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Mika
Singh
Toyota landcruiser Prado TZ |
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Other
than energetic dancing and bhangra-rap music, singing sensation Mika Singh
loves driving. And Toyota's hardy Prado is just what the doctor ordered
for the Punjabi rap-star, reveals P Tharyan.
"I love
my Prado and drive it everywhere, particularly the hills where it is in
its element. "
I simply
have to mention the word 'Mika' and I know that it has had a viagra-like
effect on the Punjabi psyche of my turbaned colleague Harry of Autocar's
ad department. So as to convince me of the credentials of his home-town
singing sensation, he blurts out with "even Bhavesh listens to his
music". He has named his boss as part of Mika's fan club.
So off I go to meet this lad who has rocked almost all of Delhi and a
good part of northern India with his Punjabi 'bhangra' rap-type music
and songs. He is talented no doubt - Mika knows to play the tabla, harmonium
and even the guitar. To top it all, he sings and dances too and has more
than a handful of hit songs to his credit. Mika is a talkative singer
and speaks plenty, more than enough for me to fill this page and tell
readers about his fiery passion for his silver-coloured Toyota Prado.
The Prado is four years old and it's taken him to the hills beyond Rohtang
Pass, into the hinterland of Punjab, and on a regular basis flies him
over the potholed roads of Delhi. "This (the Prado) was my dream.
I do not let my driver handle it. I like to drive it everywhere -- to
the hills, within the city, to my music shows, to my studio....I never
get tired," Mika tells me. Clearly, it's only his undying passion
for driving that allows him to take to the wheel of his LandCruiser, even
after having exercised his vocal chords at three-hour shows and all the
prancing and dancing on the stage.
Mika, how come you went in for a Prado,
I ask him.
It's an almost obvious answer. Like many Punjabi success stories in India,
Mika's story too has its origin in the US of A. "I visit the US every
year and have been fascinated by big vehicles, their power and looks".
I mentally picture the SUV models that are so popular all over America
and I'm cocksure that it's the macho appeal that our singer digs. Mika's
even got the word 'Gabru' written on top of the Prado's front bumper.
Gabru, which means macho, is also the title of one of his latest best-selling
music albums.
I prod the singer further on his driving habits: "Isn't driving painful
in Delhi?" Especially with all the potholes and the virtual non-existence
of roads due to the exhaustive work undertaken by the Delhi Metro project?
"My Prado has good acceleration, good brakes and good ground clearance.
So that makes it a comfortable vehicle," he says, refusing to toe
my line on the inconvenience of driving in the capital city. For someone
who has belted out popular songs like 'Ishq Brandy' and has albums called
'Dunalli' (double-barreled rifle), you can expect him not to tire.
Mika's first four-wheeler was a Maruti Gypsy. Macho-looking again. He
drove it a lot, enjoyed being in it but now having driven the Prado, the
Gypsy is uncomfortable, he admits. Later, Mika even purchased a Pajero
that he sold off subsequently. Not that he disliked it, but only that
he loved a Prado more.
"In the last four years since I got this Prado, I've actually got
its worth. I've driven it over considerable distances but have not yet
experienced trouble," he lets me know. There were times, he recalls,
that on some long-distance drives, ample bedding was stacked in the rear
to allow his crew to sleep blissfully while our 'Gabru' drove into the
dark night.
"I like driving to the hills in the Prado. I am now planning to go
to Leh. I do not like staying in a hotel but like to put up in my own
tent. So we load the Prado with all the camp stuff, even our own cooking
gas. I love barbecuing in the open," Mika reveals.
Mika owns a Santro, a Zen and a few other small cars. He does not have
much to tell me about these cars, except that he drives them sparingly.
He occasionally rides a motorcycle.
So do you wear your helmet, I ask him, sounding more like a teacher. He
gives me a sheepish smile. Punjabi by nature, I conclude! |
November 2004