The track from his second album Tanha Dil, "Bhool Ja", which is an excellent ballad with superb lyrics written by the man himself! "Tanha Dil" catapulted to the charts within days of its release and was very popular on radio! "Dil Kya Kare," is a remix that caught everyone's eye thanks to its electrifying video and soothing melodies. "Mana Janab," is a fun and frolicky blast from the past that Shaan livens up with a latino groove. Induced with lots of emotional and groovy tracks, the album popped up the singer’s star rating, market value and of course ambitions.

He did a bit role in a Kalpana Lajmi film – Daman and the breakthrough happened not in the medium he started his career with, but in the mother of all commercial singing in India – Playback."Musu Musu" from the film Pyar Mein Kabhi Kabhi won him several offers from leading music directors like Anu Malik, A. R. Rahman while "Woh Pehli Baar" won the budding singer a lot of fans.Shaan took on an altogether different route when remixes became the order of the day. He remixed "Hum Bewafa" and the R D Burman "Roop Inka Mastana". After the success of Koi… Mil Gaya (where he sang In panchhiyon) Shaan got films like Zameen, Inteha and Sssshhh… lined up. “Film music, though, has its limitations – you have to sing the way the composer conceptualises. In an album you can experiment,” he says.

He’s excited about singing an item number with Asha Bhonsle in Bewafa. “She’s been my icon for ages. She has reinvented herself with the changing times,” he sums up.

Shaan loves to sing in English too. “Singing in Mumbai Matinee and Valentine’s Day gave me confidence. I have no training in classical music but I can pull off a semi-classical bandish,” says Shaan, who’s also planning to do fusion with alaaps on the chartbuster Koi kahe number (Dil Chahta Hai).

From an aspiring desk – top publisher to a pop singer Shaan surely has come a long way. He is currently host the show 'Sa Re Ga Ma Pa' on Star Plus that hunts for young talent. Keen to pursue their solo careers at the moment, there are,

Awards And Honors: Award Song- Movie MTV Asia Awards 2000 'Tanha Dil' Best Of Shaan: Song Movie Woh pehli baar jab hum mile Pyaar Mein Kabhi Kabhi O Humdum Saathiya Suno Na Jhankaar Beats Dillagi dillagi Dillagi Kuch To Hua Hai Kal Ho Naa Ho Tere Bina Tere Bina Khushi Chura liya hai tumne jo dil ko Yaadon ki Baraat

 

Shaan is the son of the late music director Manas Mukherjee and brother of singer Sagarika. He is married to Radhika and has two sons, Soham and Shubh. He is the grandson of Jahar Mukherjee.

Career

As a child, Shaan began his career by singing ad jingles. After giving it up for a brief period, he soon returned to it, and also began to sing remixes and cover versions. In the 1987 movie Parinda, when he was only 15 years of age, Shaan sang a singular line in the song, Kitni Pyari Hai Dosti Hamari.

His career began in 1995 with his first release, the remix album called Q-funk. However, he first achieved real success with Roop Tera Mastana, a remixed version of R D Burman's hits. In 1996, Shaan and his sister, Sagarika came out with Naujawan, their first big release. The album received a positive response from the public. Later in 1996 Shaan went solo with an album called Love-o-logy, which did not achieve similar success.

After creating the album Tanha Dil, released in 2000, containing a mix of ballads and tunes, Shaan's career skyrocketed. The album established him as a distinctive and talented singer, as well as winning him the MTV Music Awards Asia, Best Solo Album award. Three years later Shaan launched his album Aksar which was again hugely successful. The album contained songs featuring international stars such as Blue, Mel C. and Samira Said. For both the albums Tanha Dil and Aksar, Shaan displayed his great talents by singing, composing and writing the lyrics of his songs. He plans to release an album remaking his father's compositions with his sister.

