Mumbai: In an exclusive interview with the Actress and Dancer Lauren Gottlieb and the Singer Gurdeep Mehndi, where they shared insights on music collaboration, and the hit song ‘Sajri’. Then, Lauren discussed adapting to married life with her husband working in London while she's based in India, focusing on individual projects. After that, they praised each other's talents, discussing seamless collaboration and future projects, including potential live performances and a Punjabi film together.
00:00thank you so much oh wow i'll take the mic for that no i'm just kidding
00:22um uh my marriage was beautiful i think everyone saw the photos more coming soon we just got them
00:30uh yeah i don't know life has changed in a way that uh we got married and now he's working in
00:36london and i'm working in india very different but i think we had this plan this year that like
00:41this is our time he's super flying in his work and i've come back to india and feel so at home
00:48and work is coming and beautiful projects like sadhudi have come to me so you know we've got a
00:53lifetime to be together and stuff so we're rooting each other on from far right now
01:00uh
01:04you know you can listen uh to this track anytime anywhere
01:08you know you're out on a night drive or you're in a party or
01:12you know you're out on a night drive or you're in a party or
01:17you know you're out on a night drive or you're in a
01:35uh
01:39uh
01:47You got it?
01:48You got it?
01:49Yeah.
01:50Go, go, go.
01:51This was the beginning to give a new song to Saregama.
01:58And because the way I used to do music, I had to do a little bit in a different zone.
02:08Where I had a lot of raw instruments.
02:13Like I've used sarangi, I've used dholak, and with all the basic things, with mandolin.
02:20So I could give that retro vibe, but at the same time, something which is new and flowing.
02:28So I was sitting in Finland, and I was with my midi station and Logic.
02:37And it started working, and it started working.
02:39Although it gave me a lot of time for this song.
02:42It took me a half a month to make audio in the process.
02:47But it took a good time.
02:50And I'm pretty sure that you really liked it.
02:53It is, I have to say, you've had super hit songs, but this one's the best, I think.
02:59I think this song, Sajari, it shows Gurdeep's musical talent at peak.
03:05You know, there's a lot of songs that are super fun and fresh and boppy to dance to and stuff.
03:10But this, I go, this one's a musician.
03:13Like this one is an artist.
03:17I'm just braising about this.
03:20Thank you so much.
03:21You have brought this one about the Japanese music.
03:25How does it work in Punjabi?
03:28No, no.
03:30Give me my cricket.
03:32No, this is not.
03:33I acted alongside Diljit Sanj in Ambersaria.
03:37And we did a few songs of Thagwala Munda.
03:41And I don't remember the other ones.
03:43Oops, sorry.
03:44But I love the Punjabi space.
03:46I've shot in Punjab a few times.
03:48Jalandar, Chandigarh.
03:50Where else did I go?
03:52I went so many places.
03:54Amritsar.
03:55Yeah.
03:56Golden Temple.
03:57I walked out of the Golden Temple and I saw an auto, a rickshaw, with my last name Gottlieb Express on it.
04:04It was very weird.
04:05That's a little side story.
04:07But I love Punjab and I love the Punjabi music and the language.
04:11Like I remember when I was learning the dialogues.
04:14I was like, oh, I feel the best speaking Punjabi.
04:17It has like a swag to it.
04:21It does, right?
04:22Doesn't it?
04:23Yeah.
04:24I love it so much.
04:25You know, what do you feel like?
04:26Do you know what collaboration between both?
04:28And what comments do you feel like?
04:31Because, like this song is a mixture of a little Indian touch, a western touch.
04:40And she is musically rich.
04:42Not just because it is my song.
04:45But, let's say it is a role.
04:48So, when this song came to me, I thought that someone like Lauren could do justice to this track, not just because she is a foreigner, but someone who is musically rich.
05:08And this is how we asked Lauren, do you want to work with us?
05:21Relatable to me in my life? I don't know. Basically, the first thing that comes to my head is usually the right thing.
05:28And when I heard this song, it was something so new and so fresh and like you were saying, rich in music.
05:35And it just made me sit back for a second. And like, I literally was like, I went like into a tunnel listening to the song.
05:42I think nowadays there's so much like fast fashion, fast music, like things are just coming and going and there's nothing wrong with anything.
05:51This holds a lot of weight to me. And then I heard the best scratch that's ever been sent to me.
05:58Usually scratches come and they're like, oh, they're like, you know, unfinished. Don't worry. Like it's not done yet type of thing.
06:05And it can be really hard to go and say, yes, I want to be a part of this.
06:09But this scratch almost sounded like the final version and something I wanted to dance to and move to and just, yeah, be a part of.
06:17And I was like pretty confident that I told this to all the songs. Like the moment if like, I, I, I know what kind of dance style and music you would enjoy.
06:31But I was like pretty confident that the moment she'll hear the first beat, which is like slow and like, you know, like a groovy.
06:41Just say, just go to the next loop. And I was pretty sure once you head to the, you know, hear the music, you will be pretty much onto it. And yeah. Thank you.
06:57No, it was like an instant. Yes, for sure. That I wanted to be a part of it. I just, uh, didn't know what the lyrics meant.
07:05Um, you know, I can understand, uh, a little bit of Punjabi. I understand Hindi, but Punjabi can be a bit hard.
07:11And I was like, please just tell me it has a really nice meaning. Like what's the song about?
07:16Cause I wanted to be a part of a nice project and it was Sajiri, which is like that first beautiful ray of light.
07:22And I was like, done. That's perfect. Yeah. Very nice.
07:27Okay. So, um, the Paris is the choreographer and he had this beautiful hook step.
07:34And so I came in first to the rehearsal and then I, because I have so much dance experience.
07:53I didn't want Gurdip to be nervous, to be learning for the first time in front of me.
