http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Bollywood/Sukhwinder-Singh-sings-a-sad-tune/articleshow/4170371.cms
Sukhwinder Singh sings a sad tune
23 Feb 2009, 0000 hrs IST, ZINIA SEN , TNN
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Were you officially denied a visa? [image: Sukhwinder
Singh]<javascript:openslideshownew('/slideshow/4170382.cms?imw=460','541')><javascript:openslideshownew('/slideshow/4170382.cms?imw=460','541')>
Sukhwinder Singh
Around 20 days back, I got a call from AR Rahman's office asking me to send
my official documents for the visa. It took me three minutes to do the same.
Rahman told me that I needed to fly down to Chennai for a practice session
for a pre-Oscar
programme on the 19th of this month in LA. But since there was no intimation
from his side after that, I tried calling Rahman up. He didn't take my
calls. When he called me up, he was already in LA. Maybe, he thought that I
would be feeling bad about it. He told me there would be a chain of shows on
an American channel and that there would be no dearth of opportunities for
me henceforth.
Didn't you seek any clarification?
Why should I? It was up to him to decide who he wanted to take with him. I
couldn't have begged him for a show. And I'm sure Rahman is not the culprit.
Someone must have played foul. Gulzarsaab too has faced a similar situation.
I'm sure Rahman will explain when he comes back, but I'm not going to ask
him anything.
You go to the US for shows regularly. Didn't you have an open and valid
visa?
I've been to the US about 30 times and know that work permit is a matter of
half-a-day. At times, I've even got my visa on the day of the flight. In
this case, I had sent my documents 20 days in advance, so I never thought
that work permit would be a problem. I thought Rahman's team would organize
things for me. Visa is not the issue — even the slum children have made it
to the Oscars.
Wasn't there any reaction from the Academy Awards team, the distributors of
the film and the Indian government?
It isn't something to create an issue about. If I wanted, I could have got
in touch with government officials. But I wanted to go with Rahman knowing
about it. He's the one for whom I am what I am today. Uske jaan mein meri
jaan atki huyi hai. There was something he was feeling shy about explaining
to me. I'm not under the impression that he conspired against me. Some day,
I'll get to know who the culprits were.
Why didn't you call a press conference?
Do you think I'm like that? That would've hurt Rahman. I wish him all the
success in the world.
You must be sad, having missed out on such a golden opportunity...
Not at all. The number nominated in the original song category at the
Oscars, is sung by me. That gives me a kick. Sadly, singers of all other
numbers will be performing. People are asking me why I am in India now. Main
kya bataun? Sab mujhe ullu banake bhaag gaye! It's depressing to be left all
alone to answer such questions. But then, I've my work here. I've just sung
for Vishal Bhardwaj's Kaminaay and am happy with the promos. Oscars ka
raasta pata chal gaya hai mujhe... in the coming two years, I'm surely going
to perform there. Just wait and watch!