Apart from his albums, Shaan has sung playback vocals for various Bollywood films, including Pyaar Mein Kabhi Kabhi, Lakshya, Dil Chahta Hai, Kal Ho Na Ho, Hum Tum, Dhoom, Dus , Salaam Namaste, Don the Chase begins again and Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna. He currently hosts his own television show, Sa Re Ga Ma Pa on Zee TV, which won the Music Programme of the Year award at the Indian Telly Awards in 2003. At the same awards function, Shaan won Best TV Music Director, for creating the music of the Zee TV show, Lipstick, for friend, Goldie Behl.

He also appeared as the guest in the first episode of the new show Antakshari The Great Challenge which aired on 9th Feb 2007 on Star One.

Popular songs by Shaan include his first hit, "Musu Musu", as well as "Tanha Dil" and "Bhool Ja" from his albums and the very popular song "Dus Bahane". Recently he has released an album with MLTR namely "Take me to your heart", which is on his latest album entitled Tishnagi.

Along with singing, Shaan has also acted in the movie, Daman, also starring Raveena Tandon. He has made appearances in his songs in the movies, Zameen and Hungama.

Shaan is also a very popular choice for 'Pro Shows' which are conducted as a part of the cultural festivals of various colleges. Among the prominent cult festivals where he has performed live recently are Mood Indigo of IIT Bombay and Raagam of NIT Calicut.

Awards

• MTV Asia Music Awards 2000, Best Solo Album, Album: Tanha Dil.
• Zee Cine Awards 2004, Best Playback Singer (Male), Song: Suno Na, Film: Jhankar Beats.
• Star Screen Awards 2007, Best Playback Singer (Male), Song: Chand Sifarish, Film: Fanaa.
• Filmfare Awards 2007, Best Playback Singer (Male), Song: Chand Sifarish, Film: Fanaa.
• Zee Cine Awards 2007, Best Playback Singer (Male), Song: Chand Sifarish , Film: Fanaa.

Tours

• In 2004 Shaan took a tour around India for his album Aksar.
• In June 2006, Shaan took a North America tour, singing for fans all over the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean.
• In November 2006 he took a tour with fellow singer Sunidhi Chauhan to Netherlands, Singapore, Fiji and Australia.
• In March 2007 he had a grand performance at Ragam 07 in NIT Calicut .

Discography

        Albums

• Q-Funk
• Love-o-logy
• Tanha Dil
• Aksar
• Bhool Ja
• Bhool Ja and other hits
• Tishnagi
• Remix 2007
• I Love Shaan

        Coming up movies

• Pehli Nazar Ka Pyaar (2007)
• Jimmy (2007)
• Marigold (2007)

        Movie Hits

• Salaam-e-ishq (2007)
• Don - The Chase Begins Again (2006)
• Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006)
• Anthony Kaun Hai (2006)
• Fight Club (2006)
• Tathastu (2006)
• Humko Deewana Kar Gaye (2006)
• Holiday (2006)
• Mere Jeevan Saathi (2006)
• Phir Hera Pheri (2006)
• Men Not Allowed (2006)
• Golmaal (2006)
• Love Ke Chakkar Mein (2006)
• 36 China Town (2006)
• Pyare Mohan (2006)
• Taxi No. 9211 (2006)
• Saawan (2006)
• Fanaa (2006)
• Alag (2006)
• Faraar (2006)
• Husn (2006)
• Bewafaa (2005)
• Nishaan (2005)
• Kya Kool Hai Hum (2005)
• Tango Charlie (2005)
• Mumbai Xpress (2005)
• HumDum (2005)
• Yakeen (2005)
• Dreams (2005)
• Hanuman (2005)
• Insan (2005)
• Dus (2005)
• Shaadi No. 1 (2005)
• My Brother Nikhil (2005)
• Main Aisa Hi Hoon (2005)
• Vaada (2005)
• Blackmail (2005)
• Time Pass (2005)
• Koi Mere Dil Mein Hai (2005)
• Jalwa (2005)
• Brides Wanted (2005)
• Mashooka (2005)
• Dil Jo Bhi Kahey (2005)
• Aashiq Banaya Aapne (2005)
• Ek Khiladi Ek Haseena (2005)
• Koi Aap Sa (2005)
• Kyon Ki (2005)
• Deewane Huye Paagal (2005)
• Home Delivery (2005)
• Lakshya(2004)
• Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003)
• Jhankar Beats (2004)
• Aabra Ka Daabra (2004)
• Popcorn Khao! Mast Ho Jao (2004)
• Oops! (2003)
• Ab Ke Baras (2002)
• Kaante (2002)
• Awara Paagal Deewana (2002)
• Lagaan (2001)
• Dil Chahta Hai (2001)
• Pyar Ishq Aur Mohabbat (2001)
• Aamdani Atthani Kharcha Rupaiya (2001)
• One 2 Ka 4 (2001)
• Hum Deewane Pyar Ke (2001)
• Raju Chacha (2000)
• Ghaath (2000)
• Tarkieb (2000)
• Dillagi (1999)
• Pyar Mein Kabhi Kabhi (1999)
• Instant Karma

