Ready with the single Chal turu turu, the OG Indian Idol winner Abhijeet Sawant on why he couldn’t turn that break into a playback singing career
Abhijeet Sawant. Pics/Instagram, X
It’s one of those rare beautiful evenings in Mumbai when the air is still, and the grey skies hold the promise of rain. A familiar voice drifts in through the speakers — Abhijeet Sawant’s. The singer, who won the nation’s heart in 2005 as the first winner of Indian Idol, is back with a single, a recreation of the Marathi classic, Chal turu turu. When we sit down with him for a chat, he opens the conversation by revealing that this Marathi song has been with him since his growing up days. “Before Indian Idol, I used to do orchestra shows in pandals. This was my first entry song, you know,” he grins.
However, the singer admits that when Saregama approached him to voice the recreation, he was nervous. “Chal turu turu is an old, beloved song. People sometimes criticise recreations; they question why you’re changing the original. But when I heard the new version, I realised that the soul of the song had been maintained. That’s when I felt confident to give it a new look while respecting what it originally was.”
The single comes as the latest chapter in Sawant’s musical career that had started with a bang. In 2005, when India got its first season of Indian Idol, the country was new to interactive reality shows, and the prospect of choosing your own pop star seemed thrilling. After weeks of being glued to television screens, the audience gave its verdict — Sawant. The Mahim boy’s life changed overnight. “I remember the day I came home after winning. The building where I lived was packed with people. Strangers were celebrating. Such a thing happens rarely in life,” he recalls.
It was a break that nobody at that time could imagine, and everyone today hopes for. But two decades on, it almost feels as if he couldn’t capitalise more on the fame. Sawant reflects, “I tried my best. But playback needs luck and time. I got the kind of fame nobody else got at that time. We were constantly travelling, doing shows, shooting. We didn’t get time to meet music directors and producers. No matter how big you are, you have to go and ask for work.”
First came a few albums and several playback singing opportunities. Then, Sawant tried other avenues — featuring in Zara Nachke Dikha, Bigg Boss Marathi, and even dabbling in politics. But he asserts, “Music has always been there. Only during one film, I didn’t pursue it for six months. I didn’t even [try] any other profession because of music.”
Sawant was the OG product of the reality television boom. Everything was “raw” back then, he remembers. “There was no social media. Everyone involved was new to Indian Idol, even the crew. It was all honest.” Have reality shows become too scripted today? He says, “Earlier, anyone could audition. Now if you’re not trained, you can’t even think about it. Also, we thrive on emotions. With reality shows, sometimes [the emotional drama] is too much. [Despite that], you’ll find real talent.”
The pop star’s unusual journey
2004
Abhijeet Sawant takes part in Indian Idol
2005
Wins the reality show in March. Months later, releases his first album, Aapka Abhijeet Sawant
2009
Makes his acting debut with Lottery. In July, he joins Shiv Sena with the aim of working for the youth
2010
Hosts Indian Idol 5 with Hussain Kuwajerwala
2024
Becomes a runner-up in Bigg Boss Marathi Season 5
Today in music
May 26, 1994: Michael Jackson married Lisa Marie Presley, the only child of Elvis Presley and Priscilla Presley. The couple divorced 20 months later.
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