CROONING GLORY

[Barkkha]

MUMBAI: Though he cringes at the thought of going behind the microphone, Amitabh Bachchan is saddled with more and more singing assignments. Barely a month after crooning the poignant Kehta hai babul number in Baabul , he is back in Aadesh Shrivastava's studio to record a song for Nishabd.

Director Vishal Bhardwaj has composed this special song for Ram Gopal Varma's film, which is apparently inspired by Vladimir Nabokov’s Lolita.

Ironically, Big B maintains he's not a singer.

"I don't know how to sing. Even when I sang for Silsila (neela aasman so gaya), I cringed. My reaction is the same even now," Bachchan said.

However, Varma can't stop raving about the superstar’s musical skills.

"You have to hear how Amitabh sounds in the number. When I heard him do the song in Baabul , I thought that was the ultimate. But after hearing him sing Vishal’s song in Nishabd, I feel this is his best song ever," said Varma.

After his glorious rendering of the Baabul song, which he also composed, Big B seems to be taking his singing very seriously. Just like the Baabul song which played across the film, the Nishabd song, written by a budding poet from Chandigarh, will also be used as an ongoing theme song in the film.

Is this the beginning of a new flourishing phase in Big B’s life as a singer?

After lending his voice for Baabul and Nishabd , the superstar also plans to cut an entire album, based on folks songs of Uttar Pradesh, with his favourite composer Aadesh Shrivastava.

"Amit ji and I are both from UP. Maybe that's why he's so fond of me. He often drops in at the studio for impromptu jamming sessions. We'll be working on an album soon," said Shrivastava