Shaan prefers crooning to playback singing
Vibhuti Mehta

AWARD-winning Indipop singer Shantanu Mukherjee, aka Shaan, prefers to croon his own tunes than go in for playback singing.

Ask him the difference between playback singing and cutting a pop album, he says, "In playback singing, you are singing for somebody else and while singing you’ll have to keep the actor in mind on whom the song will be picturised. Playback singing helps broaden your abilities and explore the best in you since you’ll have to sing songs in different styles."

Dressed in trendy casual clothes with hair falling on his face, Shaan, who was in New Delhi recently for a music concert, talked to UNI sitting relaxed in the lobby of a hotel. A bevy of teenyboppers hung around in the background, occasionally interrupting the conversation with requests for autographs which he complied to with a flourish.

After one such interruption, he quickly returns to the topic, "Even when I sing for somebody else, I keep inserting words in the song without affecting its flow. But in a pop album I have full liberty to do things my way."

"That is the basic difference — in playback singing there are some guidelines and a framework which you have to adhere to while in a pop album you are free to do what you want. That is why I prefer private albums from crooning for films because then I am my own master," he added.

"I will have the full liberty but then I will also have the responsibilities which come with writing lyrics for songs, composing music and singing them. I can’t tolerate any kind of interference from any quarter. I will be 100 per cent committed to the album whereas I’ll not have much say in playback singing. It is the music director who’ll decide finally," Shaan said.

"But I think I am very lucky because all music directors I have worked with have given me a free hand to do my own thing. Like the Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy trio. A.R. Rahman just gives you the music sheet and asks you to let go," he added.

Shaan has not got any formal training in music. "I feel what matters is that song should be sung to its full potential. It doesn’t matter whether you have received any formal training if you are able to tap the full potential of the song," he said.

And no one is complaining either because music runs in his genes. His father Manas Mukherjee had scored music for films like "Shayad" and "Albert Pinto ko Gussa Kyon Aata Hai".

Starting his career by singing ad jingles, Shaan came into the limelight with Biddu’s "Roop Inka Mastana", a remixed version of R.D. Burman’s songs and featured various singers. Then came his first pop album "Naujawan" in 1996 with sister Sagarika which did not do too well.

However, 1996 was quite a busy year for him as his another album — his first solo —"Lovelogy" followed soon. After four years of hibernations and solitude, he delivered a hit with "Tanha Dil" in 2000 for which he recently won Screen Videocon’s Best Pop Album award.

"Tanha Dil" is very close to my heart may be because I have penned the lyrics for eight songs in the album. It is my baby and I feel very possessive about it. I think this is the best album I have made so for because I gave it the best I had," he said.

