71) The Singer

Right from my school days if there was any activity in which I scored over others and felt at peace, it was singing. Even as a 5 year old, my parents would parade my singing talents by making me sing before guests at home and take great pride in that.

At Sangli, there was a Sai Bhajan group where my mother and brothers were regulars. It would be held on Thursdays where I was initiated. Soon, I became the lead singer while others followed me and this was even before my tenth birthday.

I barely passed my III standard exams when my sensible mom enrolled me in Hindustani music. My guru was Begum Jemina Khan of the famed Gwalior gharana and since then it has been a life of riyaz. She was rigourous in her teaching and brooked no flippancy.

“Get up 4’o clock in the morning” meant immediate compliance otherwise she did not take the next class. Her every instruction had to be complaint to the letter. Under such a strict tutelage, I survived 5 years honing my talents until I am professional standard; take tests under for scholarships and a graded A singer on radio.

I entered the Zee Sa re ga ma competition in 1998 and stood third and that literally opened new doors.

I realized that I had to shift base from Sangli to Mumbai and the music industry had changed. Good looks bordering on glamour were as vital as or more important than the actual talent. (Maybe, that’s why I stood 3rd in the competition).

My parents were dead set against it but I knew better. If at all I make a career in music then Mumbai is the place to be. Music was my sole calling card in life and I cannot squander it especially when the iron was hot.

I made some friends in the competition and they helped me initially as I took residence. Living in Mumbai comes with its own sets of hardship. The quarters are so small that even our livestock in Sangli have spacious accommodation. Then, every bloody thing here is expensive- milk, rent, autos, cabs, buses, food.

I enrolled in a call centre training primarily to improve my accent and also the money would come in handy for paying bills. I got my portfolio and demo tapes from Prabhudas Gupta and made all the rounds to the music directors. I would sit beside the telephone praying it to ring.

Months turned into years and I was nowhere in the picture. My parents seemed to have given up on me and by now, I was one of the familiar faces hankering for a few crumbs. It was Prahlad Kakkar who first offered me an advt jingle.

That ad literally brought me a lot of recognition. Yesterday, Shankar called me and he wants to try me out for a song in a Amitabh movie.

I was so excited that I called my mother and asked her over. I need her support more than ever and they were so full of love and their happiness overflowing that both my parents are Mumbai bound.

I gave myself three years in Mumbai and I have made this far thanks to my struggles. I remember days when my purse was so empty that even a vada pav was brought on credit.

Tomorrow, I will be directed by Shankar-Roy-Ehsaan and hopefully a good god is up there abovew will shower me with all the breaks.

(As narrated by Mythali Patil about her foray to bollywood)