the film… only to laugh at you?
Himesh: Ya… of course.

Karan: You are aware of that?
Himesh: For the first time… when the film was launched… I did tell a lot of press guys also… that they will say, " Himesh Reshamiya paagal ho gaya hai"… I know that.

Karan: So, you are not living in an island of your own?
Himesh: I can't… because if I do that … then I am jacked

Karan: What about fraternity jealousy… like other singers… there was once I heard that lots of singers are not singing because Himesh Reshamiya is singing his own songs… he is not employing other singers… that's why they are resenting you… because they are out of work…
Himesh: No, when I started singing… they really started getting more work… because I started accepting films in just about 6-8 months… I left 16-18 films… and I am not doing outside films… I am just doing 3 films a year… and for the Producer and Director who sign me as an actor.

Karan: But you stopped using other male singers… you were singing.
Himesh: No… I used Rahat Fateh Ali Khan saab, Zubin … and all of them… I have been using a lot of male singers… the only thing is that there may have been some kind of jealousy… because they felt that they are more talented than me.

Karan: Do you think, they are more talented that you?
Himesh: 100% … ya… ya… of course… I have achieved just because of luck, God and the blessing of lakhs and crores of people… I have not achieved it because of talent… talent and destiny is something… this is what I believe… that everything has some divine force… some source… some blessing… and then you start creating good stuff… and then the point of view of everyone changes and they accept you, that ok theek hain… yeh hit hain

Karan: There were particular people, who were somehow targeting you… is there any one kind of person that you felt resentment towards?
Himesh: No… I really did not feel resentment towards anyone… because when you try something which is unprecedented… then people are going to… till you prove it… and when this film was releasing… and it was declared that is a hit… so many people called me and said, "very good"… congratulated me… and they said, that they felt it wouldn't work… so, its just that I was doing something new… something different… and it takes a little time to accept something that is unconventional…

Karan: You don't harbour any kind of negativity for people?
Himesh: No… No… I really don't… because I understand that from their point of view… if I would have been in their place.

Karan: You would have said the same?
Himesh: Because from here, I will say… "Yeh kaise ho sakta hain."

Karan: Would you at all say that you wanted to win the class audience… in terms of the class film makers… because you worked with a lot mainstream people… but, the bigger banners eluded you?
Himesh: Bigger banners… maine try kiya Karan… unko phone bhi kiye… maine apko kitne phone kiye… Please aap mujhe ek baar chance di jiye aapke film mein kaam karne ka… but, main yeh samajh raha tha.. main us waqt 30-35 films kar raha tha… toh woh jo teen chaar bahut hi top ke banners hain… jo bahut exclusive stuff karte hain… unke liye bahut odd tha mujhe lena… main ye samajh tha ta.. par phir bhi main apni taraf se koshish kar raha tha… jab waha pe mujhe nahi mauka mil tha tha… aur yaha par yeh log mujhe kaam de rahe the… to main unko kaise bhool sakta tha.

Karan: You stood by those people?
Himesh: Yes… 100% aur rahoonga… kyuni, woh log mujhe kaam de rahein hain… aur mujhe apna talent dikhane ka mauka inhi logo ne diya.

Karan: Correct.
Himesh: Chote se chote makeron ka main bahut aabhari hoon… us waqt unhone meri believe ki… main jo kuch bhi aaj hoon…

Karan: It is because of them?
Himesh: Yes…

Karan: But, do you feel that you want to get that class?
Himesh: Always… that 1%

Karan: That 1% that you are not getting?
Himesh: Yes… I want to and I will… aur mujhe pata nahi… aise lagta hain ki bhagwan sun lega aur woh 1% bhi mere saath aa jayega.

Karan: What about your alleged problem with someone like a talented singer like Sonu Nigam… What happened there?
Himesh: Sonu ke saath… always… I always said that… he is the best singer of India… aur hamesha maine yeh baat kahin hain… media main ek report aayi thi… ki maine aisa kaha hain ki… "Who is Sonu Nigam?"… jo maine nahi kaha tha…

Karan: You had not said that?
Himesh: Nahi… aur unki taraf se aaya tha ki, "Himesh paagal ho gaye hain"… and can you believe it …meri Sonu ke saath us din ke baad baat nahi huyi… Maine har show pe kaha hai… always… kitni baar edit hota hai ki… aur saare press wale jaante hain ki… He is the best singer of India, which I believe… because mere saath itna kaam kiya hain unhone… aur bahut achcha kaam kiya hain… aur maine kabhi… unko apni bare main burayi karte huye nahi suna…

Karan: Have you heard that behind your back there might be other singers who might be making fun of you?
Himesh: Yes… of course why not… but, you know, when they meet me… on the reality show… kitne composers ke saath milne ka mauka milta hain… pehli baar… phir woh opinion badal jati hain…