Shaan, who made his debut in playback singing with "Pyaar Mein Kabhi Kabhi", has lent his voice to hit songs from a sweet romantic Musu musu... and Woh pehli baar... from "PMKK", Ghanan shanan... his is one of the six voices used in the song from "Lagaan", to a soulful Tune mujhe pehchana nahin.... from "Raju Chacha", to a peppy Koi kahe kehta rahe... and Woh ladki hai kahan.... from "Dil Chahta Hai".

In "Bas Itna Sa Khwaab Hai (BISKH), he dominates the credits with five songs, including Yeh hawain... in his kitty.

About his recent movie "Dil Chahta Hai", he says it was fun working with Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy. "I had great time working with them. They are so flexible in their approach towards work that you feel very comfortable."

About his future plans, Shaan says, "I am working on my next album which will hopefully be out in December this year. The name of the album hasn’t been finalised yet. But the album will feature 12 to 13 songs by seven to eight singers. I’ll pen the lyrics and compose music for the album. At this stage, I am in the process of selecting songs. After the songs are finalised, we’ll decide on the singers for the album."

"As far as playback singing is concerned. I have one song O rey kanchi... in Santosh Sivan’s ‘Asoka’ under the banner of Shah Rukh Khan’s Arclightz and Films. Then I have Deewana main ho gaya... in Sunny Deol’s home ‘Indian’, Main prem diwani hoon... with Anu Malik, and Vashu Bhagnani’s ‘Rehnaa Hai Tere Dil Mein’ and ‘Deewanapan’," he said.

Shaan, who has crooned for almost all young actors like Dino Morea, Ajay Devgan, Saif Ali Khan and Abhishek Bachchan, dreams to reach great heights in the music industry and with a track record like his, he would be one to reckon with in the coming years. UNI

Music profile: Shaan

In search of meaningful music Singer Shaan comes from a musical family. His late father, Manas Mukherjee, was a music director while his sister Sagarika is a popular singer. Shaan is decidedly a singer who appeals to youth and his songs are geared towards younger audiences. It seems like he has been around forever but of course, he only made his debut in 1999 with ‘Musumusu hasi’ in Pyar Mein Kabhi Kabhi in 1999. He hit the spot with ‘Nikamma kiya iss dil ne’ from Kya Dil Ne Kahaa and after that there has been no looking back for Shantanu Mukherjee aka Shaan.

The music industry, according to Shaan, is moving from trend to trend these days. Unfortunately, most of them are just that - trends. He feels that it needs to slow down a bit to produce good quality music. Music companies seem to dominate with music directors under severe pressure. The demands are for music which is ‘in vogue’ and considering how producers and music companies pressurize music directors, they do extremely well, declares the singer. Songs seemed to be aimed at city audiences and the focus is only on giving a hit. How then, will there be any meaningful music? Good lyrics will never shine if the music is not meaningful. The singer says that it is about time the music industry woke up to these harsh realities.

The singer says this affected him. He gave good music in Tishnagi and again in Aksar. None of the soft, melodious songs ever got rave reviews. In an era when loud beats are the norm, softer music is being pushed away, he says. He also does not understand marketing gimmicks. He has never marketed his CDs and extensive promos are not his forte. Many albums are often hyped to unnecessary levels and even if they are not hits, he says that the publicity campaign claims they are! He confesses that he still does not have a PR Manager and does not feel the need for one. Talent should speak for itself. He also never goes out of his way to call music directors, not even those who are his friends. If they need him, they will call.

Of course, these trends do affect him because he is a playback singer. According to him, he is an old-fashioned singer who believes that certain singers suit certain actors. In those days, actors had very specific requests as to which singer would render their numbers. Think Rajesh Khanna who insisted on Kishore Kumar. These days, though, any singer sings for any actor and the results are deplorable. A deep-voiced actor singing in a thin voice? The tragedy! And more such tragedies are happening, he says. The diction and the melody too, are not paid attention to.

