'No bad blood': Kumar Sanu denies rivalry with Udit Narayan
What's the story
In a recent interview, Kumar Sanu spoke about his long-standing friendship and professional relationship with Udit Narayan. The two singers recently collaborated for the first time in 21 years on the song Suniyo Zara from Sunny Deol's upcoming film Suryaa: Ant Se Aarambh Tak. Their previous collaboration was for Kahaan Ho Tum from No Entry (2005).
Professional rivalry
This is how Sanu explained their professional competition
Sanu dismissed rumors of a professional rivalry with Narayan.
He told Variety India, "There was never any bad blood between us."
He explained their competition was akin to that between a first and second-ranker in school.
"In the past, whatever issues were reported were fabricated by the media. Some people did try to create rifts but after a stage, we understood that people are up to mischief."
Continued camaraderie
Sanu's praise for Narayan
Sanu emphasized that their friendship has remained intact despite the competition.
He said, "We always meet with a lot of love. Yes, our fans keep fighting but that's another thing."
"Udit is a great friend and has proven his talent across decades."
He drew a parallel between their relationship and that of legendary singers Mohammad Rafi and Kishore Kumar, who "never fought over songs."
Actor admiration
On his relationship with Deol
Sanu also spoke about his admiration for Deol, with whom he has worked on several films since the 1990s.
He said, "Sunny always gives credit if he feels a singer has done an excellent job."
"What I adore about him is his gentlemanly behavior and his genuineness. There are very few like him in the industry."
Industry changes
On rise of independent music, Arijit Singh's playback retirement
Sanu also shared his thoughts on the rise of independent music in the industry.
He said, "It is a good thing but I feel it has its pros and cons."
Speaking about Arijit Singh's decision to work independently, he said, "Some are courageous to move away and start alone."
"I would say that Arijit is a bold, straightforward and simple person. It takes a lot of guts to do what he did."