MUMBAI: The powerful song 'Sakht Jaan' from cricket drama '83' has received huge appreciation from the audience as it comes at a very crucial time in the narrative that emphasised the self-belief of the 1983 World Cup-winning squad.

The song is sung by 'Bulleya' famed playback singer Amit Mishra.

In conversation with IANS, the singer shares how the song is a reflection of his journey as a singer coming from a small town and making it big in Bollywood, quite like the underdog Team India and its then captain Kapil Dev who won the cricket World Cup in 1983.

Amit told IANS: "When I started learning music at a young age, being a Lucknow boy, it was only a natural thing because our society and culture is such. From the time I started learning classical music from my Guru, my music teacher, I am always told that I have a good voice and I should take music seriously. But Bollywood was never a destination for me.

"However, when eventually I came to Mumbai and started hustling I had a belief in myself that I can make it big in Bollywood. I never thought of giving up when I used to give voice auditions and ran around from one studio to another. I was singing songs also but none of those songs were superhit or larger than life...by then after six years of struggle and a series of rejections my mental health had gone for a toss. I remember I called my father."

According to Amit, that phone call followed by a song that came to him 22 days later, changed his life as a playback singer.

"I called my father, saying 'Papa I am not doing my 9 to 5 job because of music and I gave six years of my life. My intuition still says I have the music in me but why that one song is not coming to me that would create the magic.' I was crying on the phone and telling my father, 'Papa I want to sing a song that everyone will sing along with me, but I think I am losing myself...I think the fire in me is going away. I think I want to give up now, it's been 6 years...I am tired.' But then my father said something to me," Amit shared.

He continued, "My father said, 'in the last six years you hustled for yourself to achieve your dream. Start afresh from today and give five more years for me...you don't need to give up just now. You have done your share of struggle, now do it for me.' I still remember that evening. I was so lost. Within 22 days, the song 'Manma Emotion Jaage' came, followed by 'Bulleya'...rest is history."

Perhaps that is why the song 'Sakht Jaan' that lyrically highlights the power of self-belief was important for Amit. The song is composed by Pritam and written by Jaideep Sahni.

"When it comes to cricket we know how the 1983s World Cup win was an iconic tournament for our parents' generation. In our home, our father, grandfather everyone has a vivid memory of that time. So when my family got to know I am singing a song for this film '83' I think they were a little extra proud of me...I am glad," Amit signed off.

(Source: IANS)