Still, Shaan is in an enviable position. His numbers appeal to youth and the singer courts younger audiences. When talking to him, though, one realizes how much he really respects the old-timers and their evergreen numbers. He hopes that more people will take the time to enjoy the songs of great singers like a Mohammad Rafi or a Kishore Kumar. Not many, he says, understand that film music owes them a great debt and that their songs shaped the future of music in Hindi films. The media is also responsible to a certain extent for promoting only certain artistes or composers but that is infinitely better than the cacophony that is being promoted as popular music today. Shaan himself has been singing old songs in his shows. He loves those numbers and feels that they are far superior to 'modern music'.

He recently won the Hero Honda Star-Screen Award for Chand sifarish from Fanaa so he must be doing something right. He hopes that more knowledgeable individuals will decided the fate of the music of a film rather than giving in to the whims of a particular actor. He certainly hopes to get better songs now that he has a prestigious award in his pocket but also makes it clear that he has never chased awards in his entire career. Good music by a big banner is his dream because big banners promote their music far better than a smaller banner would. Trends or no trends, singers like Shaan are here to stay and continue to enthrall audiences.

Shaan is a natural, born singer

Monika Adlakha

It took several odd jobs for Shaan to realise what he was meant to do. Call it a process of elimination for arriving at the real truth.

“I’m a singer by default. Looking back, I don’t think many around me would have believed that I could make it. Besides doing all kinds of odd jobs, I used to accompany Sagarika to her recordings and was sometimes offered a line or two. Rest is history,” says Shaan.

The singer, who is deluged by acting offers these days, says, “I would love to act, provided I get an exciting role. I keep getting offers but nothing worthwhile considering as yet. I’m planning my next album and a video with Sagarika is also on the to-do list.”

Seven years in the industry and Shaan is still simple and affable. “That’s the way I am. Even now when I go for recordings I scribble my notes on scraps of paper. I don’t have fancy letterheads, or a song diary and I still can’t grasp the business aspects of the industry .”

Shaan has only one regret. His numbers, like his adaptation of international pop group Michael Learns To Rock’s Take me to your heart and the Blues track One love didn’t fetch him the desired response. But now that his contract is over with the music company, the singer wants to be a part of the big league. Way to go!

Talking to the The Hindu on his way to the National Institute of Technology-Calicut (NIT-C) on Friday evening, Shaan sounded a bit apprehensive. He had a bad cold and a bad throat. "I never knew how I would be if I had a nasal voice. I guess I will find out that tonight," he said.

He absolutely rocked on stage at NIT-C as he presented what was easily a fine live music show. "This was certainly one of my best shows of late," he said over telephone later, just hours before catching a flight to Pune, for another show. "The full credit goes to the great crowd. I am quite happy that my bad cold did not trouble me at all." The evening's programme, part of NIT-C's annual cultural festival Ragam, had got off with Chhavi belting out a couple of immensely popular Sunidhi Chouhan numbers, including `Beedi... ' (Omkara) and `Crazy kiya re... ' (Dhoom 2).

Shaan, singing the Don song, articulated a couple Shah Rukh Khan dialogues. After `Main hoon Don... ,' he moved to songs like `Sunona... ' (Jhankar Beats), `My dil goes mmmm... ' (Salaam Namaste), `Musu musu... ' (Pyar Mein Kabhi Kabhi) before singing `Chand sifarish... ' (Fanaa), for which he won the Filmfare award and the loudest cheers.

`Woh ladki hai kahan... ' (Dil Chahta Hai), during the rendering of which Chhavi and Shaan did a jig choreographed by Farah Khan originally for Saif Ali Khan and Sonali Kulkarni, enthralled the crowds.

The other songs were were `Nikamma... ' (Kya Dil Ne Kaha), `Dus bahane...' (Dus) and `It's the time to disco... ' (Kal Ho Na Ho). He also sprung a surprise by rendering Bryan Adams's immortal `Summer of 69.'

P.K. AJITH KUMAR