Nadeem Saifi fled the country after being accused of plotting the Gulshan Kumar murder
Subhash K Jha (DNA; February 22, 2016)
Nadeem Saifi, one-half of the chartbusting duo Nadeem-Shravan, is back in Bollywood with the music score of Ishq Forever. In an exclusive interview, he talks about his rise and fall in the music industry and his years of exile away from India after being an accused in the alleged murder of music baron Gulshan Kumar.
It’s been a long sabbatical from Bollywood for you.
Yes, I do miss being in the thick of things but sometimes, life takes unpredictable turns. You need to remain motivated, stay strong and stay focused and figure out how to climb the mountain again. Immediately after the case, I did more than 30 films in London. I was very happy to know that my fans continued to love me the same way as before and that made me more determined to continue with my music.
There was a time when you and your partner Shravan ruled the Indian charts. How do you look back on that phase of extended superstardom as music directors?
Yes, we have seen the best of times any artist can think of. We will continue to dominate not only the charts in India, but also globally. A good example is the song Dheere Dheere Se, which has been remixed and has 110 million likes.
It all ended suddenly for you with the alleged criminal cases regarding Gulshan Kumar’s murder. Looking back, do you view the traumatic phase as a learning experience?
A bunch of liars is the short and long story of the Gulshan Kumar murder case. Not a single piece of evidence in 19 years, a total mockery of the law and investigation, the police having the so-called accused Abu Salem in their total custody and yet have not been able to charge him of the Gulshan Kumar murder, just goes to prove the bias against me. Even Abu Salem in his narco-analysis test, in the second stage of inhibition, has confirmed my innocence. I think the Indian media should wake up and smell the coffee and force the government to drop the case and make those police officers pay for their fake accusations.
You’ve been forced to live in exile, first in London and now in Dubai. Do you miss India and your family?
This has been a self-imposed exile because I believe that the criminal justice system has a lot to improve back home in India, and the appointment of the judges have to be independent of the politicians and the government. It has to be an independent judiciary, irrespective of one’s political views and religion. Of course, I miss India and my family. You can imagine both my parents are very old, frail and bedridden, and I have missed out on all the khidmat I could have done for my loving parents. But I do call them everyday, and kiss their feet over the phone.
Do you see Ishq Forever as a new beginning for yourself in Bollywood?
I have so many offers that it’s never difficult for me to jump back into the groove. It’s just that I am extremely selective because the standard of the films and film songs are really going down.
How did the recordings happen and where? How did you choose your singers?
The recordings took place in India and Dubai, but the singers were chosen by Zee Music Company and I had no say in it.
Finally, would you like to come back to India? What is your message to the government of India regarding your exiled status?
Yes, of course, I would definitely love to come back to India, as my heart has always been here. My message to the Government of India is that 19 years have passed and justice has been denied. I request the Prime Minister Mr Narendra Modi to look into my case as I deserve justice.