Bhool Bhulaiyaa Title Song Brought Me To Bollywood, Says Neeraj Shridhar: I Owe It To...

Singer Neeraj Shridhar says he gave back-to-back hits for films such as "Race", "Love Aaj Kal", and "Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani", but it is title track of "Bhool Bhulaiyaa" to which he owes his success in Bollywood.

singer, also lead vocalist of Indian pop and rock group Bombay Vikings which was formed in Sweden in early 1990s, has recreated popular song for upcoming film "Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3".

Shridhar sang original song, composed by Pritam and penned by Sameer, for 2007's "Bhool Bhulaiyaa" directed by Priyadarshan.

"When I sang original, I was t used to singing Bollywood songs a lot. I had sung many songs for films like 'Heyy Babyy'. n, I did three songs for 'Love Aaj Kal' like 'Chor Bazari', 'Aahun Aahun', and 'Twist'. re was 'Race'. I also sang 'Prem Ki Naiyya' from 'Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani'...

"But ne of songs had come out when 'Bhool Bhulaiyaa' happened. All of a sudden, most of se songs came out around same time. I owe it to this song ('Bhool Bhulaiyaa'). It brought me to Bollywood," singer told PTI in an interview.

Shridhar, who has collaborated with American rapper Pitbull and Punjabi singing star Diljit Dosanjh for "Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3" title track, still remembers first time T-Series head and producer Bhushan Kumar approached him to lend his vocals to original song.

singer said just months after he recorded title song for 2006 comedy "Bhagam Bhag" for T-Series, Kumar told him that he would get a call from Pritam.

"Pritam also loved my music for Bombay Vikings. We clicked toger right from beginning. I was really excited because by n I had got knack of singing in front of a lot of people in a studio. Bhushan bhai and Sameer bhai were re; it was like a concert in studio." Shridhar said he had to sing song again because re was "some issue with audio files".

"It was finally recorded at Pritam's studio. It was one of first songs to be recorded re." singer said he didn't anticipate "Bhool Bhulaiyaa" title track would go on to become a chartbuster.

"I was told that this was going to be a hit. But I took it like just ar song. But it became a huge hit," he recalled.

Fifteen years later, Shridhar was called upon again to sing a newer version to same song but for "Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2", directed by Anees Bazmee.

"At time, I had t sung a Bollywood song for a long time. last time I gave a huge hit was 'Tumhi Ho Bandhu' (from 2012's 'Cocktail')... I sang about four or five new lines for 'Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2' track.

"That also worked out pretty good... I was kind of reborn in Bollywood. Recently, I met Bhushan bhai and he told me to t speak to anyone about new version for third film. He only said it's going to be big," he added.

Shridhar also praised Tanishk Bagchi, who composed new reiterations of song both for “Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2” and “Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3”.

"Tanishk is a great lad. He has fused new melody with old one by Pritam. He has done a wonderful job." singer, who also produces artists in Europe and is into advertising, said fans will get to hear more from him soon.

"I want to do what I did as Bombay Vikings again. Very soon you'll hear songs in typical Swedish music in some Hindi songs." "Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3" releases on vember 1. It stars Kartik Aaryan, Madhuri Dixit, Vidya Balan and Triptii Dimri. 

---PTI ---