Oodles of boyish charm and a frank, unfiltered viewpoint make Guru Randhawa strike a unique chord. The singer from Punjab, who has now turned into an actor as well with his debut film, is a judge on the ongoing Sa Re Ga Ma Pa on Zee TV. t2 catches up with him before the launch of the show at Shiloh Bar in Mumbai.

You were Guru by name. Now you are a guru in a music reality show as well. This is your first show for adults, right?

Yes, I had judged a children’s show for Zee (Love Me India on &TV, a sister channel). It was fun but it was streamed live. Mere ko pehli baar aisi chair pe bitha diya jis ke liye main ready bhi nahin tha. One has to process what one wants to say and decide whether it should be said because once you say it, it is out of your hands. Sab kuchh jaldi jaldi hota tha. They said cut at 9pm and it directly went live.

So it was baptism by fire. You did the toughest job first.

Haan. This show is pre-recorded. Aur main bada ho gaya hoon. Mujhe aur achchhe se bolna aa gaya hai aur thoda akal aa gayi hai. So I am doing this well. Mazaa aa raha hai.

Sa Re Ga Ma Pa mentors Sachin-Jigar and Guru Randhawa at the launch in Mumbai

How different will it be judging older singers?

For me, it will be less judging and more mentoring. I will be friendly. It’s easy. Just as you speak to children at home, aram se, I will guide them how to become superstars. Jeetke ya na jeetke bhi koi superstar ban sakta hai.

Why did you wait so long after your first show to accept the second?

I did get offers in between as judge. But I was looking for a young show that I could relate to. When the call came from Zee TV, I had this impression in my mind that this has elderly judges, who pick faults and scold and teach people. I am a chilled-out person. I am here to make sure the contestants have a good time, have smiles on their faces, wear nice clothes... how to make them a rockstar. Gayaki toh unke tagdi hai hi. If they get to sing at a concert tomorrow, how can they perform confidently.

Earlier people had little idea about playback singers, how they talked or looked.

Yes, they used to sing in the background. But I am an independent artist. I am not dependent on Bollywood. Hum wait nahin kar rahe hai humein koi call karega. I launch my own songs. I think that’s the world we are evolving in right now. An artiste should be able to do whatever takes his fancy. The parties you go to play retro Bollyood or new independent songs. It’s a blessing. Main khush hoon.

Earlier an independent singer needed five songs to make an album. It takes time to create so many songs of good quality.

Now one is enough.

Is it easier now?

At the same time, there is more competition. There are more people. It is easy to upload songs. Then everyone can hear you. You put up on Instagram. And if you are acceptable then you start getting calls. Forget five or 10 songs. Agar aap 15 second mein bhi apna talent dikha sakte ho, toh the world is there for you. So it is both easy and difficult kyun ki log bad gaye hai. Har ghar mein superstar hai aj ke date pe. Koi reels pe superstar hai, koi Tiktok pe superstar hai; some are superstars in weight control tips. Some are clicking close-ups; some families are at it together; some are singing covers.

Among the other judges on the show, you have worked with Sachir-Jigar before. Which song composed by them is your favourite?

I had recorded one song for the film Arjun Patiala (starring Diljit Dosanjh) called Crazy Habibi. They had used a retake of a song of mine Lagdi Lahore Di for Varun Dhawan’s Street Dancer 3D. I had loved working with them. They are like big brothers.

What about Sachet-Parampara?

I had done a song composed by them called Mehendiwale haath, which was accepted well. I have sung with Parampara but not with Sachet yet. That song came in the film Kuchh Khatta Ho Jaye.

You have debuted in acting recently with that film. How different is it from making music videos?

It is a difficult job. Par kyun ki main bahut tagda actor hoon, main bahut asani se kar liya. Bada mujhe maza aaya. Ab main filmein karunga bahut saari, kam se kam 100 filmein karunga 10-12 saal mein. Main bahut mehnati banda hoon. Filmon mein woh mehnat karunga.

It is good to see your confidence. Did you get that by doing music videos?

No. It came from watching films, understanding films. I have seen a lot of world cinema. Agar aap poore Hindusthan ki baat koro toh mere se zyada filmein kisi ne nahin dekhi sari world ka. Mera kaam hi filmein dekhna hai. Agar main ghar pe hoon toh main sirf filmein dekhta hoon. Aur wahan se sikh sikh ke main ne acting kari hain. When you do so many music videos, you get friendly with the camera. Then you add dialogues and emotion, and it becomes acting. But it’s a difficult job. You got to become a director’s actor.

Guru Randhawa performs at the launch of Sa Re Ga Ma Pa in Mumbai

We have had actor-singers before like Kishore Kumar at home or Elvis Presley internationally.

I am inspired by Elvis Presley’s life. There was a film made on his life. I liked his consistency and how he kept at it despite his struggle. It was very nice.

Did it remind you of your own struggle?

No, no. Kahan goron ka struggle aur kahan hamara gaon ka struggle! Yeh hai mazedaar (laughs). Hamara struggle nahin tha, hustle tha. I do that even now. I wake up in the morning and check I would do the next day. Bhai, hum ko kam do. I don’t want to sit idle.

You are about to come to Calcutta with the Moonrise Tour in November.

Yes, yes. I had done a college show long back in Calcutta. The stage was in the centre and folks were all around. I had a lot of rasgollas!

(Sa Re Ga Ma Pa airs every Saturday and Sunday
at 9pm on Zee TV)