Swanand Kirkire - The master of all trades

Swanand Kirkire

Giving the writer in him a break, lyricist Swanand Kirkire will feature on the soundtrack of Sudhir Mishra's Daas Dev as a singer. He has lent his voice to Aazad Kar, which has been penned by a new lyricist, Gaurav Solanki. "The song speaks of liberation at many levels. It's about liberating oneself from various compulsions that we create and then get buried under," says Kirkire.

Ask him how he resisted from interfering in the songwriting process, and Kirkire says he knows how to switch between roles. "I've learnt that you are a different person as a lyricist than what you are as a singer. You have to respect other people's work. This song was perfectly written and composed."

Over 15 years and two National Awards later, Swanand Kirkire feels that writers are increasingly gaining prominence in the industry. "Earlier, writers wouldn't get the kind of credit they deserved. But the situation is getting better. With the Internet opening up as a new medium, there is a lot of scope for good work to get recognised. Writing, as an art, has gained more recognition." The lyricist, on his part though, stays away from penning lyrics for frivolous songs. "I don't write item songs, only because I am not good at it. Directors who want my kind of lyrics come to me."

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