'Oh, wow, I am Jatin Pandit's son'

'When was the last time you heard a music composer or a singer's son being launched?'

Knowing that your father is a celebrated composer can put incredible pressure on you.

But Jatin Pandit's son Raahul Jatin, who has just begun his musical journey, does not feel any pressure.

Even as he follows his father's footsteps, he believes in creating his own path.

"I do not think someone will give you work just because you are somebody's son or daughter," Raahul tells Rediff.com Contributor Mohnish Singh.

Your single Bin Tere has been receiving good response ever since it released on YouTube.

I feel very happy that people have liked the song. We worked really hard on it.

We started shooting on the same day that I received my first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine because the director and his crew had flown down from San Francisco.

My co-star had also scheduled that day for the shoot.

How did the song come into existence? What inputs did you receive from your father Jatin Pandit?

Initially, we were planning a pacy song.

But with the pandemic's second wave wreaking havoc, I dropped the idea of doing a song where I was dancing with several people. I thought working on a slow-paced song would be the best bet at that time.

One fine day, I picked up my guitar and started humming something. For me, everything that I create should connect emotionally with me.

I should feel I am being affected by the melody.

So when I made Bin Tere, I felt that about the song.

I recorded the tune, did some basic programming and took it to dad.

If my father likes something, he will get up immediately and go to his harmonium. He will then try to pen some lyrics.

If he does not like something, he does not rush. Ninety percent of the time, he writes the entire melody in just one sitting.

When I made him listen to this tune, he was very excited.

Then my mom listened to it and said we should shoot immediately.

We shot the song during the peak of the pandemic with only five people, including the heroine (Spanish model Estefania Martt) and me.

You come from a family of great achievers with your father Jatin Pandit being among the most prolific composers Bollywood has ever produced. Do you ever feel pressure to live up to his legacy?

No. I always have people asking me this question.

My parents tell me to do my best, take each day as it comes, and everything will fall into place.

Eventually, everything works out really well.

I want to grow every day and do my best. As long as I am doing that, I am happy.

I do not take too much pressure.

Did your father ever try to help you professionally by putting you in touch with people from the industry?

Not really. My debut song released last year and then this COVID-19 thing happened.

Honestly, I do not think my dad has tried to stay in touch with people he has worked with.

His work has got him more work.

Moreover, I would not expect him to do something like that for me.

What is your take on nepotism?

I do not think someone will give you work just because you are somebody's son or daughter.

It is definitely not the case with the children of music composers or even singers.

It probably happens with the children of actors and producers.

Actors and producers have so much money, they can push and promote their kids in a way that nobody else can.

If an actor wishes to make a film for his son with a budget of say Rs 20 crore, he can do that. It is not a big deal for him.

And because star kids are so much in the public eye, people want to work with them because it is less of a risk.

Composers and singers do not have that kind of money where they can push their kids in the same manner.

When was the last time you heard a music composer or a singer's son being launched?

Your father was one of the busiest music directors in the 1990s and early 2000s. Did you get enough time to spend with him while growing up?

No, I did not get enough time with my dad. He used to be very, very busy.

I would spend most of my time with my mom.

I do not even remember hanging out with him when I was younger.

Did you visit recording studios with him?

The only recording I had been to with my dad was for Fanaa.

I was very young at that time.

Do you remember meeting and interacting with any popular singer your father worked with?

Yes. My dad is very good friends with Udit Narayanji, Abhijeet Bhattacharyaji and Kumar Sanuji.

They come to our house every now and then.

Uditji is the sweetest and funniest person ever.

Jatinji has delivered several iconic albums in his career. Is there any album or song that you feel did not get its due?

My dad would be a better person to answer that question.

Honestly, all his songs that I have listened to are very, very successful.

Let me tell you something very interesting. There is a song that my dad had sung and he was in the video as well.

In Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander, there is this singing and dance inter-college competition, not the cycling one.

My dad had sung Humse Hai Sara Jahan and the dude dancing in that song is none but my dad himself! A lot of people do not know that.

Apparently, during the shoot, the dancer who was supposed to shoot did not show up. The director (Mansoor Khan) saw my dad and asked him if he would do it.

Farah Khan ma'am was also there.

She told him, 'Just get up. We will figure this out.'

That's how my dad ended up doing that song.

I feel people should know that Jatin Pandit dances pretty well (laughs).

When did you first realise your father was famous?

When Hum Tum came out, that was when I started understanding what my dad really does.

The big moment when I realised, 'Oh, my dad is so cool,' was when Fanaa released.

When the song Chand Sifarish came out, all my friends were like, 'Oh, this song is really cool.'

They would come over and we would listen to that song.

I would say, yeah, that was the moment when I was like, 'Oh, wow, I am Jatin Pandit's son.'