Interview with Anuradha Paudwal
Srinivas Ganti
Striking Gold
Roshmila Bhattacharya
Posted online: Tuesday, October 12, 2004 at 0000 hours IST
On October 27, Anuradha Paudwal turned 50. A couple of days later, we caught
up with the singer to chart her life and career through the half-century run
When did you decide to make a career in music?
I was always passionately fond of music but I never thought of pursuing it
professionally. Those days there were a lot of misconceptions about the film
industry. My father believed that girls from respectable families didn't
become a part of show business. (Smiling) He wasn't too keen on Arunji (her
late husband Arun Paudwal) initially because of his association with film
music. Though many industry people were successful, very few were happy and
settled and that made him very apprehensive. Of course, once he got to know
Arunji better he became more comfortable.
With Arunji was it love-at-first-sight?
(Laughing gaily) Oh no, in fact, when Ashaji's secretary asked him to play
with me at a programme he charged him an extra
Rs 100 and in later years rued that he was still paying for that. We met at
a function. Our families knew each other and he had heard me sing
occasionally. We started off as polite acquaintances and slowly grew to
become good friends. Those days there was a lot of pressure on him to get
married. He was seeing a lot of girls. I knew about every visit. None of
them passed muster and finally my father-in-law told Arunji that he should
propose to me. "If you won't, I'll talk to her parents myself," he
threatened. Arun was very hesitant because of the 10-year age difference
between us. I was 17, he 27. But finally, at his father's insistance, he
brought up the subject begging me not to get angry with him.
You didn't?
(Chuckling) No, and within a month we were married.
Was it Arunji who drew you into his profession?
No, it was circumstances. Once I had gone with Arunji for one of Lataji's
(Lata Mangeshkar) recording. I was listening so carefully that I could sing
the song live on Yuva Vani. It was a very popular Marathi programme and
heard by a lot of people. Hridaynath Mangeshkar, Laxmikant-Pyarelal and
several top composers called the radio station to find out who'd been
singing. It took them a while to figure out that Alka Nadkarni (my maiden
name) was Arun Paudwal's wife. They all offered to launch me but I was not
temperamentally inclined.
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So why did you agree to sing a Shiv shlok for SD Burman in Abhimaan?
You couldn't say "no" to Burmanda. Arunji used to make me sing every song he
recorded so he'd have an idea how it would sound in a female voice. Burmanda
happened to hear one such song and when told it was his wife singing called
for me. That was the first time I visited Film Center to record a Shiv shlok
that was picturised on Jaya Bachchan. Both she and Amitabhji were very
sweet. They still are.
Were you nervous?
I was petrified. I used to be nervous before every recording. My hands and
feet would turn to ice. On stage I'd find my voice only after the third
song. Exasperated, my husband would crib, "If you are so nervous why do you
want to sing?" Arunji was very strict. "Why aren't you standing straight?
Why aren't you singing into the mike? Why can't you sing more loudly?", his
repeated instructions when we were at the recording studio made me more
anxious. He never complimented me but if the song was good he would quietly
tell my mother, "She sang well today." Today, when when a recordist says
that you don't have to give Anuradha the position of the microphone, I know
I have to thank my husband for training me so well.
What was it like hearing yourself on screen for the first time?
Thrilling. About 25 to 30 of us-family, friends, neghbours-went to the Plaza
theatre just to see my name in the credits. We were so excited to see
'Anuradha Paudwal' that pata nahin kab shlok nikal gaya (Laughs). My
interest in music was triggered off by a Lataji song I heard on radio. I was
in the fourth standard then and I dreamt of hearing her live. A producer
friend, Mr Arora, took me for one of her recordings. It was a solo number
and Burmanda and Panchamda (Rahul Dev Burman) were both there. I sat
opposite Latajir and listened hypnotised. When I came out of the studio
there was just one 'voice' for me and it was Lataji's. I still remember the
song, 'Poocho zara kiss ke liye aayee hoon...'. But when I spoke about it to
Burmanda and Panchamda neither recalled it even after I sang it. May be it
was recorded for a film that was never released.
