<p>Born as a Bengali but mistaken for a South Indian, Sujata Bhattacharya aka Madhushree is loved for her voice in songs like Maahi Ve (Kal Ho Naa Ho) and In Lamhon Ke Daaman Mein (Jodhaa Akbar). <br /><br /></p>.<p>On her recent visit to the City, the songstress shared with Metrolife that, “My father wanted me to be a classical singer. I rendered classical music in a programme in college but had started singing much before that. I have heard that I started singing in Durga Puja as a five-year old,” says the singer.<br /><br />“As a child,” she was told that she has to grow up to be a singer. “So I grew up with the same thought. But I was a very good athlete. Infact I had to choose between athletics and music as a career, when I turned 15,” she says expressing her love for the sport. <br /><br />As destiny and parents’ will had it, she went on to do her Masters in music and then took up a job in South Africa. “I was supposed to teach classical music but my students wanted to learn Indian filmy music. In countries outside, India is known through its films and I thus started learning India filmy music by listening to songs of Lataji and Ashaji,” and she soon developed an interest in them.<br /><br />“I wanted to meet AR Rahman and he used to work from Chennai so I had to live in South India. When my voice became recognisable, people mistook me to be a South Indian! It was only when Kabhi Neem Neem (Yuva) became a hit, people started recognising me through Bollywood,” says Madhushree who sang the same song in Tamil and Telugu too.<br /><br />Having worked with leading music directors, she still loves Rahman’s simplicity. “He composes a song in a way that the singer can justify it. He knows what is right for the singer and even gives chance to newcomers.” <br /><br />But the fact that, “songs composed for films today are mostly male-oriented,” upsets her. “Apart from an item number and a romantic duet, there is hardly any scope for a female playback singer. Earlier there used to be atleast three to four solos and duets but there is so much remix today that a singer hardly gets to exploit her voice.” <br /><br />This inspired her to release her album, Pal - Ek Ehsaas. It is a romantic record in which she has “worked with music director Bobbyji (her husband) for the first time. There were a lot of clashes but one should not compose with one’s spouse. Else you are taken for granted,” she shares with a loud laugh! </p>
<p>Born as a Bengali but mistaken for a South Indian, Sujata Bhattacharya aka Madhushree is loved for her voice in songs like Maahi Ve (Kal Ho Naa Ho) and In Lamhon Ke Daaman Mein (Jodhaa Akbar). <br /><br /></p>.<p>On her recent visit to the City, the songstress shared with Metrolife that, “My father wanted me to be a classical singer. I rendered classical music in a programme in college but had started singing much before that. I have heard that I started singing in Durga Puja as a five-year old,” says the singer.<br /><br />“As a child,” she was told that she has to grow up to be a singer. “So I grew up with the same thought. But I was a very good athlete. Infact I had to choose between athletics and music as a career, when I turned 15,” she says expressing her love for the sport. <br /><br />As destiny and parents’ will had it, she went on to do her Masters in music and then took up a job in South Africa. “I was supposed to teach classical music but my students wanted to learn Indian filmy music. In countries outside, India is known through its films and I thus started learning India filmy music by listening to songs of Lataji and Ashaji,” and she soon developed an interest in them.<br /><br />“I wanted to meet AR Rahman and he used to work from Chennai so I had to live in South India. When my voice became recognisable, people mistook me to be a South Indian! It was only when Kabhi Neem Neem (Yuva) became a hit, people started recognising me through Bollywood,” says Madhushree who sang the same song in Tamil and Telugu too.<br /><br />Having worked with leading music directors, she still loves Rahman’s simplicity. “He composes a song in a way that the singer can justify it. He knows what is right for the singer and even gives chance to newcomers.” <br /><br />But the fact that, “songs composed for films today are mostly male-oriented,” upsets her. “Apart from an item number and a romantic duet, there is hardly any scope for a female playback singer. Earlier there used to be atleast three to four solos and duets but there is so much remix today that a singer hardly gets to exploit her voice.” <br /><br />This inspired her to release her album, Pal - Ek Ehsaas. It is a romantic record in which she has “worked with music director Bobbyji (her husband) for the first time. There were a lot of clashes but one should not compose with one’s spouse. Else you are taken for granted,” she shares with a loud laugh! </p>
