Mumbai- Veteran singer and composer Roop Kumar Rathod has spoken about his enduring bond with nature, saying his connection with the jungle goes far beyond simply visiting it.
Rathod recently shared a series of photographs on Instagram from one of his outings in the wild. The pictures featured the singer surrounded by nature, along with several birds he encountered during his visit.
For Rathod, the forest appears to offer something increasingly rare in everyday life — a space free from noise and distractions. He said the trees, birds and quietness of the wilderness give him a sense of calm and freedom.
“Away from the noise, surrounded by trees, birds and the whispers of the wild, I feel a different kind of peace. I don’t just visit the jungle… I belong to its silence, its mystery, and its freedom,” he wrote in the caption.
Rathod has been a familiar voice in the Indian music industry for decades. He began appearing as a vocalist on albums in the late 1990s and went on to become known for his work across film music, Sufi music and fusion.
One of the major milestones in his career came with “Sandese Aate Hai” from the 1997 war film Border. He later lent his voice to popular tracks such as “Tujh Mein Rab Dikhta Hai” from Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi and “Maula Mere Maula” from Anwar.
Beyond playback singing, Rathod has also explored fusion music and performed with acclaimed musicians including Trilok Gurtu, Ranjit Barot and Abhijit Pohankar.
His personal and professional association with music also extends to his wife, singer Sunali Rathod. The couple appeared together in an episode of the comedy series Sarabhai vs. Sarabhai in August 2005, which revolved around a friendly musical competition. In 2011, they released the Sufi album Kalma together.
Rathod recently returned to a musical world closely associated with his career by recording recreated versions of the classic songs “Jaate Hue Lamhon” and “Ghar Kab Aaoge” for Border 2, which released on January 23.
Border 2, directed by Anurag Singh, revisits the backdrop of the 1971 India-Pakistan war and is presented by Gulshan Kumar and T-Series in association with J.P. Dutta’s J.P. Films. The film is backed by Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar, J.P. Dutta and Nidhi Dutta.
The new film follows the legacy of J.P. Dutta’s Border, which became a major success after its release in 1997. The original featured an ensemble cast led by Sunny Deol, Jackie Shroff, Suniel Shetty and Akshaye Khanna, along with Puneet Issar, Sudesh Berry and Kulbhushan Kharbanda. Tabu, Pooja Bhatt, Rakhee Gulzar and others also featured in the film.
For Rathod, however, his latest reflection on the jungle suggests that nature remains a source of inspiration quite apart from his long musical journey — a place where silence itself becomes a form of music.
With inputs from IANS