Swastika is the sexiest: Silajit

Heisn’t trying to be a Bon Jovi but has become the first lead singer to havea seven-member Bangla band to his name. In between recording for his Puja album,Silajit tells TOI that he is no ladykiller...
You’ve beenworking on Puja release. What’s it about?
This untitled albumis in the folk-rock genre. When I recorded “Lal Matir Sorane”, Igave it a world music treatment.This time around, I am using the live sound ofmy band in my album.
Consideringthat there aren’t any Bengali bands named after the lead singer, were youtrying to ape the West by calling your band Silajit?
I had tried toform bands called Sobdo Dushon and Domkol. But they didn’t work out.Hence, I decided to lend my own identity to my band just the way Bon Jovi does(though I am not trying to be Bon Jovi). I have a seven-member band with Mainak(on lead guitar), Somitjyoti (on bass guitar), Bubun (on drums), Pinaki (rhythmguitars), Ananya (back-up vocal) and Asim (light scheming). All seven of us hitit off well at our rehearsal pad that’s called Antenna. We plan to recordat least nine songs even though each will have various versions. Some of thesongs like Chander gaye chand legechhe and Kori mana kam chhare na are from thepopular folk domain. The rest are being penned by me. I’ll write folksysongs using my pen name — Pankal Khepa.
Why do you call yourself PankalKhepa?
Pankal means slippery. I’ve been in the music industryonly too long to understand how murky things can gethere.
How slippery a character areyou?
While I claim to yearn for a rustic life, deep down I amhabituated to citylife. But, I am not as slippery as someone who can’t betrusted enough.
Do you have asuperiority complex?
It’s there even though I wouldn’tcall it a disease. I sometimes overestimate myself. It’s a fact thatI’m superior to others in some respects. I am uncompromisingly differentin trying to do my kind of work. I am 44 and am at least 20 years older to mostof my bandmates. But I have more energy than all of them. I can simultaneouslyfocus on multiple issues.
Do youconsider yourself superior vis-à-vis other men when it comes to wooingwomen?
No. I am no ladykiller.
Your relationship withSwastika has been talked about...
We are good friends. She had lovedmy film, “Mahulbonir Sereng”. I guess, she was in love with mycharacter in the film. That’s how we connected. After three years, I metup with her again in Bangkok recently while shooting for “Bye ByeBangkok”. We spent some quality timetogether.
Is it a no stringsattached kind of relationship?
I am someone who can lend hisshoulder to her to lean on. People have started linking us because I am not toooften seen with girls from the film industry.