Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, May 30: Gulzar Ganie, Kashmir’s renowned folk singer who has collaborated with Bollywood director duo Salim-Sulaiman for their upcoming music album “Bhoomi 24,” believes that such platforms encourage singers and highlight the richness of Kashmiri folk music.
Previously, Salim-Sulaiman showcased the talents of Kashmiri folk singers such as Abdul Rashid Hafiz and Noor Mohammad Shah. Their songs garnered significant attention and appreciation. Noor Mohammad’s “Nazeen” garnered 12 million views on YouTube, while Abdul Rashid Hafiz’s “Meri Jaan” gathered over 8 million views on YouTube.
In an interaction with the Excelsior, Ganie shared his excitement about collaborating with such reputed music directors. He believes this opportunity will not only showcase his talent but also shine a spotlight on the richness of Kashmiri folk music.
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Recounting how he received the offer, Ganie said: “I was singing at a family function in Mumbai. During my stay, a friend introduced me to Salim”. He said he visited Salim’s studio, where Saleem expressed interest in including a Kashmiri folk song in the next edition of “Bhoomi.”
“I immediately accepted the offer. Salim had seen some of my songs on YouTube and liked them,” he said.
Ganie mentioned that this is not his first Bollywood project; he has worked on some previous projects as well. He appreciates the trend of showcasing Kashmiri talent in Bollywood.
He emphasized that hard work inevitably leads to recognition, but he considers the real reward to be the appreciation of people. Ganie shared that his journey was challenging. Initially, he was not allowed to enter Radio Kashmir, but a broadcaster who spotted him at a marriage function recognized his talent and opened doors for him.
“Around 1984 or 1985, Bhajan Sopori took my audition, which I passed successfully. After that, I never looked back and rose from one grade to another, reaching the top,” he said.
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