by Subhash K Jha

For a man who virtually came in from the cold, Himesh Reshamiyya's career in 2005 –2006 is a rocking roster of chartbusters.

"I don't now how it happened," he says modestly . "But the journey has been quite exciting, especially in the last one year when the big banners suddenly woke up to me."

Earlier Himesh was one of the also-rans, waiting at the fringes of the charts where Anu Malik, Jatin-Lalit and later Shankar-Ehsan-Loy ruled the roost. Tere Naam in 2004 was a turning point.

"I owe that score and a lot of the other things that I compose to Laxmikant-Pyarelal. They're my idols and role-models. Unfortunately that's not the sound that today's average listener wants to hear. I realized that when Just chill and Aashiq banaya aapne hit the charts."

Aashiq banaya with Himesh handling the nasal sufi vocals himself, is the biggest single of 2005. And now he has won two popular awards for playback singer for the song.

"It really became big....yes, bigger than I had ever thought. It's being played in every pub and party. I'm flattered and pleased. The good innings that started with Aitraaz last year really grew this year. But I realize the profile of music listeners has changed considerably.

"Today the average listener is aged 23, and he downloads music from his computer. My songs have to be targeted at that 23-year old dude. That's the only way a film score can work."

Hence the sufi-rock sounds of Aashiq Banaya Aapne....One hears the same sound from Himesh at year-end in Ananth Mahadevan's Aksar.

"Yes I realize that. But that's it. I'm not going to pursue that sound beyond this year. I like to create a sound , and then leave it behind. This year you'll hear a totally different sound from me in Abbas-Mustan's China Town, Satish Kaushik's Shaadi Se Pehle , Priyadarshan's Phir Hera Pheri, Anil Sharma'a Apne and Dharmesh Darshan's Aap Ki Khatir."

Dharmesh is a significant Himesh convert. So far both the Darshan brothers, Suneel and Dharmesh have sworn by the sounds of Nadeem Shravam . Nadeem had done such chartbusters as Raja Hindustani and Dhadkan for Dharmesh's cinema. Several filmmakers like David Dhawan who swore by Anu Malik's sounds have also made a sly switch to Himesh.

Himesh shrugs off the melodist's mantle. "I'm not here to displace anyone. I'd be happy just doing my work ...My time has been divided between composing for around 6-7 assignments and serving as a judge on the music contest Sa Re Ga Ma Pa ."

He's is extremely pleased with the quality of singing he has heard on Sa Re Ga Ma Pa. " One of the contestants Vinit Singh has already sung for me in Rocky . I definitely plan to use other voices, like Himani Kapoor who's outstanding.

"We're a nation of singers. All Indians don't watch films. But do you know anyone who doesn't listen to Lataji, Ashaji, Mohd Rafi Saab and Kishore Kumar?"

Himesh's Top 5
1.Aashiq banaya apne (Title song)
2.Just chill (Maine Pyar Kyun Kiya)
3. Aadat ho chuki (Koi Aap Sa)
4.Aap ka suroor (title song)
5. Tera jism odh loon(Kyun Ki...)