MADHUSHREE- Another Nightingale of the Tinsel Valley

Writer Munish Dhiman in special conversation with the singing star.

Born in the musical family where everyone is a worshiper of music; this Bengali girl has come a long way from Calcutta to South Africa to Holland and finally settled up in Mumbai. She got her first break in the industry with a song in the movie Moksha, but unfortunately couldn’t get appreciation. In fact it would be right to conclude that her career started just after the land mark song kabhi neem neem kabhi shehad shehad of Yuva that bagged her best female singer award for the song and since then there was no looking back.

Tell us about your foray in to music?

I am from a musical family. My father Late. Mr Amarendra Nath Bhattacharya was a singer. He started teaching music to me and my sisters since childhood. We have no brother, so we were aware since childhood that we have to do something. So I started learning singing to make a career in it.

Your father had been guru always?

No. After learning the tactics of singing from him I sidetracked myself from a singing towards Classical Music and started learning at the age of Nine from Dr. Amiyaranjan Banarjee. He taught me classical singing for a long time before I started singing professionally.

It means they are the people behind what you are today?

For this I would give the credit to every one I have come in contact with. Because you learn a lot form everyone. I learnt from them, I even learnt form the students I taught in South Africa and Holland and I am still learning. Because I believe learning is a process that never stops.

And what about the academic gyan in music?

Oh, you’re asking about the qualification. Let me put in the picture that I am a gold medalist in M.A music.

As you said that you’ve born in a musical family. Have you ever wanted to get in to some other line?

I was an athlete till college. But it was my father who told me that I should concentrate towards one thing only. And he clarified me that a dancer or a sportsperson has an age limit whereas a singer is forever. And it was only then that I gave up sports for singing.

Please put some light on your world tour?

World tour…? Smiles. Actually after completing my post graduation twelve years ago I left for South Africa after getting a job there. Stayed there for four years and worked as a singing teacher cum performer. Then I left for Holland and worked for a year there.

People go to foreign to settle there. How come your coming back to India materialized after staying there for quiet a long time?

It was when I was still in Holland. I had a trip to Calcutta and during the trip I met Kumar Sanu who told me that I have a beautiful voice apt for playback singing. And when I returned back I give it a thought and made up my to come back to India and start up a new career.

Was it easy to get a break in the industry?

It was actually not very easy. After struggling for some time I got my first break with the movie Moksha and my first song was mohabbat zindagi hai but I wasn’t able to get any appreciation for it. I sung a few more songs but I was unfortunate for the first few years.

Then…

It was in the year 2004 only when I got recognition and my name came to limelight with the movie Yuva and the song kabhi neem neem kabhi shehad shehad. It not only became a landmark in my career but also took me to a height to explore new horizons in my career. It even bagged me award for the best female singer. And after it things started changing and the journey has been really fruitful.

What changes actually happened, can you elaborate?

A lot of things changed, actually! A.R.Rahman who’s been singers’ delight; I sang songs for him. And singing songs for Saathiya, Rang De Basanti, Swadesh, Paheli, Kisna, Jodhaa Akhbar and Welcome to Sajjanpur all are actually some of my achievements. Even reality shows, Tour with A.R.Rahman and a lot of things came after Yuva only.

Reality show?

I did a reality show ‘Jhoom India’ on channel Sahara One and along with my partner Sachin Tyagi I came out as the winner of the show. And even I am judging in a show named ‘The Performer’ along with Ravinder Jain and Shravan (Nadeenm’s brother)

But what’s your take on reality shows as an individual?

I think a show is a show, it can never be real. But still it has something real in it. As a drama can not be 100 per cent drama in the same way a reality show can never be a 100 per sent real. I can say that in simple words a perfect blend of drama and reality can be called a reality show.

Who has been the greatest support throughout your career?

My father, my mother, my sisters almost everybody in my life had been supportive. And after I got married my husband has always stood by my side as a support.

Do you feel any competition in front of you?

Saying that there’s someone I am competing with would be wrong because actually there’s no competition for me. I believe there’s no singer who’s giving consecutive hits. It’s just that some of my songs get hit and some songs of some other singers are topping the charts. So there’s no competition as such.

Who’s your favorite singer?

I’ve been a great admirer of Lata Ji, Asha Ji, Rafi Ji,Kishore Ji…the list goes on.

Is there any song that you feel like humming all the time?

I like the compositions and the lyrics of almost all of the romantic songs from the 70s, 80s and 60s as well.

Can you choose your favorite song from your list and why?

I like the song Tu bin bataye from the movie ‘Rang De Basanti’. And it’s my favourite because though it is a young generation based song yet the soothing affect and the romantic flavour in it makes it my favourite.

The conversation with her felt more like attending a musical concert. I had to wrap up the chat early as she had to leave for the recording of her new song.