Mangalore : 'Visual Media Necessitate Singers to be Performers'

by Florine Roche
Pics: Dayananda Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Betwork - Mangalore

Mangalore, Apr 6: The visual media has permeated our lives with such profound impact it is necessary for a singer to become a performer, remarked leading Hindi playback singer Anuradha Paudwal. Interacting with the media in a meet the press programme held in the city this morning Anuradha recalled her tryst with music and said despite her runaway success as a playback singer in Bollywood she was always scared from within.  “I used to be so nervous that I was very often forgetting my lines in between.  The fear that I have not music formally from someone else was always at the back of my mind resulting in my nervousness”, she recounted.  

Anuradha also revealed that as a child she had very hoarse voice and people often use to pity her saying “such a pretty girl but with a hoarse voice”.  But she was fond of singing and nothing deterred her from pursuing her craze and she always wished she should have the voice of that of Latha Mangeshkar.  She was then down with pneumonia 40 days and during this time she religiously went on listening to Latha’s songs and psychologically she was impacted by it so much her hoarseness had completely disappeared at the end of 40 days of illness. 

She however, brushes aside her reported rivalry with the Latha and Asha and does not believe in saying she broke the hegemony of the sisters as far as Hindi playback singing is concerned.  “I consider Latha as my Guru and whatever little I have been able to achieve is because of her inspiration. Both Latha and Asha deserve to be where they are - right on top.  It is a bit agonizing to accept that in spite of having tremendous respect for the lady who I consider as my guru this kind of misinformation, unpleasant misunderstanding and rumours still thrive in public domain”, she pointed out.  

The singer recalled that picturization of the song singing has helped people recognize her and identify her as a playback singer which helped her take a firm footing in the film industry.  Till then as per the prevailing trends songs were made for the films.  But with the arrival of Anuradha on the scene films were made for the songs such Lal Duppatta Malmal Ka, Ashiqui and Dil Hai Ki Mantha nahin.  Talking about her transition from Bollywood to that of queen of devotional music Anuradha said ever since she brought out her first album ‘Durga Sapthashati’ as producer and since her association with  Gulshan Kumar of T series resulting in bringing out a series of devotional music albums there has been no looking back for her. “T Series started bringing out lot of devotional music which became very popular and that is how the gradual transition came about”, she remarked.   

Anuradha said she belongs to old school of thought where the singer had to be perfect on every aspect of music unlike today where gadgets help to camouflage any lacunae which was not possible in earlier days. With competition in the music field becoming tougher it is difficult for youngsters to establish themselves firmly in the field.  Her advice to the aspiring youngsters was “treat music as a prayer and try to achieve perfection through hard work”.  

Anuradha Paudwal’s mother tongue is Konkani and the family originally is from Karwar.  Anurdha has now embarked on a mission of tracing her family roots in “Yennemudi”, which she has not been able to trace.  Now that she is planning to visit Mangalore often she will continue with her efforts to trace her family roots. 

Anuradha was in Mangalore as the chief guest of Mandd Sobhanns history making 100th monthly theatre programme which was held in Kalaangan on 4th April, 2010.  

Mandd Sobhann Gurkar Eric Ozario who was present in the meet the press programme said Mandd Sobhann will invite her for the World Konkani Cultural Festival to be held by the end of the year.  Hopefully she will sing some Konkani/Hindi  songs during her next visit to enable music buffs to enjoy her melodious singing.