Karan: Aapki jo film thi… woh Apne aur Awarpan ke saath release ho rahi thi… aap dar nahi gaye the… yeh nahi socha ki… I should change my release date?
Himesh: Maine Anil Sharmaji ko bahut request ki… aur Harishji ko bhi bola… but, unki theatres ki chain aisi ho gayi thi ki woh change nahi kar sakte the… aur meri mummy ka birthday tha…

Karan: For mummy?
Himesh: Absolutely… aur astrologically bhi kaha gaya tha ki yeh date aap ke liye achchi rahe gi… main January mein hi keh chukka that ki… mummy ke birthday ke din… film release karoonga.

Karan: Mummy is lucky?
Himesh: Totally.

Karan: Himesh… what happened with Salman?
Himesh: I don't know… people just feel that problem hain… but really… nahi hain… kyunki Salman bhai ne mujhe itna bada break diya… kyunki platform industry mein bahut kum logon ko milta hain… to Pyar Kiya to Darna Kiya tha mein jo unhone mujhe pehla break diya…

Karan: Who apka pehla break tha?
Himesh: Aur uske baad bhi… unhone mujhe jo support kiya… actually koi problem nahi hain… but, pata nahi yeh baat kaise aa gayi… aur film ke baad bhi unhone mujhe phone kiya… there is no problem.

Karan: General perception is that he was there for you initially but, now there is a distance between both of you.
Himesh: Yeh baat galat hain… aur aap yeh baat Salman Bhai se bhi poochenge to woh bhi yahi kahenge.

Karan: Aap yahan aakar kafi smile kar rahe hain… but projection kyun hain ki… Himesh Reshamiya doesn't smile… yeh apka khud ka projection hain ki… you made sure you are projected like this?
Himesh: Nahi… aise nahi hain… teen chaar cheezein main clear karna chahoonga… aisa nahi hain ki main hasta hi nahi hoon… ab main intensity wala aadmi hoon… to woh theek hain… main bahut zyaada nahi hasta hoon… par aisa nahi hain ki main hasta hi nahi hoon… aur kuch rumours mere saath jude huye hain… Jhalak Dikh Laja ke saath bhoot aaja na.. yeh kitni weird baat hain…

Karan: There are few things that are your signature… like you said… you're nasal quality of singing… the fact that you are intense… also your cap, what's the mystery about that? Where did that come from?
Himesh: When Aashique Banaya Apne became such a hit… Bhooshan ji told me for the remix you must do a video… So, my sister Rupa… who is also the Director Prashant's sister… she told me that, I will design your look… so, she gave me the jacket and the cap… aur main toh woh bahut hi Gujarati… matlab camera ke saamna nahi aana… main toh us kisam ka tha hi nahi… apna music… apna serial production… so, I was not into all this… usne mujhe style kiya… jitna mujhe groom kar sakti thi… utna kiya…

Karan: And the cap stuck on to you?
Himesh: Cap kya pehna … kyunki baal kam ho rahe the…

Karan: Laughs… woh hi mera next sawaal tha ki… Was it to hide something?
Himesh: 100%

Karan: So, why didn't you like… so, many other heroes are loosing hair… and are doing things?
Himesh: Ab video karna hai…aur Aashique Banaya Apne itna hit hua tha… aur clubs me baj raha tha… aur usme takla hero… kaise lagta tha… bahut hi bura lagta tha…

Karan: What do you think of you as an actor?
Himesh: Main born actor to hoon nahi… main bahut bade bade actors ka fan hoon… unko dekhna… unse jitne kuch kar paya… maine try kiya… what I tried was… Dil se perform karo…

Karan: But, do you think you are a good actor?
Himesh: I cant say… because main nahi judge kar sakta hoon… karoonga to gadbad hogi… kyunki main boloonga ki main achcha actor hoon… to bolenge ki Himesh ka guroor hain… main bhi abhi conscious toh ho gaya hoon… kyunki sachayi yeh hain ki kya kya nahi suna hain maine … kya kya nahi kahan hain logon ne aur kuch sach bhi kaha hain… kuch galat bhi kaha hain… to admi conscious bhi ho jaata hain… aur admi seekhta bhi hain… and in the first year mere saath who 'arrogant' image ban gayi… jo main aaj tak nahi mita paaya…

Karan: But one thing is… you keep very quite about your wife… you don't talk about her?
Himesh: Because she is a very simple girl.

Karan: It's not that you feel that your image gets affected
Himesh: No, the first time that I was asked whether I was married… I said Yes.

Karan: And you have a son?
Himesh: Ya… I have a son

Karan: What's his name?
Himesh: His name is Swayam.