Shillong, June 17: First a doctor, then a politician and now a singer: Meghalaya minister Mukul Sangma loves wearing many hats. As his political rivals rave and rant about his allegedly corrupt ways, Sangma is in a different zone, awaiting the release of a Garo music album in which he makes his debut as a singer trilling about “love and peace”.
The album, which he co-produced with wife Dikkanchi Shira, will be promoted through a video shot in Mumbai and parts of the Garo hills. Some faces from Bollywood reportedly feature in the video.
The public works department and information and broadcasting minister in the Congress-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government said he would not like to “let the cat out of the bag”, but promised the album would have “lot of surprises”.
Sangma said the primary objective behind producing the album, featuring some popular singers from the Garo hills, was to convey the message of peace. “Music is the best language for communication. It is very different from politics, has no barriers and is not guided by political considerations.”
On whether his role as a politician would clash with his new public persona as a singer, Sangma said there was a clear-cut distinction between the two. “But I believe one can complement the other.”
The album was conceptualised three years ago and is close to Sangma’s heart. He has not only lent his voice to one of the songs, but also penned most of the lyrics. “It is an attempt to show the way to a militant, for instance, who falls in love with a beautiful girl and wants to lead a normal life. It is a mixture of folk, traditional and modern music and speaks in the language that everybody understands,” he said.
Sangma decided against releasing the album before the Lok Sabha poll because he did not want it to be “misconstrued” as a political gimmick.
“When I have to respond to a given situation as a politician, I am guided by a certain set of rules. But there is no such constraint as a musician. I love music and am keen to promote young talent and give them the space to grow,” he said.