One for the Road

Jasmine Singh

Not that he puts in some extra effort to keep the energy around him alive and thumping, but this is something that comes naturally to music producer Dr Zeus, who is visiting Punjab after a long time!

Speaking decent Punjabi, Zeus promotes upcoming Punjabi film Lakeeran produced by Wonderland along with Zora Randhawa. As he talks about the film, which by the way is a launch pad for Harman Virk and Gurinder Rai, we can’t help but steer the conversation to Punjabi music industry which he is an indispensable part of. He acknowledges it with a nod and a faint smile. “Let’s say, I am lucky. Well, of course, I have worked pretty hard at it, but I have been lucky too. Many people work hard, but luck just makes us luckier,” he shrugs his shoulders.

For this an artiste, who is the X factor of innumerable Punjabi songs, he holds his fans and their criticism in high esteem. “My fans love my work, and when they don’t, it is a matter of concern for me. Many a time, they request me not to repeat the same music in various tracks...I can’t help it at times, even though I try and bring newness in all my tracks,” says the artiste, who ends this line on, ‘you know how it is in this industry.’

Let’s say, we don’t mind knowing more, if he cares to elaborate! “After the success of Mitran De Boot, I have been approached by umpteen Punjabi singers who wanted me to replicate the hit track with a slight tweak. It was like literally putting a gun on my head and asking me to do Mitran De Boot again,” he smiles.

“I said no to many singers, but I couldn’t refuse some. I know that this typecast my work, something my fans don’t approve of, but...” he leaves us to pad this up with our own imagination.

It’s like a Catch 22 situation for this affable artiste, who doesn’t mind posing for selfies, even for an entire day. Bringing him back to the current scenario, how does Zeus ensure that he gives a new spin to each track of his. “Firstly, for me the artiste’s voice is the main point that I begin my work around, next I ensure that my music doesn’t take away the artiste’s style and in this process, I leave my signature style.” Sounds like quite a task to us. Laughs Zeus, “Oh, it’s nothing. I am just explaining the principle of how I work.”

And work is what has made Dr Zeus the man of the Punjabi music industry. Having worked with extremely famous, famous and slightly famous Punjabi singers, Zeus will now be trying something new, something he hasn’t attempted before--acting! A Punjabi film you mean to say? “Well no, you would be seeing me in an International project, a film called Road. The film shows the dark side of England, and I play a gangster in the film,” shares Zeus, who would rather work in the language that he is totally comfortable with, which is English. “I lose hold on my Punjabi sometimes, so working in a Punjabi film would be a bit tricky. But then you never know, I might,” he shrugs his shoulders, and moves aside to get another selfie with the same enthusiasm that he started the conversation on.