Leja Re Singer Dhvani Bhanushali: “I Might Give Acting A Shot If A Good Opportunity Comes Along”

She might come from an influential background but has made a name for herself in a very short span of time with sheer hard work and determination. Dhvani Bhanushali, who sung the super-hit track Dilbar from Satyameva Jayate earlier this year, has lent her voice to another recreated track. Leja Re, originally sung by Shreya Ghoshal and composed by Sandesh Shandilya, has been given a new twist by composer Tanishk Bagchi.

Dhvani, apart from being the voice behind the track, also features in the video. In this exclusive interview, she talks about recreating a popular number, the success of Dilbar, striking a balance between her education and pursuing a career in singing, whether industry kids have an advantage over outsiders, acting plans and upcoming projects.

Do you remember hearing the original track when it first came out?

I must have been in the fourth grade when the song came out. I remember hearing it back then but I watched the video just a couple of days back. The team at T-Series showed me the video after they decided to recreate this song.

The original song was sung by Shreya Ghoshal. Do you fear being compared with her or what she did with the song?

The recreated track, that we have put together, sounds very different from the original. It has a very different vibe altogether. We have just retained the hook-line and a few other things from the original track. This one is more modern and in a very different space. Whenever I am working on a song, I try to give it my best. I do not think whether it will be a hit or liked by the listeners. Obviously, you want your work to reach out to a large number of people but that is not entirely in your hands. There might be comparisons but I was not thinking about it while recording the song. Shreya ma’am is a legend and I do not think I will not be able to match up to what she does with any song.

You had earlier collaborated with Tanishk Bagchi on ‘Dilbar’. ‘Leja Re’ is very different from that track. How has been the experience of working with him?

He is an incredible composer and a great human being. I first collaborated with him on the unplugged version of ‘Humsafar’. Today, multiple singers are tried for one song and I have dubbed several songs for him. He would always tell me that he liked my voice but my voice has to be approved by the makers of the film. Thankfully, my voice was retained in ‘Dilbar’ and it turned out to be a hugely successful song.

You are still a student. How do you strike a balance between your studies and singing career?

It is a little difficult but I am enjoying the entire process. I am in the final year of college, so I need to give a lot of attention to my studies as well. Till now, I have been able to balance the two quite well.

Your father Vinod Bhanushali is at a senior position at T-Series. Some people might think you had it easy as your father is a well-known name in the industry. What are your thoughts on this?

If you listen to a song sung by me, would you like or dislike I based on whose daughter I am? People will eventually judge and evaluate me based on my talent. You have to be good at what you do. I do admit that getting that first chance is easy for people who come from the industry but I will not get a second chance if the audience does not accept me.

Is there any song from the recent past you wish you had sung?

Honestly, I never felt that I should have sung a particular song sung by another singer. Once you hear a song in somebody’s voice, you cannot imagine it in somebody else’s voice. I am happy with whatever songs I have got to sing.

You look very confident and camera friendly in your music videos. Would you like to act in films?

My primary goal is to sing. As far as acting is concerned, I might give it a shot if I get a good opportunity.

What are you doing next?

There are a couple of things in the pipeline but unless something is finalised, I cannot talk about it.