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BHARADWAJ AND CHITHRA ON MUSIC, FOOD, MORE
`I compose in a jiffy'
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I like it when the raga matches the situation - Chithra
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They are not new to each other. Yet, they have never discussed music, though it's a common passion. There's little time for conversation because recording sessions keep them busy. But, when requested to do a `Take Two' music director Bharadwaj and playback singer K .S. Chithra happily agreed. The venue was the GRT Grand.
S. R. Ashok Kumar recorded the conversation.
Bharadwaj: Did you think you would be a popular singer one day?
Chithra: Certainly not. Both my parents were teachers. So I thought I would follow in their footsteps. But I was interested in music and started taking lessons. My guru M. G. Radhakrishnan's brother, who was into film music direction, gave me my first break in playback singing. Ilaiyaraaja heard my rendering of the Malayalam version of "Poove Poochuda Va" and asked me to sing the same number in Tamil. It marked my foray into the Tamil film industry. Tell me, how did you enter films?
Audition at AIR
Bharadwaj: I hail from Tirunelveli but studied and began my career as a chartered accountant in New Delhi. Singing, however, remained my first love since my school days. At the All India Radio audition they wanted me to sing my own composition and not a recorded version of a popular song. I set my grandfather's lyrics to tune and passed the audition. That's how I took to composing music. I schooled seriously in music and studied Carnatic, Hindustani and western styles at Delhi University. Devotional songs became my forte. I decided to try my luck in films either in Mumbai or Chennai as I thought my knowledge of Hindi and Punjabi would stand me in good stead. My first stint at music direction was in a Telugu film. It was followed by Kannada films and finally Tamil ["Kadal Mannan"]. Chithra, you've also sung 10 songs for me in 1988, remember? You are known for your excellent pronunciation of Telugu. How did you master the nuances?
Chithra: (With a smile) I must thank S. P. Balasubramaniam for this. Besides Telugu and Malayalam, I have sung in six languages. How do you choose ragas when you compose for a particular situation?
Spontaneous
Bharadwaj: I compose spontaneously. When a director describes a situation I provide him with a choice of at least a dozen tunes.
But, generally the first tune turns out to be the best.
Chithra: (Nods in agreement) This is true even with singers. The first take is the best. I also enjoy it when the raga matches the situation. Take "Autograph", for instance. Your composition `Ovvoru Pookalume' in Sindhubairavi raga that I rendered was apt for the situation. During a recent show in the U.S. an elderly man walked up to me and said he had travelled nearly 1000 km to hear me render just this song.
Many visually challenged people have also appreciated this composition.
Bharadwaj: The reason is that you have sung it in the right spirit.
Chithra: I've taken a break from recording for some months now. You see, my daughter Nandana was born after a 15-year wait.
Bharadwaj: Do you enjoy cooking?
Chithra: Not much. But, I've employed cooks because the smoke and stifling atmosphere in the kitchen can ruin my voice. (Laughs) What's more, my husband does not know how to prepare even a cup of tea.
Bharadwaj: You have sung nearly 15,000 songs. When are you going to take to music direction?
Chithra: As we own an audio company my husband asks me to try a hand at it. But, till today, I have not tested my talent. However, I have set slokas to tune. I wonder why music directors these days have also begun singing.
Bharadwaj: In AIR musicians are known as `staff artistes'. We are like them. If a singer does not turn up the staff artiste fills in. That is how I have sung a couple of numbers.
Chithra: Do you encourage newcomers?
Bharadwaj: I encourage young talent and have given quite a few new singers an opportunity. (It was time to leave... but not before Chithra hummed the tune from "Autograph")
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Metro Plus
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