An anxious wait for a celebrated singer

Music forms an integral part of the Indian film industry, and it is no exaggeration that song and dance sequences contribute to the success of films.

Music and along with it, composers and playback singers have emerged as an independent industry and millions of Indian rupees are spent on elaborate settings.

While Indian film music has been a source of endearment, it acquired international dimension and interest last year, with maestro A R Rahman winning two Academy (Oscar) Awards and two Grammy Awards.

The importance of film music has been underscored by singing contests run by a number of Indian television channels to explore new talents. The foremost among these has been Sa Re Ga Ma (now Sa Re Ga Ma Pa), telecast on Zee Television. The Channel has given a number of singers who rose to prominence, including Shaan, Sunidhi Chauhan, Sonu Nigam and Shreya Ghoshal, the last of who is among the most popular singers of the new generation.

Endowed with a mellifluous voice and pleasing personality, Shreya has become ‘the darling’ of film producers, directors, composers, co-singers and most important of all the discerning public all over the world. Her ability to bring forth the emotions of the scenes picturised on film stars has made her one of the busiest playback singers of the Indian film industry, enveloping for the most part, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam films, although her prowess is proving to be irresistible even in other languages.

Biographic sketches describe Shreya as having shown proficiency in singing even when she was a child but it was the top honour that she won in the final episode of Sa Re Ga Ma for children in 1996, when she was just 12 years of age.

She has come a long way since then but her career took off with Devdas in which she rendered five memorable numbers, earning for her in 2003 the ‘National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer’ and the ‘Filmfare RD Burman Award for New Music Talent.’ Her voice has thus far been captured in more than 145 films.

As mentioned in these columns (July 15, 2010), her list of films is long, and the scores are longer.

But music buffs would say that some of her all-time hits should include Teri Ore (‘Singh is Kinng’), Main Agar Kahoon (‘Om Shanti Om’), Salaam-E-Ishq (Title song), Yeh Ishqi Haaye (‘Jab We Met’), Zoobi Doobi (‘3 Idiots’), O My Love (‘Amanush’) and Un Perai Sollum (‘Angaadi Theru’ in Tamil).

Shreya is also known for live performances held in India, other parts of Asia, Europe and the US, each of which has resounded with success.

Following her performance in Ohio, US, the State Governor Ted Strickland declared June 26, 2010 as Sherya Ghoshal Day, a singular honour reserved for rare celebrities.

The visit of such a renowned performer is therefore an event.

Her debut in Auckland later this month would be one of the finest to date.

ABC Entertainment, which has an impressive record for having organised and managed a number of musical performances in recent years, is hosting the Shreya Ghoshal concert in conjunction with Perfect Harmony Productions Private Limited at Telstra Clear Pacific Events Centre in Manukau City on August 20.

Shiv Prasad, another winner in the Sa Re Ga Ma series, Stand-up Comedian (more than six feet tall) Nitin Bhandarkar and a band of musicians will join her to present what is expected to be the ‘Show of the Year.’

Photo :

1.       Sherya Ghoshal

2.       Nitin Bhandarkar