Template:Infobox musical artist Harjeet Singh "Baba" Sehgal, is an Indian rapper.[1][2] He is widely acclaimed to be the first Indian rapper.[3][4][5] He is also involved in various other areas of the entertainment industry, and works in several different languages' media. He was a contestant in the reality show Bigg Boss in 2006.
Life and career
Early career
Born and raised in Lucknow, Baba Sehgal graduated with a B.Tech from G. B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, Nainital.[6] His entertainment career began in the 1990s, when he emerged as part of the Indipop scene,[7] and released an album which got frequent airplay on MTV India.[8] Since then he has been a popular figure on the rap scene,[9] with hits such as 'Thanda Thanda Paani' (which sampled Vanilla Ice's "Ice Ice Baby", which in turn sampled Queen's "Under Pressure")[10] 'Manjula' and 'Dil Dhadke'.[11]
Music
Sehgal's first album was Dilruba (1990),[1] followed by Alibaba (1991).[12] Then came his biggest hit album Thanda Thanda Pani (1992),[13] which sold 5Template:Nbspmillion cassettes, making it the first successful Indian rap album.[14]
His next albums were Main Bhi Madonna (1993), Baba Bachao na (1993),[15] Dr.Dhingra (1994), Miss 420 (1994) movie soundtrack, Double Gadbad (1994) movie soundtrack, Indian Romyo (1995), Tora Tora (1995), Loomba Loomba (1996), na aariya hai na jaroya hai (1997), America mein indian dhaba (1997), d.j. mix blue (1997), dhak dhak dil in culcutta (1997), A Reason to Smile (1997), meri jaan hindustan (1998), jugni mast kalandar (1998), abb mein vengaboy (1999), pinga pinga (2001), Pump up your Style (2003), Welcome to Mumbai (2005), Babe di gaddi (2009), Woh beete din and The Magic of Dandiya, among others. He writes the majority of the music for his albums himself.Template:Citation needed He was the music director of the movie Dance Party (1995), featuring the popular song "kapurthala se aaya hoon, tere liye laaya hoon, Orange kurta peela pajama..".[16] He was the first Indian artist to have a music video broadcast on MTV Asia,[17] which was broadcasting out of Hong Kong at the time. He was also the presenter of the TV show Superhit Muqabla which was aired on DD2 at primetime.[18] He has also worked as a stage performer.[19]
He was in New York from 2001 to 2005.[20] When he came home to Mumbai, he released his album Welcome to Mumbai,[21] which was his 22nd album.
He also directed the music for the Bollywood film Bhoot Unkle (2006) and Nalaik (2005).[22] He also anchored the TV show 'Santa and Banta news unlimited' on Zoom.[23] His Song Trump Ka Mania supporting the then Republican nominee Donald Trump was a hit.[2][24][25][26] Now, he makes and releases his singles on his YouTube channel "Baba Sehgal Entertainment". Some of them are Aloo ka Parantha, Going to the Gym, Swacchh Bharat. His song "Mumbai City" is a dark hip hop rap song on Mumbai.[27]
Acting
In 1998, Sehgal made his acting debut in the Bollywood film Miss 420 alongside Sheeba Akashdeep . He also sang four songs for the film's soundtrack which was released in 1994, four years before the film's theatrical release. In 1999, he played dual roles in the television film Double Gadbad. In 2009, he had a part in the SAB TV comedy series Jugni Chali Jalandhar. In 2011, he appeared in the drama serial Rang Badalti Odhani on Star One. Sehgal also made his Telugu film debut in Rudhramadevi, with Anushka Shetty in the lead. It was directed by National award winner Gunasekhar. Baba Sehgal was signed to play a major negative role in another Telugu film titled Overdose.[28] In 2016, he played a cameo as himself in Bank Chor. In the same year, he made his debut in Tamil cinema playing the role of a corrupt cop in Achcham Yenbadhu Madamaiyada.Template:Citation needed He was a contestant on the first season of Bigg Boss 1 in 2006.
Filmography
As actor
- Helicopter Eela (2018)[29]
- Bank Chor (2017)[30]
- Achcham Enbadhu Madamaiyada (2016)
- Sahasam Swasaga Sagipo (2016)
- Rudramadevi (2015)
- My Friend Ganesha 3 (2010)
- Miss 420 (1998) Vicky
As playback singer
Telugu
- Rikshavodu (1995) - "Roop Tera Mastana"
- Jalsa (2008) - "Jalsa"
- Arya 2 (2009)
- Adhurs (2010)
- Don Seenu (2010)
- Mr. Perfect (2011)
- Ragada (2010)
- Gabbar Singh (2012) - "Dekho Dekho Gabbar"
- Shadow (2013)
- Om 3D (2013)
- Action 3D (2013)
- Adda (2013)
- Alludu Seenu (2014)
- Sankarabharanam (2015)
- Pelli SandaD (2021)
Hindi
- Roja(hindi version) (1992)
- Hum Hain Bemisaal (1994)
- Miss 420 (1998)
- Bhoot Unkle (2006) (also music director)[31]
- 13B (2009)
Kannada
- Gajakesari (2014)
Tamil
| Year | Film | Song name | Composer | Co-singer(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Villu | "Jalsa Jalsa" & (Remix) | Devi Sri Prasad | Devi Sri Prasad, Rita |
| 2010 | Singam | "Kadhal Vandhale" | Devi Sri Prasad | Priyadharshini |
| 2011 | Osthe | "Osthe Maamey" | S. Thaman | Ranjith, Rahul Nambiar, Naveen |
| 2012 | Muppozhudhum Un Karpanaigal | "Sokku Podi" | G. V. Prakash Kumar | Shruti Haasan |
| Saguni | "Vella Bambaram" | G. V. Prakash Kumar | Priya Himesh | |
| 2013 | Alex Pandian | "Bad Boy" | Devi Sri Prasad | Priya Himesh |
| 2013 | Singam II | "Singam Dance" | Devi Sri Prasad | Devi Sri Prasad, Anuradha Sriram |
Bengali
| Year | Film | Song name | Composer | Co-singer(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Khiladi (2013 Film) | "Heartbeat" | Shree Pritam | Saberi Bhattacharya |
Television/Web series
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Superhit Muqabla | Anchor | |
| 1996 | Colgate Top 10 | Khare | |
| 1999 | Double Gadbad | Vijay Johny Mendes | Television film |
| 2006 | CID | Himself | Episodes: "Killer Whistle Part I and II" |
| 2006–2007 | Bigg Boss 1 | Contestant | |
| 2009–2010 | Jugni Chali Jalandhar | Balwinder | |
| 2011 | Rang Badalti Odhani | Bhai | [32] |
| 2016 | Soadies | Sodhi | [33] |
| 2019 | Bhoot Purva | Yamraj | [34] |
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Arre Baba, he's back!. The Times of India(14 June 2003). Retrieved 6 October 2008.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 12 Baba Sehgal Life Lessons To Keep You Thanda Thanda All Day. HuffPost(15 July 2016). Retrieved 18 November 2018.
