Amaal Mallik draws parallels between mistreatment he, AR Rahman faced; recalls family's financial crisis: ‘Cars were sold, didn't know where next meal was coming from'

Indian Express

a day ago

Regardless of whether it's a wise decision or not, composer-singer Amaal Mallik says he has never made a conscious effort to constantly put himself out there or chase every opportunity around. Mentioning that he has never forced anyone to work with him, he recently shared that even when many around him were struggling with existential crises, he never experienced one himself, thanks to the unwavering love from his fans and a series of fortunate events.
Pointing out that there are people in the industry who, for their own benefit, spread rumours about others, Amaal revealed that he too has been at the receiving end of such attacks, with some even alleging that he is difficult to work with and charges Rs 50 lakh per song. 'AR Rahman also faced a similar situation during his initial days. People couldn't decipher who he was and why was he not listening to anyone else. He had rights, contracts and royalties, and his demands too were different. So, many concluded that his career would end soon. Look now, Rahman remains Rahman,' he pointed out during a chat with Mirchi Plus.
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'Back then, there were just five-six people in the business, but now there are 20,000 singers and composers around us. So, people feel like they have to go to extreme lengths, even die, for work. I'm no longer willing to do that. There was a time when I did, but not anymore,' he added.
During the conversation, Amaal also reflected on a time when his family went through a severe financial crisis that almost cost them their home. Things changed dramatically after he rose to fame with the success of the track 'Sooraj Dooba Hain', composed for the Ranbir Kapoor-starrer Roy (2015). 'There was a time when we had to worry about where our next meal would come from. Until 2014, that was our reality. We were on the verge of selling our house; our cars were already gone. I had wanted to become a cricketer but chose to become a composer instead after seeing my father's pain and loss. He couldn't achieve what he had dreamed of, unlike his brother, Anu Malik. That sparked a fire in me. As a child, I told him not to worry and that I would take care of everything. And I did,' he shared.
Asserting that he has nothing left to prove to anyone, Amaal added, 'Those trying to remove me from films, talking behind my back, labelling me etc… you can delay my progress, but you can't deny it. I recently learned that some fellow composers have also been involved in spreading labels about me. I didn't know this before. They are all scared of me and stressed that if I keep getting work, their factories will shut down. But no matter how hard you try to suppress a talented person, they'll bounce back like a spring.' The elder son of composer-singer Daboo Malik and his wife Jyothi Malik, Amaal made his debut in 2014 by composing three songs for Salman Khan's Jai Ho. His younger brother Armaan Malik is also a well-known musician.