Yet, can we take away the inherent credit either from a beautiful flower or from a gifted musician? Never.

It is not common to find people who can switch between two roles – actor and singer, and yet do fair justice to both.Babushan from the Odia film industry known as Ollywood is such a gifted artist. Born to the hit pair of Odia superstars of yesteryears, Uttam Mohanty and Aparajita Mohanty, Babushan inherits his acting skills. Of course, the finesse comes only with exposure and experience.

Babushan the singer to me is far superior to Babushan the actor, judged on the same scale. And I don’t think there can be a different view at all. He is trained in classical music, and perhaps that keeps his singing a notch higher than his acting.

After listening to the mesmerizing, musical scores that he has so far sung, I strongly feel I can listen to him for a long time with a shuffle playlist of his songs alone.

I am not sure whether he is lucky or picky, but most of the time the lyrics of the songs he sings are also meaningful. They tell you a tale of love or a love lost. They make you wonder by their word choice. For instance, follow the lyrics of his song “ତୁ ଧୀରେ ଧୀରେ ଚାଲ ରେ ସମୟ…(Tu dheere dheere chaal re samaya)” from Chocolate (2011):

Your tender touch brings in a shower of pearls

My mind gets drenched, eyes alter their path

Wish I’ll treasure this memory

’ll live more – a few days more, a few nights more

Lest my dreams would end, I fear

Beseech you Time to run slow, really slow …

Is that any less than a poignant poem? I don’t think so. Such lyrics often elevate you to a different plane, beyond the actors that you see lip-syncing those lyrics. The soft voice, with measured breaths complementing his throw, add to the music, thus enriching your musical experience.

Now let’s see some of his songs that I am in love with.

It’s only deserving that he has won the Best Singer award two times, in 2011 (for Prema Adhei Akshara) and in 2013 (for Love Master).

There are many who do not admire his use of Hindi words mostly in the mukhdas of his songs. An ardent fan that I am of him (after Sonu Nigam), I do not have any reservations on that. For me, music itself is a language and anything lyrical, and not offensive, can soothe me to sleep or swoon into a trance.

I strongly wish Babushan would someday come up with a music album of his songs with lyrics by his choicest lyricists.