Shweta Pandit has been in the this industry ever since was a child and now the pretty and talented singer cum musician is all grown up and ready with her latest single #Krshna and her first English single, #Idontloveyou. Besides, singing Shweta was also seen as an actress in the movie David and also recently in 24!
Here’s the excerpts from the interview:
Shweta what has been your life’s story so far? How did you end up singing for Mohabbatein when you were so young?
I started when i was 4 with Mani Ratnam sir’s ANJALI and continued to sing as a child singer for lots of movie in the 90s like Pardes, Saaz, Raju Chacha, Dil Kya Kare, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Nishana and many more. Around the time, I was singing in Dil Kya Kare in Feb 1999, Prakash Jha, the director told me that my voice is already mature enough to sing for heroines and that i should stop singing for kids. But i was just 12. I still wanted to learn but i thought getting a break at 12 to sing for a lead actress is impossible. But his words stayed with me! The same year in June, i read that Aditya Chopra Sir (Yash Raj Films) was looking to launch new singers in his next after DDLJ. I decided to watch the auditions to learn. As i reached there, Late Babloo Chakravarty, the legendary arranger of Mohabbatein told me that i should not just watch but give the audition. I was nervous and too young but i thought i must try since i would get to meet Yash Chopraji and Adi Sir, even if i didnt get selected 🙂 I have been a huge admirer of them. After a round of 6 months of tough auditions amongst 500 singers, i got selected in December 1999. It was an emotional year for me, since my grandfather and guru Pt. Pratap Narayan Ji (older brother of legendary classical vocalist Pandit Jasraj ji) was alive then and i gifted him my 1st Cd of Mohabbatein as a Lead singer. He was most Happy with tears in his eyes! I was truly fortunate to sing then and i am told i am the youngest singer to sing in Bollywood for a lead actress.
We hear that, you’re busy with some new song/album….
Well, I have composed my second single #Krsna and my first English song #Idontloveyou which will be out anytime soon. Krsna is a pop song but has a story of Lord Krishna, Radha and Meera as inspirations. My 1st composed single #KehdoNaa has already been received extremely well online, on my youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/shwetapandit7
Apart from this, i am doing collaborations with artists and the latest is #Moondance with Scottish singer Emma Morton. We met in Italy and had an amazing time. Apart fromt his i shot an unplugged version of my bollywood hit #TereHokeRahenge in Switzerland. Its an acoustic version and its shot beautifully. The orignal repise – Tere Hoke Rahenge from Emraan Hashmi’s Raja Natwarlal is already on No1 on radio Mirchi and am so thankful to the fans for this. Am happy to sing an amazing song, one of the best song of 2014 is surely this one!
These days a singer’s career span is very short in Bollywood. There is an influx of new talents. What do you have to say on this?
Not just singers but the talent industry has become short-lived. Also because people want instant frame and money. Very few do quality work, infact i dont think they wish to do quality, the point is more like work for 5 years make money and become a film producer. But i dont believe in that way of working. I am fortunate to be working with AR Rahman, Salim Sulaiman, Yuvan Shankar, Mickey J Meyer and many more amazing composers. This is my 15th Year as a playback singer and am humbled. It feels like am starting and learning everyday even now. And its quite a feeling to be here 15 years in 2014. Whoa!!
How much are social networking sites important in making a song hit nowadays?
Social media is surely a great way to interact with your fans and get direct responses fromt he public. How much of it is really true, is another story. It has also created lots of youtubers today so am sure its a good medium. At the same time, making a song a hit could also be possible in today’s time because most of the hit songs today are strangely the ones which were either over publicized or over hyped on these mediums. But there are rare gems which can get noticed even if there’s no much hype around them. Those are real hits for me!
Which is your favorite among all the songs that you have sung so far?
Wow thats tough! But some songs i enjoyed singing were Beqasoor (AR Rahman) Chorre ki baatein from FightClub (Pritam) Halla Re (Salim Sulaiman) Bandhane Lagi (Amar Mohile) Do dhaari Talwar (Sohail Sen) Neena Neevani (Mickey/Telugu) and Idhayam (Yuvan/Telugu) and some of my songs with MM Kreem sir.
Everyone likes being fashionable and looking good these days. Do you think looks matter as a music artist?
Well, looks always matter in an entertainment industy. Singers never focussed on their beauties before because there wasnt as much media focussing on them Good singing was a big enough achievement in the earlier days as the competition for singers was way more tougher than today and singers pretty much only practised their craft! Today its different. Infact not always good looks, even some strange looking people who know how to carrry themselves, have made a mark here 🙂 But yes, its all about flashlights and red carpets today.. so being a fashionista is not a must, but its important.
Do you like to sing live or in a studio?
Right now, I like to sing in a studio because I have done lot of shows around 4-5 thousands shows, but I love doing shows too. So now, I want to work sometime in a studio. In studio, I like to be in front of the mic, the atmosphere of the studio feels me very fresh.Both. Live is high energy while studio is perfection, divine connections and purity. Stage brings out the madness in you which is also very important.
Who are your favorite music directors?
We all know id be given dirty looks if i answer this (ha ha ha) but i do enjoy MM Kreem, Amit Trivedi and Rahman sir’s way of working. They are just a treat to learn at work. So inspiring.
Do you think, songs have the same importance in today’s films as they had in the 90s?
Yes absolutely, songs are very important because they hit on screens before the movie releases. Like Aashiqui and Aashiqui 2 both are blockbuster hits because of their songs. Sometimes the songs are good but the movie doesn’t do well due to its weak story. So at the same time, if the songs are doing well at the chartbusters then the movie will get the initially opening at the box office.I think today songs are used just to promote films. They arent as needed as during the storylines earlier. Only amazing directors like Raju Hirani, Farhan Akthar, Sanjay Bhansali etc really know how to use good music weaved in their stories.
What’s your dream project?
My dream project is that to work internationally and collaborate with international artist whose list is very long. Right now I’m writing lyrics and composing songs so I’m trying to become musician completely. I wanted to sing with Michael Jackson but now it’s impossible so I’d love to perform with the corrs and Beyonce if I get a chance. They are my Favorites.
Any Message for FilmyMantra Fans?
FilmyMantra fans, keep following this awesome site for all the latest in Bollywood and thank you for loving my music always! Thx guys.