07:59So he, any which ways we hadn't known each other yet. He came late. He didn't want to see me either.
08:05So then I also, I was like, I gotta go. I gotta go. I gotta get out of here before he sees me.
08:17Uh, I just wanted him to have his own time and space to learn. And then I saw the videos and I was like, okay, like he can move.
08:25Next day I come into rehearsal and we're together. Um, first thing he did was apologize cause my coffee the day before was wrong.
08:34So sweet. Yeah. Um, but then I saw he was doing the hook step a little bit different than we were doing it.
08:41But I noticed that it was more in his natural style and more authentic. And me as a choreographer, a teacher, like in my head, I go, no, no, no, we're not going to train him to do what we're doing.
08:55We're going to do it the way he's doing it. Cause it's so authentic. And the second I planted that seed to Paris, he goes, you are so right.
09:02And we started just tweaking everything and making it very authentic.
09:06Like one thing, which I like about Lauren, like there are too many things, but in that space, in that space, he, uh,
09:23the beautiful thing about her that she kind of compromised, like me doing that step.
09:30And then she got her own, like my, I have a different style, which is a very weird style.
09:34Cause I just can't do like, you know, be perfect. And, uh, she gave that liberty, uh, that freedom of me doing it in my way.
09:44And then telling everyone and then herself that, you know, which is a very big thing, you know, otherwise I, uh,
09:52I've seen artists like, you know, if they are good and confident in one particular thing, then they would, they don't want to compromise.
09:58But thank you so much. Thank you so much.
10:01I just think it is, um, uh, you can be very selfish, obviously, and be like, I want all the shots and all the attention.
10:09But I think a good project, the good synergy is with the whole team. And at the end of the day, this is your brainchild.
10:17You sat there in Finland and had this beautiful thought and you had another great thought to bring me into it, which is great.
10:25But I want it to do justice to everybody. And if it's, you know, more on me or it's the Lauren show, like that's not the, you know, it's not the vibe.
10:35It has to be like a team work. It has to be like a, a good project, not just focusing on one particular, uh, yeah.
10:45I'm like Porter today too.
10:46Is it a surprise?
10:47If you want to design something with me and Lauren, I'm up for it.
11:04I already have an idea because we did these reels, uh, to promote the song, which is very different.
11:11Um, where usually you just have the poster that comes out and then you have the video that comes out.
11:16And this guy right here goes, wait a second. What if we do some very different type of reels?
11:22They kind of don't even have anything to do with the song, but you get to see our, you know, chemistry together, our comedy, you know, together.
11:32And it was really nice. Now I haven't seen you on screen, like acting like that.
11:39Such a good actor, raw natural actor.
11:42I think he was a bit nervous to do these scenes with me. Cause I go, I do everything part of part.
11:47Like let's just grow. And then, but big, thanks to you. You just pushed me like, uh, and probably I was not even, uh, getting in that space, but, uh, yeah, future collaborations.
12:01I am up for it.
12:02A film. That's what I, that's what I was going to get at. I see a film, a Punjabi film.
12:07Like the best, the best, honestly, iconic. Uh, we sat together with our friends from Saragama and we're playing all of these incredible, like iconic nineties delivery songs.
12:35And then I see this face and he just smiles, right? He just has that smile.
12:40And he's like in his own world for like a lot of like, he's just so in his own world.
12:44And, uh, then I look and I was like, that's your face. Like you are a product of this incredible musical, uh, genius family.
12:54Uh, I think it is just so incredible. I like bow down to all of you guys for sure.
13:10Thank you very much.
13:40I'm looking for more songs, really good songs.
14:02I'm getting more into the production of it, into the direction of it.
14:06I just think from all of the work that I've done in India and in the U.S. and Hollywood,
14:12I have so much to give.
14:15So I think back in the day, I used to show up for my rehearsals, learn my steps, and
14:21then perform.
14:22And that was it.
14:23But here, I'm getting so much more in the mix of the direction of everything, of production
14:28and whatnot.
14:29So hopefully some great songs, great collaborations, and I want to get back into films.
14:34I miss acting.
14:35I miss being on set.
14:36I miss those early call times and all that hard work and diving into a character.
14:42So hello, directors, producers, music labels.
14:45I am here.
14:46I'm your girl.
14:47Okay.
14:47Thanks.
14:52Future plan, what are the future projects?
14:54What are the future projects?
14:54What are the future projects?
14:56Now, I will reveal it very quickly.
14:58I will reveal it very quickly because I have given up for 2,5 months only on surgery.
15:04And I also have taken up for surgery, eat surgery, drink surgery.
15:07So for me, it'll be like, it's too early for me to announce something which is like, you
15:13know, I've been working.
15:14And I've also seen that I've done it in the back of the past that I've done it until the
15:21time, you know, it's not done.
15:22And today, the song is released.
15:24And there's a good response.
15:26So I'm just currently focusing on surgery.
15:28I'll tell you what I'm going to do next.
15:32I'd love to see us perform together because such a brilliant singer, you know, a lot of
15:38people like need auto-tune and all that, like such a brilliant singer.
15:42And I think our energy like live, like I saw him perform live last week and I was like,
15:47what are you saying?
15:49Like so energetic and so great.
15:52I'm like, let's do a live performance.
15:58So I am definitely looking forward to do a nice big collab, like a family big collab with
16:13Papa Ji and him.
16:16And definitely, if there's something like this, I'll tell you.
16:19I just want to say one thing about it.
16:22I like so respect, uh, cause when we first met, I was like, what are you saying?
16:26Like your dad's to Lermandy.
16:28Your uncle is Mika Singh.
16:30Like what's going on?
16:31But he's like, I'm making my own lane and I so respect that.
16:35But somewhere along the way, I am crossing my fingers and hoping for that collaboration.
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