He's the voice that Hrithik Roshan borrowed while wooing Amisha Patel in Kaho Naa Pyar Hain. Thanks to the runaway success of the movie, Babul Supriyo became a household name almost overnight. It seems the tidal wave of success has not subsided for this mild-natured 'bhodrolok' from Kolkata, as hit after hit followed. Lucky me, for I've got a full hour to chat him up, that too on a favourite subject far removed from music.

"Like many Indian youngsters, my experience with personal motorised transportation started with a beautiful bike presented to me by my father, a Yamaha RX100. During my days in Kolkata with Standard Chartered, and later in my struggling days in Mumbai, my RX served me well. As I grew, so did my wheels. A Maruti van, then an Esteem with power steering, and finally the Lancer SFXi. I recently also got a Wagon R for my wife and daughter."

So does the Lancer hold any special value for the family?

"Yes, it does. When I bought the Lancer, Kaho Naa Pyar Hain had just happened, and I was starting to get known. It was good timing in a way...you see, an upcoming singer like me and an institution like Subhash Ghai cannot have the same car. So the fact that KNPH was a hit, helped. I kind of earned the right to own a flashy car."

Do you get to enjoy the car in a place as congested as Mumbai? "Unfortunately I don't, but I did get to enjoy it once on the Mumbai-Pune expressway. And did it fly then! 120kph or even 130kph felt like a walk in the park. There may be faster cars in India, but in that price range, I'm sure few would feel as solid and poised on the road as the Lancer does. And best of all, this car makes me feel very safe, and when I'm with my wife and daughter, that's important for me."

The SFXi looks all decked up, spoilers et al. So what extras have you put on the car?
"Nothing flashy, apart from a seven-speaker Blaupunkt sound system. That's the only luxury I have allowed myself, and it's worth every penny. It can playback any kind of music format floating around in any part of the world, be it cassette, CD, or MP3. It's a very powerful system, but for me, clarity is all I am interested in. I don't like blaring loud music, especially while driving on a public road. As for my choice of music, I listen to all kinds of music, be it Hindi, English or even foreign languages. Of course, Kishore-da and Asha-didi's voices are always with me, wherever I go, and the same goes when inside the car. Thankfully, the Lancer's quiet interiors are perfect for listening to soft music. And if we're in the mood for some foot-tapping music, then that's easily available too!"

Babul is a much-travelled man, and it was on one of these travels that he met his wife, Rhea, an Indian-Canadian. "I'm a pretty decent driver, but whenever we are in Canada visiting her parents, I avoid driving. The reason is that there you drive on the right-hand side, whereas mentally, I am still on the left! So, Rhea takes the wheel. After all it's her car! And she's a fantastic driver - she'll be as calm as a cucumber zipping along at 120 miles per hour (190kph)! But then, the roads there are also flawless."

"But once in a while, I can't resist taking the wheel. For instance, the drive from Vancouver to the Niagara Falls is simply beautiful. Or the Sea-to-Sky highway from Vancouver to Whistler was breathtaking. And the highway is so called because on one side of the highway is the Pacific Ocean, and on the other side are snow-capped mountains. You rarely get to see such a splendid sight."

"In a way, you could say, I've travelled a long way in terms of cars, if not life, and there's a long way to go. I would love to own a Cadillac someday, but only when I have brought myself up to the level to own a Cadiallac"

Well said Babul, well said.