Benny Dayal has learnt Carnatic classical from the age of three-and-a-half in Dubai itself.
You have been hearing quite a bit of him lately even if it almost exclusively in A R Rahman's compositions. Benny Dayal, Malayali by birth, scored an instant hit with his debut song in Hindi, `Pappu can't dance saala' from last year's Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na. Then came `Tu ho to mera dost hai' from Yuvvraaj and `Behka re behka' from Ghajini, and now he has sung in Delhi 6. Benny has a seemingly karmic connection with Rahman. "I was part of a band called S5. We sang songs for a Malayalam movie called By The People with music by Pravin Mani, who was Rahman-sir's assistant. Rahman-sir heard them and came to know about me. My first song for him was `Balleilakka' in Sivaji as a chorus singer. After that I sang `Maduraikku pogadhedi' and `Nee Marylin Monroe' in his Azhagiya Thamizhmagan. But the most important point is that I decided on music as a career after I attended a A R Rahman Concert in Dubai, where we were based. It was the turning point." Benny Dayal has learnt Carnatic classical from the age of three-and-a-half in Dubai itself. "My teacher was a South Indian. I am now based in Chennai right from my college days and now I am learning Hindustani classical music from a North Indian teacher!" he reveals. But does he not intend to sing for other composers? "Well, I sang `No Vacancy' for Pritam in Golmaal Returns but it was a multi-singer song. But I have not done systematic canvassing with music directors. Music is one of the greatest energies given to us by God. It has the power to make us laugh and cry and create emotions within us. It can change our life and even heal people who are not well. But I don't think we can force it. We have to let it happen. But on the other hand, I just might start visiting music composers with my demo tape one day." But isn't that way meant for strugglers rather than a singer who has sung mostly hit songs? "Where is the harm in giving them a complete picture of what you can do? I am a baccha anyway and have just started out," reasons the young singer who looks like any musician from a funky foreign group despite his thoroughbred Indian classical background. Being based in Chennai, which is the musical epicenter for Tamil, Telugu and Kannada films, Benny has yet to sing in his mother-tongue Malayalam, as that industry operates out of Kerala. But he is okay with it. The Hindi break, of course, happened because Rahman found him conversant with the language. "I can speak, read and write good Hindi thanks to my environment in Dubai. Rahman-sir mentioned this to Abbas Tyrewala who was looking for the right singer for `Pappu can't dance saala'." Benny loves R & B and listens to a lot of Blues, Arabic and African music and also Mirza Ghalib and Mehdi Hasan and is "absolutely crazy" about Rajasthani folk. Says Benny, "Apart from that, from childhood I have been exposed to Hindi film music. I love Rafi-saab too, and O P Nayyar and Kalyanji-Anandji are special favourites, especially for the songs of Shammi Kapoor and Amitabh Bachchan respectively." But isn't music today moving away from its roots into a fiesta of fusion, pop and what-have-you? Says Benny, "No way! Indian music will never lose its identity. On the other hand, we will soon be on par with Western music in reach and popularity. You see, we need to remember and understood our roots, not project them all the time! We are incorporating from outside, that's all. And remember, I can sing a completely classical song anytime I need to." http://www.deccanherald.com/Content/Apr52009/enter20090404128109.asp
