JOIN USHer revered tunes
She has been a successful singer in Bollywood and has also rendered devotional songs in about a dozen other Indian languages. Yet, Anuradha Paudwal corrects me when I call her a singing superstar.
“I am not fond of that label. Any star trappings for that matter. The love of people I have been blessed to receive for decades is my biggest achievement,” she says, and quickly adds, “No, it’s rather the benediction of God.”
Her happiest moments now are when she hears her voice calling out to gods during the Ganga arati at Haridwar. Sometimes, she dissolves into tears standing there and taking in the overwhelming blend of music and spirituality.
Born to sing
Anuradha (born as Alka Nadkarni) did not receive formal training in classical or light music. She “would listen to great singers like Lata Mangeshkar and practise.” Her aunt was quick to notice that a 11-month-old could hum a song from the film Naagin in tune! At age five, her first solo stage performance was at a Mahila mandal programme. Then, winning prizes for her singing became a habit with her, especially at school and college-level singing competitions.
Composer Jaidev spotted Anuradha’s talent and asked her to sing for a film. She refused the offer as singing for cinema was something her father frowned upon. “According to him, the film world was not for respectable people, especially girls.” Later, the song Paha Takle she sang at AIR Yuvavani was widely appreciated. More film offers poured in. Bappi Lahiri, Hridayanath Mangeshkar, Laxmikant-Pyarelal were some of the many who urged her to sing for their films.
It was after her marriage to her music-composer husband, Arun Paudwal, that her film-singing career took off.
A Shiva Sthuthi rendered for music-director S D Burman for the film Abhimaan was a successful debut. Anuradha has lent her voice for songs in films like Hero, Meri Jung, Batwara, Ram Lakhan, Nagina, Tezaab, Souten and Vidhaata, to mention a few.
Besides rendering popular solos, she started sharing the singing stage with top male and female playback singers of her time, for which she received awards, including the National Award for Best Singer. By now, she had her own fandom. Her fame was spreading across languages. Besides Hindi, Anuradha has sung in Marathi, Bengali, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Bhojpuri, Sanskrit, Oriya, Punjabi, Gujarati, Marwari, Assamese and Nepali.
In her personal life, too, she saw much happiness. Her husband was supportive and even offered her many songs under his direction — forming a music-director duo with Arun Mohile in most cases. She has two children, Aditya and Kavita.
However, the stress and negativity that came with professional success took their toll on her. The film world is a fiercely competitive place. “The cut-throat nature of the business put me off,” she says. Then came the tragic passing away of her husband.
However, after a sabbatical, she returned to sing film songs. But it was devotional songs that she threw her heart and soul into. And how!
Turning to devotion
Anuradha’s bhajans, aratis and other religious/spiritual songs that are soaked in bhakti-bhaava have become popular. These soulful renditions are now played at countless temples around India, and over radio and TV regularly. Besides singing for records, she also regularly performs on public platforms, including the Sirpur National Dance and Music Festival, where I met her.
“I have opted out of the film world’s rat race very willingly and have no regrets. Whether it is Chhattisgarh or Chandigarh, Karnataka or Andhra, I am happy to sing the glory of God,” she says smilingly. Spirituality is her succour. “My faith in God keeps me going. When I render devotional compositions, they give me happiness and peace which keeps me going through life with all its ups and downs,” she reveals.
Anuradha hesitates to offer her opinion on the current crop of Bollywood film singers, but curtly says, “They are all talented and doing well for themselves. I would not like to comment on lyrics or singing styles. Every generation is different.”
She in now ambitious to sing and record the entire lyrics composed by Shri Adi Shankaracharya. “I am especially fond of his Soundarya Lahari,” she says and is off for a brief practice session before her performance.