So Lataji was your muse?
She was more than that. I had been born with a hoarse voice. After hearing
Lataji I'd sing her song and it used to sound terrible. After 4-6 weeks I
fell seriously ill with a severe attack of pneumonia. I lost my voice
completely and in those 40 days I listened to just one voice. Lataji had
just completed 25 years in the industry. My uncle gifted me with a recording
of Bhagwad Geeta in her voice. That LP record was all I heard. When I
recovered my voice had changed completely. I took the miracle in my stride.
God is everywhere. He is the one who inspires and the one who instigates.
What I am today is because of Him...And because of Lataji. After this I
started moulding my voice. I learnt under several gurus. But her voice has
remained my inspiration. It's like an institution.
After your miraculous voice transformation you must have been a big hit at
school and college functions?
I liked to take part in competitions and yes, I won several awards. The
first was for one of Lataji's Meera bhajans. Even with my hoarse voice I had
dared to take part in a competition and been disqualified. I still remember
the remark, "Voice unfit for sugam sangeet". Today, when I judge
competitions I tell those who've lost that if I could sing after being
rejected there's hope for them still.
You won your first major film award for Utsav, right?
Yeah, 'Mera man baje mridang...'. It was a mela scene and more than a 100
musicians had been divided into groups, each singing his own song that
crystallized into a melodious whole. It took us two days to record it. It
was a beautiful song but my portion was substantial so I was surprised when
I won a prestigious award for it. I'd been hoping to win for Hero's 'Tu mera
janoo hai....
That was a chart-topper.
Yes, it was heard everywhere...at Irani restaurants, at shaadis, on the
radio... I was fortunate to sing for most of Subhash Ghai's films starting
with his directorial debut, Kalicharan. 'Tu mera janoo hai...' was Lataji's
song. She was at her peak then and very busy. Many of her songs were dubbed
by other singers and recorded when she could spare the time. I sent a
message to Laxmiji that I didn't mind dubbing for her. They called me for
'Tu mera janoo hai...', telling me clearly that it was Lataji's song. I
still gave it my best shot because there was a 50 per cent chance that if
they liked it they would retain my voice. It was okayed in one take. No one
paid much attention but at the end of the day when they heard the song, they
decided to go with me. During 'Tu mera janoo hai...' I also sang a Gayatri
mantra which even today is a part of Mukta Arts emblem. 'Ding dong, oh baby
sing a song...' was Lataji's song too and once again they opted for my
dubbed version. I also dubbed for 'Pyar karnewale...' but this one was later
re-recorded with Lataji.
Aashiqui was the next turning point?
There were a lot of hits before that but yes, Aashiqui was a milestone.
Gulshan Kumar had opened a music company in Mumbai and was interested in
making a film. A devout Vaishnodevi bhakt he wanted to start with a song
dedicated to Maa. The song that was composed was a UP-Bihar kind of folk
song that was a parody on the deity. Gulshanji was very offended. To calm
him down I suggested we record some songs that were like film songs. A kind
of compilation that one would go to a music shop and ask to be recorded. He
could use them for a film or market them as an album. If he gave me a free
hand I offered to take on the responsibility.
And he was game.
Yeah, so I approached Anand-Milind and together we recorded 'Kya karte the
sajna...' that was used in Lal Dupatta Mal Mal Ka. Gulshanji was a great man
for publicity and suddenly, Lal Dupatta was all over town. Though a tele
film it was a big hit. Then came Jeena Teri Gali Mein. After that
Nadeem-Shravan entered the picture. We recorded 23 songs that I advised
Gulshanji to give to a reputed maker to use in a film. Mahesh Bhatt was
approached and the songs were used in three films that he directed-Aashiqui,
Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin and Sadak.
