On World Music Day, which is celebrated on June 21, we asked some celebs what music meant to them and also share their favourite playlist, here’s what they had to say:
Vijayendra Kumeria: Music is very therapeutic, it helps you overcome a mood sometimes and sometimes it keeps you in the mood, it depends on what you want it to do. Life is incomplete without music. I have different playlists for different hours of the day and it’s very important for me as an actor too. I take help of music to get into different moods for different scenes. But if I have to pick one playlist, that’s my favourite, that would be a collection of Bryan Adams songs.
Amal Sehrawat: It’s scientifically proven that music has a direct impact on mood. I take help of music to get in the mood of a scene and then everything else works like magic. My playlist keeps on changing depending on my mood.
Pranitaa Pandit: Music is something that sets my tone for the day and it really makes my day better. So as soon as I open my eyes, I play ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ and I love Shekhar Ravjiani’s version of the hymn. Listening to it sets the rhythm of my day with positive vibes and feelings. My playlist, otherwise, is a mix of everything, it has bit of emotional song, peppy song, love and friendship songs, etc. There are few songs that I really connect to when I am feeling low or I want some energy in my life. Then there are songs which are very motivational yet peppy like “Tu naa jane aas pass hai khuda”. I also like “Tera yaar hoon main”.
Vikas Sethi: Music plays a significant role in my life. It is a way for me to connect with my inner self. The lyrics and music transports me to a space so sacred. I listen to my favorite playlist every night before I fall asleep. This includes old Hindi songs of Rafi, Kishore Kumar, and retro English music too. I am a big fan of country music too.
Jhanvi Sethi: Music is my daily medicine and my lifeline. If I am feeling a little low on energy then I just need to plug into a song and feel better. My playlist includes Kishore Kumar, Mohammed Rafi, Sufi music, English retro and also music of various frequencies for healing chakras. Music heals me, soothes me and is a memory of so many precious moments with significant people in my life.
Arun Mandola: Whenever I feel low or tensed I listen to songs and that gives me positive energy, so music is energy booster for me. Well, I am bathroom singer but I still sing when I am home alone. I love songs from “Tere Naam” and also all those sung by Arijit Singh, but my all time favourite has to be “Moh moh ke dhaage” by Papon.
Harssh A Singh: Music has played an important role in my life. Bhimsen Joshi, the classical musician, was my grandfather’s guruji, so film music, pop music and rock music was not allowed in our house. During my teenage, I became a total rebel and formed a rock band in Ludhiana. In fact I came to Mumbai to record a pop album with HMV, but that never materialised. Music still governs my moods, my emotions. I listen to music every day, it’s my “me” time. I put on headphones or I play it loud but it’s my time of the day. I listen to varied music from old Bollywood songs to rock, pop, jazz and EDM. I’m just not into metal or Trap music.
Aaira Dwivedi: Music is an expression of your emotions, it is an integral part of life as it touches your soul. My relationship with music began when I started dancing. Dancing is all about rhythm and you cannot dance without music. Nowadays am listening to my latest release ‘Judaai’ on loop. It’s very tough to share my playlist because it depends on my mood and what I am doing at that time of the day. For example, if am doing my workout my playlist is different and when am driving my song list is different. When I am dancing, my playlist depend on the type of dance form, so if am doing free style dance I play Bollywood or Punjabi song, but if am doing contemporary or western form then I play jazz beats. In short, music wakes me up, makes me move and makes me think too.
Avinash Mukherjee: Music plays a very important role in our life. Anyone, in any situation, if they listen to three minutes of “Lag jaa gale” or five minutes of “Tajdar-e-Haram”, there is no way that person will not achieve inner peace and if someone listens to “Bekhayali”, there is no way that person will not remember their loved ones. The kind of songs I listen to on a daily basis are Nushrat Fateh Ali Khan Ji’s songs, Jagjit sir’s songs. In English, I like soundtrack of the Dark Knight and Man of Steel to name a few.
Sudipto Balav: I start my day with music, when I go for my morning jog which is of two hours, I constantly have some playlist on. At any given point my favourite playlist would be a collection of a songs by R. D. Burman. I am a big fan of ghazals so I have a collection of ghazals by Ghulam Ali Sahab to Hahariharan Ji.
Meera Deosthale: I think music is therapeutic to me. Music sets the rhythm for my mood. When I am working, the moment I sit in my car I put my playlist on and get charged up for the day. Sometimes, during emotional scenes we play certain songs that fit the context and it helps tremendously in enhancing my performance. So I have various playlists – morning one (includes all rock and pop and dhol Bollywood and English songs), my gym playlist (has all power packed songs), shower playlist (all soothing songs). Right now I am listening to “Look at her now” on loop but my all times favourite would be songs from “Dil Toh Pagal Hai”. My favourite singers are Arijit Singh, Sunidhi Chauhan, Sanam Puri and Lata Mangeshkar. I have two favourite songs, they are “Tujhe kitna chahne lage hum” and “Kya hua tera vada”.
Bhoomika Mirchandani: Music plays extremely important role in life because music is something which lifts up your mood. I feel one should be selective with their music and should listen to happy, light and warming music. I watch Disney movies, so there you can hear light-hearted, loving and positive music, you will never hear sad songs. So I relate it with my life and it brings positive vibes in my life. Make sure that it never depresses you. I love Punjabi song and I have all the songs written by Jaani. My favourite song is “Kuch toh log kahenge”.
Khushboo Kamal: Music plays a very important role in my life, whenever I feel sad and low or some negative thoughts come in my mind, I listen to Bhakti songs. I also listen to Bollywood or Sufi songs and even ghazals depending on my mood and situation. We actors also relate to our characters with some particular music. I think everyone should listen one or two songs everyday. Make your favourite playlist so that whenever you will feel low you can listen to it and get positive energy. I love Sufi songs and Kishore Kumar songs. My favourite singers are Kishore Kumar, Lata Mangeshkar Ji, Nushrat Fateh Ali Khan Sahab, Jagjit Singh, Kailash Kher, Arijit Singh and Sonu Nigam. My favourite songs are “Preet ki lat mohe aisi lagi”, “Mann ki lagan”, “Pyaar deewana hota hai” and ” Likhe jo khat tujhe”. I even love the title track of Pakistani drama “Humsfar”, which featured Fawad Khan and Mahira Khan.
Moin Sabri: Music is different for everyone. I can listen to music all day and it gives me a different feeling. When I am listening to music, I don’t need anyone I am happy being by myself. I love to listen to ghazals by Ghulam Ali sahab, Jagjit Sahab and many others. My favourite songs are “Koi fariyaad”, “Hothon se chulo tum”, “Maula mere lele meri jaan”, “Abhi mujh mein kahin”. I love Pakistani Coke Studio songs too. My feeling for music is precious and different, when you listen to Sufi songs you connect with god and when you listen romantic songs you feel loved.