Actor Anuj Arora who has been part of shows like Bandini, Thodi Khushi Thode Gham, Behenein and web series Anarchy, says he is able to manage his life well as an actor and as a musician.
“Music and acting to a very great extent complement each other. Like music, acting also has a rhythm, a tone, and a beat. While playing a certain character, for example, if I play a Bhojpuri character, I will have to follow that particular beat of Bhojpuri, be it language, tone, or expressions. So there is a lot of musical influence in acting, and vice versa. Every piece of music has its own character and mood. Some songs are aggressive; others can be mellow, soft, or romantic. All the various flavors of expression, as in acting, are also depicted in songs or music at large” he added.
As far as the balance is concerned, he believes his priorities are set right, and he is able to handle it effectively. “If I am busy at a shoot and also have a music show coming up, then I can always speak to my executive producers and people who handle my schedules to free me up for that particular day,” he said.
“It is all about finding time to manage your passions. Also these days, social media platforms like Instagram and YouTube give us enough flexibility to post our contents as per our time schedules and convenience,” he added.
Anuj believes music has the capacity to not only shape the intellect but also heal immensely. “It is indeed therapy! I would like to cite a memory here that is very dear to my heart. When I shifted to Mumbai from Jodhpur and had no other work, back then I used to teach music, piano, and keyboard essentially. I had this little girl as my student who was dealing with dyslexia, the same condition as was shown in the movie Taare Zameen Par. I remember that she was a child full of fear and anxiety. Also, as she came from a Marathi background, language was another barrier. But she was so conscious that she did not speak to me for six months of those classes. But she was always consistent,” he said.
“Eventually, the transformation that transpired was just marvelous. She trained under me for thirteen years and gained immense confidence through music. It was as if the notes and vibrations of music helped her fight all her inner demons, and she did emerge victorious. Today, she is doing phenomenally well in her fashion career. And this I say with immense pride, as those 13 years have been a testament to my patience as well,” he added.
Sharing another experience where music helped in healing, he said, “At NDTV, Delhi, we were working on a puppet show. Long, erratic hours were a common feature, along with psychotic pressure. We used to shoot for 18 long hours nonstop, and most of my colleagues were smokers. Every hour, they would take a ‘Sutta Break’. Being a non-smoker, I got very anxious, thinking that maybe it was the’smoke’ that was giving them the energy and filling them with ideas. Which also made me try it and, fortunately, fall out of it too. But later, I realized that it was my music that helped me stay sane and not get addicted to any such vices prevalent all around me,” he said.
“My music kept me connected to my higher self. It was, and it still is, like meditation to me. I myself am an example of its therapeutic abilities. And I strongly recommend everyone learn any form of music that interests them, for their own sake and happiness,” he added.
Any favorite genre or artist? “Bollywood is definitely my favorite genre. Old Hindi classics are very close to my heart. I do listen to some English songs now and then, like MLTR, Backstreet Boys, Ronan Keating, and Celine Dion. But it is our old, illustrious artists that have my heart. My favorites are Lata Mangeshkar ji, Asha Bhosle ji, Mohd. Rafi sir, and Kishore Kumar sir. And if I talk about our new generation of artists, the list is never-ending. Sonu Nigam, Arijijt Singh, KK, Shreya Ghoshal, Pritam Da, Shilpa Rao, Sunidhi Chauhan, and Prateek Kuhad, if I were to name a few. I am left mesmerized and speechless on many occasions listening to their songs. It is a pleasure to experience this rich and melodious music,” he ended.
