Kumar Sanu has revealed that industry pressure pushed him to sing one or two songs he considered vulgar during the 1990s. The playback singer, known for some of Bollywood’s most enduring romantic hits, said he otherwise made a conscious effort to stay away from such music.
According to NDTV, Sanu reflected on the music of the 1990s in an interview with Zoom. While the decade produced many memorable melodies, he said some songs crossed a line he did not want to follow.
“One of my principles was that I would not bring vulgarity into my songs,” Sanu said. However, he admitted that he broke that rule on a few occasions because of intense pressure. He felt he had to sing those songs or risk things not working out professionally.
Sanu also spoke about what he described as pressure from the “movie mafia”. He acknowledged that refusing certain songs may have affected his career but said he remained comfortable with the choices he made.
The singer admitted that one or two of his songs fall into the category he generally avoided. He cited “Raj gaya tabla tabele mein…” as an example.
“Other than that, I have always avoided outright vulgar songs, as they are called, and I still do,” he said, adding that he had maintained the principle throughout his career.
Sanu also acknowledged that standing by his decision may have cost him professionally. “I may have suffered a lot of losses because of it, but I don’t mind,” he said.
The singer became one of Bollywood’s biggest playback voices during the 1990s. His popular songs include Mera Dil Bhi Kitna Pagal Hai, Tum Mile Dil Khile, Ab Tere Bin, Do Dil Mil Rahe Hain and Aankh Hai Bhari Bhari.