- ↑ The Age of Kali: Indian Travels and Encounters{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Penguin Books India(2004). ISBN 978-0-14-303109-3
- ↑ Billboard{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Nielsen Business Media, Inc.(28 November 1992)
- ↑ Verve: The Spirit of Today's Woman{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Indian and Eastern Engineer Limited(1996)
- ↑ Template:Cite tweet
- ↑ A sip of Indi-pop. The Indian Express(18 November 1998). Retrieved 6 October 2008. Template:Dead link
- ↑ Internationalizing Cultural Studies{{#if:Abbas|, Abbas}. Blackwell Publishing(2005). ISBN 978-0-631-23623-8
- ↑ All Music Guide to Hip-hop{{#if:Hunt|, Hunt}. Backbeat Books(2003). ISBN 978-0-87930-759-2Template:Dead link
- ↑ Field Work{{#if:Garber|, Garber}. Routledge(1996). ISBN 978-0-415-91454-3
- ↑ Baba unplugged. The Hindu(1 March 2008). Retrieved 6 October 2008.
- ↑ Cultures of the Commonwealth{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Université de Cergy-Pontoise(1998)
- ↑ Baba unplugged. The Hindu(5 March 2008). Retrieved 6 October 2008.
- ↑ Pop no more. Hindustan Times(2 October 2010).
- ↑ Globalization{{#if:Robertson|, Robertson}. Taylor & Francis(2003). ISBN 978-0-415-30222-7
- ↑ Dance Party. Retrieved 6 October 2008.
- ↑ India's Turning 'Asian Kool' Into Very Hot Sounds Pop music: Record chiefs bet the next global hits will be rap monologues tinged with a Punjabi folk genre known as bhangra. Los Angeles Times(26 December 1994). Retrieved 6 October 2008.
- ↑ Baba Sehgal is back. The Hindu(21 May 2005). Retrieved 6 October 2008.
- ↑ Straight Answers. The Times of India(1 November 2005). Retrieved 6 October 2008.
- ↑ Baba Sehgal comes back in a new player movement. The Hindu(26 August 2005). Retrieved 6 October 2008.
- ↑ Welcome To Mumbai – Baba Saigal. IndiaGlitz(8 January 2007). Retrieved 6 October 2008.
- ↑ Straight Answers. The Times of India(15 April 2006). Retrieved 6 October 2008.
- ↑ Baba and I are like husband and wife. The Times of India(19 May 2008). Retrieved 6 October 2008.
- ↑ From Mumbai to Kenya, Baba Sehgal raps Trump Ka Mania. India Today(30 August 2016). Retrieved 11 December 2017.
- ↑ Baba Sehgal impressed by Donald Trump(28 January 2017). Retrieved 11 December 2017.
- ↑ I am really impressed with Donald Trump: Baba Sehgal. Hindustan Times(10 November 2016). Retrieved 11 December 2017.
- ↑ Baba Sehgal Back With His New Single Mumbai City - The Score Magazine. Highonscore | The Score Magazine(25 June 2012). Retrieved 4 June 2023.
- ↑ Baba Sehgal Biography: Baba Sehgal Bio Online at MTS. zoot.mtsindia.in. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
- ↑ Helicopter Eela: Kajol jams with Anu Malik, Ila Arun, Shaan and Baba Sehgal. Mumbai Mirror(8 August 2018). Retrieved 25 January 2021.
- ↑ Baba Sehgal Has An Interesting Take On His Bank Chor Experience(30 May 2017). Retrieved 27 April 2018.
- ↑ Jagoo dada's new avataar(8 May 2006). Retrieved 2 June 2023.
- ↑ Baba Sehgal to do an Anil Kapoor?. The Times of India(14 March 2011). Retrieved 27 April 2018.
- ↑ Baba makes a digital entry. Tribune(24 March 2016). Retrieved 1 June 2023.
- ↑ ZEE5 premieres horror-comedy 'Bhoot Purva'. Zee News(8 May 2019). Retrieved 23 May 2022.