Aashiqui and DHKMN both won you Best Playback Singer Awards. You must have
been on a high?
No, because I was going through a personal low. Arunji was very ill. I would
reach the recording studio at 7 a.m. straight from hospital. It was a
prolonged and painful illness and when the end came for him I was mentally
fatigued. I had lost a daughter in '83. She had been only a month old, a
premature baby. This was my second encounter with death and it broke my
spirit. I retreated from the film industry and in '91 took to singing
devotionals. I was so tired...For the sake of my children I had to carry on
and I just kept walking...
Singing devotionals can be a therapeutic experience.
Yes, when I'm singing bhajans I'm instantly elevated to a spiritual plane. I
can't put the phenomenon in words because it's more an anubhuti rather than
an anubhav and talking about it would reduce it to an everyday experience. I
've never learnt music so at times when I'm doing jagratas I feel that this
can't be me, it's someone else singing.
You really believe that?
I've come to believe that. There was a time when I'd visit Shiv temples
regularly. It was a different one but at every mandir, near the Shiv ling, I
'd come across someone urging me to sing the Shiv Mahima Stotra. I've never
studied Sanskrit but after a while I started reading the scriptures and in
three years I couldn't go beyond three pages. Meanwhile, the incidents
continued. So one day I went to a temple and told Baba that if it was really
his wish that I sing the stotra he had to come down and help me. Soon after,
I got a call from Gulshanji. Two pandits had come down from Kedarnath and
Badrinath and he was recording the Shiv Mahima Stotra. He wanted me to sing
with them. "Impossible," I told him. "I can't even read Sanskrit." He wouldn
't listen. Finally, I asked for one day's time during which I made the
pandits chant the stotra and I wrote it all down. Through the night I learnt
the whole stotra by rote. The next day we recorded the whole thing in one
start-to-finish schedule. I still don't know how I did it. I believe it was
possible only because He was with me...within me.
In '97 Gulshan Kumar was gunned down close to a Shiv temple. His abrupt end
must came as a shock?
The whole world was shocked! For me, both personally and professionally, it
was a big blow. When he was around the thought of singing outside T-Series
didn't even cross my mind even though towards the end he would urge me to
move out. A day prior to his death, on August 11, I sang for another music
company. He was at the studio all day. After the recording he sighed, "Ab
mere dil se bhoj nikal gaya hai." May be he had a premonition that the end
was near. After his death my attitude to success changed. Today, when I have
a hit it feels nice but that's it.
Many believe that if you hadn't sung exclusively for T-Series and then moved
to devotionals, your contemporaries who were frankly envious of your bonding
with your mentor, would never have been able to streak ahead?
I was never in the race. I never circulated. When I wasn't singing I
preferred to be home. In print I never reacted to controversy. And after I
quit films I never asked myself "Agar yeh karti? Agar woh hota?" However, in
retrospect, I think I should have continued to give playback. At that point
T-Series had stopping making films and taking film music so it would have
been a natural progression. I'll still continue with devotionals, something
substantial like the works of Shankaracharya, The Vedas and the Bhagwad
Geeta. But now I'm also open to good film music.
Through your devotional videos both you and T-Series have kept Gulshan Kumar
alive for almost a decade.
It was never planned, sab unki ichcha hai. Those days not many singers had
songs picturised on them and I used to feel very awkward. Gulshan would tell
me, "After 20 years you'll realise why I insisted." Today, I'm glad we cut
those videos. That man had such foresight. He brought about a revolution in
devotional music at a time when the Gayatri Mantra or the Durga Saptashri
were not household chants. T-Series today is reaping what he had sown and I
pray that with success comes goodwill.
You made a return to Hindi film playback with Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, Hum
Saath Saath Hain, and Pukar.
