Ek Ajnabi...

Jasmine Singh

Some acting here and there, standing in a group of musicians in the background playing for renowned Punjabi singers, almost seven years back Sandeep Kumar, and employee with the Electricity Board, Patiala picked up pen and paper and write.

Today, with 180-190 Punjabi songs complied together in a book titled Mera Khaab, Sandeep feels he has finally let his dreams come out of the closet. “I am a dreamer, dreams of acting in films, dreams of writing songs, dreams of singing, dreams of helping my friends with whatever means I have, dreams of travelling the world and leaving smiles everywhere... and today, I could finally put down the dreams in a book,” shares Sandeep, who definitely wants Punjabi singers to sing his songs. 

But this is also a dream, which might take some time. “I am working in a government job, to ask singers to sing my songs means that I have to visit Chandigarh, or I have to approach them, which is a tedious task,” Sandeep takes a moment to think and comes with a thought, “I might approach a few Punjabi singers, let’s see, since it is a very contact-based industry, it bothers me more.”

Sandeep’s book has songs reflecting the present state of society, songs that are of dreamy nature, some sad ones talking of separation, but mostly joyful songs.

“All my songs in this book are a sum of my experiences, things I have seen,” shares the writer who adores Punjabi singer Sharry Mann. “I wish he could sing my songs.” The book published by Ghuman Publication is priced at Rs 100. “Price should not be a hindrance in reading or in creativity. I have faced the same problem, never had enough money to buy books and read as much as I can.” Sandeep writes with the name Ajnabi Allowal.