MUMBAI: It’s always pleasure to see a female music composer among the sea of male musicians, Samira Koppikar is one such name. Her first film as a composer was Anushka Sharma’s maiden production, NH10. When asked about gender biases or inequality in the industry, Samira says, “I don’t think there is any. This occupation is so consuming and one gets so involved in the work, because all that matters is outcome. Also, to think of it even I don’t know why there are such few female composers in the past. Now the lines of gender biases are blurring.”

Samira made her singing debut with the blockbuster song, Aaj Phir Tumpe Pyar Aya Hai from Hate Story 2, a remake of the erstwhile Vinod Khanna-Madhuri Dixit song from Dayavan. That hit song was released in 2014, and despite it being a super hit song, Samira has sung a handful of songs. However, she says that it is not intentional, “I am not being picky. But no one can predict when the movie is going to release. I am looking forward for some projects that are in pipeline.” We last got to hear her voice, in the song Bairaagi from Bariley Ki Barfi in 2017.

She is a singer, songwriter and a composer, which makes her quite a lethal combination. When asked what she likes doing the most, Samira gives a response that is expected of a creative person, “I can’t choose as I enjoy all of it. It’s like asking a parent, which child you like more.”

Explaining the process, Samira says, “When I am recording for some other composer, I try and understand his vision for the song. I try and spend some time with the lyricist too, to understand the situation and emotion required for the song. I am singer there and not a composer. When I have other singers sing for me, I observe the nuances in their performances, it is a great experience.”

On her future ventures, Samira says, “I do have some 20 songs in making for multiple movies, but I can’t say anything at this point. I am focusing on my Bollywood career right now, and parallelly would like to work on some independent music too.”