Actor Shazahn Padamsee, known for Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji (2011) and Housefull 2 (2012), has now stepped into music with her debut original single, Raatan Kaaliyan, released last month. Calling it a creative extension rather than a career shift, she says, “It’s a new chapter to begin with, so I am a singer-actor now.”
Having explored Indie pop as a genre, Shazahn is busy making original music. She notes that her live concerts are currently a blend of her own work and covers particularly of artists she admires. “After my song Raatan Kaaliyan more singles will happen before an album. Also I have also started live concerts that for now include more covers, especially of singers like Arijit Singh. For me, he is a king; seeing how he listened to his heart I felt bad for him at the time, but today I realise he did what his heart said, and we all should appreciate that. Soon, I will have my own collection to take the stage with, and then I’ll be doing more concerts.”
Addressing the rumours that her transition to music implies a departure from acting or that she is struggling to secure projects, Shazahn says, “Why do we need to put it that way, that I left acting or am not getting films, so I shifted my focus to singing? No! I was singing and playing the guitar even before I became an actor. The only thing is that I was creating songs, singing, and composing, but took the major step of putting my music in the public domain only at the right time. It takes time to get everything correct. Also, it’s a world of singles and you get one chance with one song, so I focussed on putting my best work first.”
As for the speculation that her acting career is stalled, Shazahn remains unfazed. “Logo joh bolna hai bolne do. We are here to live our own life. Films mein kam nahi hai yeh matter nahi karta; I am happy with my music and giving it my all. People can come up with their stories about me not being able to get films, but music is where my heart is. Why can’t an actor try singing or vice versa? Why judge?” she asserts.
Daughter of late theatre actor and ad filmmaker Alyque Padamsee and pop singer Sharon Prabhakar, she also spoke about whether a big family name guarantees success in music. “I had to start from scratch. Today, pure talent is all that works. New-gen musicians just don’t care about kaun kaha se hai. Coming from a big background doesn’t help more than a media interview… ‘O! Wow, you are Alyque’s daughter’, bas utne tak hi chalta hai; For the rest, I have to go through auditions like everyone else.”
