'A number of my songs have been snatched' : Vani Jairam
neha...@hotmail.com
Mukherjee's Guddi. Then, apparently, she disappeared.
Many reasons were attributed, including the supposition
that Vani Jairam could not fulfill the high expectations she
had raised. But the fact is that Vani, who hails from Tamil
Nadu, is busy even today. She talks with Bibhuti Mishra
about her musical hits and misses.
You became a household name with just one song, Bole re
papihara. All of a sudden, you were vying for the top honours
with established stars. You even cornered the Tansen award.
Why could you not sustain it?
Despite the stupendous success of the song, I didn't get many
offers for reasons that I don't want to go into. I hung around
for a while, but realised I was doing only B and C grade films.
I was not asked to sing for the top banners. So there was no
option but to quit.
Did professional jealousies sabotage your career in Hindi films?
I choose to reserve my comments. I don't want to go into all
that now and invoke bitterness. But ask yourself why singers
like Shamshad Begum and Suman Kalyanpur don't make headway! There
has to be some reason. I was just one of the many who lost out.
It is alleged that the Mangeshkar sisters did your chances in.
I would rather not take any names. Lataji and Ashaji are great
singers. What they did or did not do is not for me to crib about.
I cannot be judgmental. But, as I said, despite being successful,
I was ignored. That's unfortunate and should not happen to any
singer, sabotage or no sabotage.
What did you do then?
I was not adversely affected. I am a deeply religious person
and I have unshakable faith in God. I shifted to Madras. Offers
poured in and I worked with top music directors. There was a
time when I used to take the Sunday flights to Bangalore and
return the same day after the recording was over. This lasted
for a period of over four years.
I sang in various languages such as Tamil, Kannada, Telugu,
etc, but once film music tilted towards disco, I wasn't interested.
I need songs with substance. It was music rather than name, fame
and glamour that always captivated me.
Would you consider Hindi film offers, now that melody has staged
a comeback?
It depends on the kind of offer, the numbers I am given, the
lyrics and the composer. At this stage of my career, I cannot
afford to jump at offers. In fact, I have never done that. But
if it is a composition that suits me, why not?
Do you think the music range is wider in the south than in
Hindi films?
Today, even films down south have compositions that are more
or less dance numbers. There is no challenge anymore. But yes,
when I was involved in the south Indian film industry, one's
range as a singer was exploited. Most songs were raagdhari and
many films on classical music and dance were made. Today, things
are different.
You are a trained classical singer, so why have you turned to light
classical music?
Music came so naturally to me that I could distinguish between
different ragas and notes even when I was a toddler. Perhaps, it
came to me from my previous birth. That is why I have been able to
do justice to even the most difficult songs.
I underwent extensive training and travelled widely under Vasant
Desai's guidance. I am interested in both classical and light classical.
I learnt under the tutelage of Ustad Abdul Rehman Khan and practised
for 18 hours a day. I sing ghazals, thumri, dadra, kajri and bhajans.
I sing all kinds of tunes, but I neither dilute any form nor allow any
adulteration in my music.
Light, classical music should not be carelessly dismissed. Even
renowned classical vocalists like Ustad Alla Rakha, Ustad Rais Khan,
Pandit Ravi Shankar and Pandit Hari Prasad Chaurasia have performed
in films!
What is it in a song that appeals to you?
Even in films, I look for songs with classical base. In non-film
songs, I have enjoyed singing thumris, bhajans and even Holi songs.
I have recorded an album of Holi songs with Pandit Birju Maharaj.
For me, music is divine in every sense of the term.
Could you name the people who have inspired you?
I couldn't be where I am today without my husband's
support. Other prominent influences in my life are my
mother, Padmavati, my guru Kadalur Srinivas Iyengar and
veteran music director Vasant Desai who shaped me as a
singer. I also owe a lot to my music directors Salil
Chaudhury and O P Nayyar. They have endorsed my talent
despite stiff opposition.
So don't you have any regrets?
No regrets, thank God! I am one of the busiest bhajan singers in
the country today. Perhaps God willed it that way... that I should
sing paeans to him. Even at the beginning of my career, I had
recorded a bhajan for Guddi. But I am yet to understand why that
was not there when the film was released. Suffice to say that a
number of my songs have been snatched, but I haven't done the same
to anyone. No point brooding over that. I am content singing bhajans
--
Neha Desai
-------------------------------------------------------------------
ye hansta hua caarvaan zindagi ka...na poochho chala hai kidhar...
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.
Radhika and Ramesh Hariharan
despite having her career in Hindi films ruined. Thanks for the posting
neha. It's funny however that the interviewer seems to hint that it was both
the sisters and not Lata alone... this is not what I remember. The story I
recall was Lata threatened not to sing for any director who would sign Vani
for their films.. sure proved to be a death knell for her career given
Lata's clout !
Ramesh
<neha...@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:8ir4fv$kno$1...@nnrp1.deja.com...
