Set to make his singing debut alongside Salman’s rumoured lover, Maniesh Paul discusses recording Harjai with the Romanian model
Paul and Vantur in the video
That Iulia Vântur decided to explore a singing career in a language she once barely comprehended is noteworthy. Months after the Romanian model commenced learning Hindi to duet with Himesh Reshammiya, her latest collaborator, Maniesh Paul, heaps praise on her enunciation. “Iulia picks up Hindi easily. Her pronunciation is perfect,” Paul, who recently wrapped up a single titled Harjai with her, tells mid-day.
The collaboration, which marks Paul’s singing debut, was a result of a brief jamming session at Salman Khan’s Panvel farmhouse. “Iulia and I began to sing and realised that our voices sounded great together. It wasn’t hard for her to record in the language. Even if she struggled with certain words, she could grasp them easily with a little assistance. She can belt out high notes with panache.”
Salman Khan
Given that Paul shares an affable relationship with Khan, he inevitably shared a bond with Vântur too. “We have a lot in common. We’re Leos, we are both TV hosts, and passionate about singing. We would crack-up while performing. Our director, Shabina [Khan] struggled to control us,” says Paul, who also features in the music video with Vântur. “We shot for the love track at Mumbai’s Mukesh Mills and Bombay Adda. It revolves around lovers who part ways. They eventually realise that they can’t live without each other, and reunite,” says the actor-host, the storyline’s banality not lost on him. “We didn’t want the story to be complicated,” he reasons.
Ahead of the single’s release tomorrow, Paul says he will chart his musical career in accordance with the response that his first track garners. “I have a couple of songs in the pipeline. But I’ll release them after witnessing listeners’ reactions to this number. Although I had won a scholarship in college due to my singing skills, this is my first professional endeavour in the field.” Paul has Khan to thank for the encouragement. “When I told Salman sir that I wanted to try my hand at singing, he said, ‘You should sing professionally.’ He always supports me.”
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