On October 2, 2020, a Haryanvi song called ’52 Gaj Ka Daman’ dropped on YouTube and in very little time, it managed to touch the one-billion mark. The success of the song made its singer, the 19-year-old Renuka Panwar a star. Recently, Renuka collaborated with Bollywood singer Asees Kaur on a Hindi version of this chartbuster track.
In this interview, she talks about the new version of the song, collaborating with Asees, the struggle she went through and singing for Bollywood.
You have sung the recently released Hindi version of your chartbuster song ’52 Gaj Ka Daman’ with Asees Kaur. How did this collaboration happen?
Asees and I spoke during one of my live sessions on Instagram. She suggested that we should do a Hindi version of the song. When we met for rehearsal, I was very nervous and excited at the same time. Apart from being a hugely talented singer, she is a wonderful human being. She treats like a younger sister. The Hindi version has the same hook line as the original song but the lyrics have changed. Here, the lyrics are in Hindi.
Despite being a regional song, ’52 Gaj Ka Daman’ touched the one-billion mark on YouTube. Do you think regional music has got a boost because of all kinds of music being accessible on digital platforms?
Absolutely! Earlier, a lot of people were not exposed to Haryanvi music but the reach of ‘52 Gaj Ka Daman’ shows that people are open to listening to all kinds of music today. The success of ‘52 Gaj Ka Daman’ changed my life. It reached out to people all across the country and not just Haryana.
Do you think views on social media or digital platforms have become the parameter to judge the popularity of music these days?
I think what matters the most is whether a song is being liked by the audience or not. Sometimes, a song touches 500 million views but when you ask people whether they have heard the song, they say no. When people genuinely like and support a song, it is remembered for a long time.
Do you plan to sing for Bollywood?
Definitely! I pick up languages very fast. I sang a Haryanvi number like ’52 Gaj Ka Daman’ even though I am from Uttar Pradesh. I made a lot of effort to understand the nuances of the language. I sing in Hindi, Punjabi, Bengali and several other languages.
You come from a small town called Khekra in Uttar Pradesh. What is the biggest challenge you faced in your journey as a singer?
Being from a small town in itself was the biggest challenge for me. I had never imagined that I would receive so much success. There has been a lot of struggle and many setbacks during this journey. My mother would always encourage me to work hard without thinking about the result. That is one thing I always remember and follow.