Written By: Goher Iqbal Punn

19th May, 2008: Some people are born with the astonishingly dexterous skills to rule the world. And when they step inside their field, they display their histrionics and prowess in such a way that they instantly trounce the globe and create a special niche in people’s hearts.

These are the performers, whom no one likes to forget. Their creations are hugely adored and loved to stay with forever. Babul Supriyo, the smart-suave songster of Bollywood, is the one on whom all the above praises fit immaculately well. Supriyo has engendered his strapping standing in Hindi music industry by his own with his powerful, ear pleasing and tour de force catchy style of singing. He came and won the singing world. Such artists are not born everyday. They are called the precious assets and the assets are always preserved with care.

Lately we saw this mainstream versatile laced with the spongy voice vocalist anchoring the very popular show, ‘K for Kishore’ on Sony TV. To continue his passion for singing, Babul has come up with his brand new music album titled, ‘Untitled’ released by Universal Music. The soundtrack contains 10 tracks in total. The video of the track, ‘Sunoh’ is already making waves on all the TV channels and this number has been scribbled down by Samrat Das. Three tracks, ‘Sanwariya’, ‘Khushnuma’ and Yaadein’ have been written by none other than Nusrat Badr, who is the poet behind the film songs of the movies: ‘Saawariya’, ‘Devdas’, ‘Deewar’ and to name a few. The gorgeous singer cum actress Vasundra Das has also been featured on one of the tracks, ‘Sanwariya’. ‘Untitled’ is clearly one of Babul’s most heartfelt albums and is a neat mix of ballads, folk melodies and up-tempo foot-tapping tunes.

On his album’s release the excited singer says, “While it’s is customary to talk about one’s new album, all I feel like saying right now is if you have ever loved babul for even one song, do give “Untitled” a patient listening, this is me at my very best’ That’s it. Time for music to take over because I am confident that the songs will speak rather sing for themselves”

His debut music album was, ‘Sochta Hun’, which proved to be a huge success and that had shoved the singer to release more soundtracks. ‘Kuch Aisa Lagta Hai’ then followed and now he is geared up with the latest offering, ‘Untitled’.

Supriyo has also bagged a hit Bengali flick Taran Mazumdar’s ‘Chandni Bar’ to his credit that stars the Bengali beauty queen Rituparna Sen Gupta opposite him. The mellifluous vocalist, who’s the virtuoso in his field, has rendered a long list of hit tracks as a playback singer in popular Bollywood films like ‘Hum Tum’, ‘Fanaa’, ‘Vivaah’, ‘Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya’, ‘Hungama’, ‘Chori Chori Chupke Chupke’, ‘Maine Koi Jadoo Nahin Kiya’, ‘Mujhe Kuch Kehna Hai’, ‘Dhai Akshar Prem Ke’, ‘Chori Chori’, ‘Tera Jadoo Chal Gaya’, ‘Apna Sapna Money Money’ and to name a few.

Babul comes from a very prestigious musical family in West Bengal, grandson of noted composer Banikantha N. C. Baral, from who Babul inherited his musical talent. On completion of his Honours graduation in Commerce in 1991 from the Calcutta University, he got a coveted job in Standard Chartered Bank in Calcutta, which he bravely left to move to Mumbai to pursue his dream of becoming a playback singer. It was during the era of mid-nineties when the singer let the Bollywood fraternity and the music afficanodos know about his ocean of talent by delivering the hit numbers like ‘Aaj Meri Zindagi Mein’ (Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi), ‘O Priya Priya’ (Agnisakshi), ‘Hata Sawan Ki Ghata’ (Hello Brother) and many others. But when he crooned the big time hit track, ‘Dil Ne Dil Ko Pukara’ for the blockbuster movie, ‘Kaho Na Payaar Hai’ picturised on the heartthrob dashing actor Hrithik Roshan, there emerged huge success for him and since then there has been no looking back. And from then, he has been touring the world for his musical concerts and one of the concerts, he has done with none other than the Big B (Amitabh Bachchan) in May 1993.

Superb singer of class….Babul is the real gem of the industry.

- The writer is an experienced-coveted Bollywood & Indian TV Analyst and laced with good rapport with the swanky worlds of Bollywood and Indian television fraternities. He can be approached at the E-mails: goher.punn@yahoo.com, bollywood.tv.analyst@gmail.com and goheriqbal@yahoo.co.uk