Right. I rember recording the Pukar number, 'Kismet se tum...' for AR
Rahmanji one evening. It was a click track with no music. I didn't feel the
impact then. It was only later when my son Aditya raved about the song that
I got a tape. It was magical! Tum Bin was another hit. The film had been
bought by Gulshan though it was released only five years later. He had
predicted it would be a musical hit. Of late, I've sung some good songs for
Paap and Murder. The Bhatts, Mahesh and Pooja, are like family and
Nikhil-Vinay and Anu Malik have been very helpful.
'Intezaar...' from Paap was beautiful...
Anu had been confident it would be a hit. We recorded the song in one go. I'
d thought we were rehearsing but when I asked if we could go for a take I
was told I could go home (Smiles). Ab Tumhare Hawale Watan Sathiyon too has
some good sungs and so does Lucky-No Time For Love. Adnan Sami is a very
talented composer and a melodious singer. Recently, I also sang with Lucky
Ali for a MM Kreem film. Lucky has a raw but very likeable voice, like Udit'
s. Even though Udit must have sung a 1000 songs we still love to hear him.
You sang the provocative 'Dhak dhak...' for Beta. Today, are you open to
such double-meaning ditties?
I don't think they'd come to me today. Even when I sang 'Dhak dhak...' I
didn't know what the words alluded to. It is only when people started
saying, "Kya gaana hai!" that I went to see the film and was fascinated by
audience's reaction. Madhuri though seductive was very graceful that the
song didn't look vulgar. Today, remixes of even old classics are ashaleel.
Your son, Aditya was one of the youngest composers...
(Proudly) Yeah, after Arunji's death Kavita decided to complete a film he'd
left unfinished. When Aditya heard that didi was composing he insisted he
could too. I asked him to compose a song for me first and within a minute he
had come up with a Sai Baba song. When Gulshanji heard it he wanted to
record it. Soon after, I got a call from Ramamurty in Hyderabad. He was
making Sai Mahima and he wanted Aditya to give the music for the film. I
pointed out that he was just eight but he was adamant. Till today, the songs
are on the top of the charts.
But have Aditya and Kavita lived up to their promise?
I think they have. Today, competition is fierce in every profession. You no
longer have one No. 1 but thousands of them. Kavita was as interested in
academics as in music but for Aditya studying was a chore. Till he passed
SSC exams were a nightmare for me. He'd use every trick including pataoing
teachers with his songs, to get away from books (Laughs).
You must have been very touched by the surprise party your children
organised for your 50th birthday?
It was so sweet. I knew something was up. Family members gave themselves
away with a word. An exasperated Kavita finally ordered everyone to stay
away from me for a week and told me, "Mummy, just be surprised!" I was. I
had thought we would go to the mandir for pooja, cut a cake and have a small
dinner at home. didn't know she had invited so many people, distributed
cards and organised a musical concert. I was touched that so many of my
loved ones had made time to be with me. Pooja, Maheshji, Anilji all spoke so
highly about me and made me feel so wanted. I realised once again that I'd
made a big mistake going so far away from the film industry that had always
made me so welcome.
How is it knowing that you're going to become a nani soon after your 50th
birthday?
We are so excited and waiting for January. But till I actually see Kavita
with her baby I will not be able to convince myself that my own baby has
grown up!
Ajit
> http://www.screenindia.com/fullstory.php?content_id=9413
> You sang the provocative 'Dhak dhak...' for Beta. Today, are you open to
> such double-meaning ditties?
> I don't think they'd come to me today.
Ummm...she sang "oooi maa oooi maa mar gayee re....." in some Akshay
Kumar movie!
> Even when I sang 'Dhak dhak...' I
> didn't know what the words alluded to. It is only when people started
> saying, "Kya gaana hai!" that I went to see the film and was fascinated by
> audience's reaction. Madhuri though seductive was very graceful that the
> song didn't look vulgar. Today, remixes of even old classics are ashaleel.
>
For instance, a T-series audio-tape that contains a terribly vulgar
remix of "ma dole meraa tan dole". The singer is Kavita Paudwal and
AFAIK, the song is even picturized on her.