'I knew Dushtu Kokil would be a big deal because of Shakib Khan': Kona

When Toofan became a hit in the theatres in June, Dilshad Nahar Kona could not anticipate the biggest hit in her 25-year-old music career even then. When Toofan's song Dushtu Kokil was released after a few days, Kona was in disbelief. 

Along with Akassh Sen, Kona sang Dushtu Kokil. 

The song is currently at the peak of popularity. Since its release, it has been trending on YouTube with 39 million views. 

In a recent interview with The Business Standard, Kona spoke about her role in the biggest song of the year and much more. 

For a start, Kona – one of the country's most popular singers – said she had been waiting for this kind of explosive success for quite a long time. And, finally, her wait paid off, really, really well. 

The 'success' elements 

"The song was chosen because it is catchy," Kona said. "When Akassh played the melody for me, I was immediately impressed. I became particularly interested in the song because of the cuckoo sound in it. I felt that the audience would like the song," she added. 

Kona was first invited to sing the movie track by the Kolkata-based composer, lyricist and singer Akassh Sen. 

Initially, she thought only the lead actress Mimi Chakraborty would feature in the song. She later learned that a male voice had also been added, which was Akassh's and that Shakib Khan will also be featured. It was then that Kona realised that the project would make waves in the industry.

Though Kona knew the song would be used in a big-budget movie, she still did not anticipate the level of success the film ended up achieving. 

"Altogether, the song has been fortunate. It went well with a movie like Toofan – directed by Raihan Rafi and starring big names like Shakib Khan and Mimi Chakraborty, which is also a big achievement. Everything we hoped for came together in this song," she added.

As a result, Kona's music career reached new heights of success. 

Kona previously achieved success singing in movies starring Shakib Khan. In 2016, she sang 'Dil Dil Dil' with lyrics by Kabir Bakul and composed by Shouquat Ali Imon for the movie 'Bossgiri,' directed by Shamim Ahamed Roni. 

In 2019, she lent her voice to the song 'Roshik Amar' with lyrics by Priyo Chattopadhyay and composed by Savvy for the movie 'Shahenshah,' also directed by Shamim Ahmed Roni.

Those two songs also gained popularity as expected and became part of Kona's setlist during stage performances. "Every artist, at any level, wants their songs to be hits. And a popular artist will always hope for success with each of their songs. I am no exception," Kona said. 

So far, three of Kona's songs used in movies starring Shakib Khan became popular; and because of this, she has developed a certain level of confidence in movies featuring the actor. 

If Kona is offered to sing in another movie starring Shakib, "I will definitely try to sing more for movies starring the actor," she said, enthusiastically. 

"I will give it all my effort. [And], it can be said that it will be a hit. Because Shakib Khan's movies are now being made with a lot of care," Kona added.
Living in the 'viral' era 

Kona is not only one of the popular choices for directors as a playback singer but also one of the most popular singers in the country for her album or single releases. Among the female music artists in the country, Kona is among those who perform most stage shows annually. 

Since the release of the song Dushtu Kokil, Kona noticed great enthusiasm from the audience when she performed it on stage. 

However, with the modern trends in music, songs with weak lyrics disappear as quickly as they go viral. This can put pressure on musicians to constantly produce more work to remain relevant. 

What is your take on this? "I don't feel any pressure," Kona replied, "However, it creates a bad practice among the listeners. People become restless after listening to such songs, and they become less patient [for new releases]. 

Along with that, it affects their taste. These are the side effects it has on listeners. But as an artist, I don't feel any pressure," she added.

The peaks and falls of 'viral' songs are now the new normal of the industry. Currently, artists release songs on different platforms such as YouTube and Facebook to make a living. 

Against this backdrop, making a living through the conventional route can be quite difficult for music artists.

However, Kona's experience is different. 

"I can only speak for myself. It has been the same for me ever since the beginning of my music career. I have been well-off since then. Even if there are no stage shows, I still have music, jingles, films and drama songs," she concluded.