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On a lucky note

The number of hits to Vasundhara's credit is rising by the day and here's why...

MANY A GARB Actor-singer Vasundhara Das

Time and again, she scores on the top 10 lists and her songs are in demand at popular night spots. From one of her first songs Shakalaka Baby (Oke Okkadu), Rabba Rabba (Aks), the retro It's the Time to Disco (Kal Ho Naa Ho) to the recent Where's the Party Tonight? (Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna), hazel-eyed Vasundhara Das has many a hit to her credit.

"I speak Tamil since I was born in Tamil Nadu; I am comfortable with Kannada because I lived in Bangalore; I am proud to converse in Hindi because I am an Indian and English is what we've all learnt in school," says this polyglot who even speaks Spanish.

These cool words come from a singer/actress who began training in Hindustani Classical music when she was just six years old. In the few years she's been in the entertainment business, she's "been there, done that", working with some tinsel town greats, language-no-barrier.

With a self-confessed `special' liking for Malayalam films, this Mount Carmel alumnus from Bangalore says she learnt a lot sharing the arc lights in the company of Kamal Hassan and Mohanlal. Unlike most of her ilk, she hasn't let the spot light affect her and remains down-to-earth.

Though she made her acting debut through Kamal Hassan's Hey Ram and acted in films like Monsoon Wedding, she is more in the reckoning for her repertoire of songs.

She has loads of non-film numbers to her credit as well: a solo Meri Jaan, co-composed and sung by Piyush Mishra and Sukhwindara Singh, an English single called Tide for Channel V, a French single L'ete Indien, Patli Kamar with Kay Kay and Khelna hai re for Khel Re, an album to encourage Indian cricketers in 2003 ICC World Cup to name a few.

Vasundhara Das has also co-founded Arya, a band with Roberto Narain to dabble in World music, a fusion band called River and yet another group called Jam Tree for rock and funk music, playing reggae versions of songs from Police and Bob Marley.

While admitting that Dame Luck had indeed been generous, she says every situation is a learning experience. Beginning projects with an open mind and a willingness to learn does wonders, she says.

SURESH KRISHNAMOORTHY

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