Bengaluru, you beauty, says Paresh Pahuja at his concert in the city

Singer-actor Paresh Pahuja, who made his acting debut alongside Salman Khan in , is currently touring India for his concerts. During a stop at Bengaluru, he spoke to us about his , the influence of social media, and roles that excite him as an actor. Read on:
‘I FEEL MUSIC CHOOSES YOU, YOU DON’T CHOOSE MUSIC’
About his musical journey, Paresh says, “I feel music chooses you, you don’t choose it, you just have to act on it. While growing up, music was always a part of my household, but I began learning formally when I was in standard 10. Music came into my life in phases; whenever I thought of making a practical career choice, music always came my way. It was only after I shifted to Mumbai for acting did I took my music seriously.”
‘BEING A MUSICIAN IN REAL LIFE HELPED ME IN ’
Of playing a musician on screen too, Paresh tells us, “The second season of Bandish Bandits had all kinds of music. Being a part of it was challenging even though I am a musician, because I had to play an instrument (a sitar) that I had never played before. I was a huge fan of season one, and felt like I belonged on the sets of season two; people were like family. My character, Mahi, wouldn’t have been appreciated as much as it has been if I had not been given that kind of freedom and comfort.”
‘CAN’T FEAR AI, NEED TO USE IT SMARTLY’
Paresh joins musicians who have expressed their concerns regarding the use of AI in music by insisting that, “AI is not going to make a big difference. When an artiste performs live, they connect with the audience. The audience also wants to experience the voice and soul of the artiste. AI will never be able to give you that.” Paresh also feels there is no point in fearing AI. “Musicians should learn how to use it. AI can help us in production, and if we use it wisely, it can save time,” he says.

‘TALENTED STARS HAVE TAUGHT ME THAT ONE SHOULD OWN THEIR INDIVIDUALITY’
The musician says he learnt a lot from his experience of working with actors like Salman Khan, Pankaj Tripathi and Saif Ali Khan as an actor. “I’d say the one common learning would be to own your story, to own who you are and flaunt it. The attitude of ‘this is who I am’, was something that I found was common among all these actors. However, when you are surrounded by such talented actors and influential people who can change your career, you automatically end up trying to modify yourself and change to fit in there amongst them all.”
'I AM DYING TO DO GOOD ROM-COMS'“As an actor, I hope to be part of many more musicals. I admire Imtiaz Ali and AR Rahman and hope to work with them some day. Apart from that, comedy is something that I love. I want to do a bunch of rom-coms,” says Paresh.