Sharda (singer)

Sharda Rajan Iyengar, or Sharda, is an Indian playback singer in the 1960s and 1970s. She won the Filmfare Award for Best Female Playback Singer for the cabaret "Baat Zara Hai Aapas Ki" in Jahan Pyar Miley (1970), though she is most remembered for her song "Titli Udi" in Suraj (1966). In 2007, she released the album Andaaz-e-Bayan Aur, featuring her own compositions based on Mirza Ghalib's ghazals.[1][2][3]

Sharda
Birth nameSharada Iyengar
Also known asSharda, Sharada
Born (1937-10-25) 25 October 1937
OriginTamil Nadu, India
Occupation(s)Playback singer
Years active1965 to 1986, 2007-
Websitewww.titliudi.com

Early life

Sharda belonged to a conservative Brahmin family from Tamil Nadu, India and was inclined towards music from childhood. She has the distinction of being a BA graduate.

Career

Early in her career Sharda was offered a voice test by Raj Kapoor when he first heard her singing in a function at Shrichand Ahuja's residence in Tehran. She got her first big break in Bollywood with the song "Titli Udi" in Suraj (1966). She was promoted by Shankar of the Shankar Jaikishan duo.[4]

"Titli udi" turned out to be a top chartbuster in 1966. It so happens that the coveted Filmfare award for best playback singer had only one category (either male or female) until 1966. "Titli Udi" song, however, was tied as best song with Mohd Rafi's song "Baharo Phool Barsao" which had never happened before. Sharda didn't win the award but from then on Filmfare started giving two awards for best playback singer: one for male singer and the other for female singer. Thus Sharda made history. Thereafter Sharda was nominated four years in a row (1968–71) for best female playback singer and won another Filmfare award. In a short span Sharda won two Filmfare awards, when the Mangeshkar Sisters were dominating. Thereafter she continued singing for Shankar in nearly all of his films until his death. Her voice was last heard in Kaanch Ki Deewar (1986).

She sang with most of the top singers like Mohd Rafi, Asha Bhosle, Kishore Kumar, Yesudas, Mukesh and Suman Kalyanpur. She lent her voice to leading ladies of the time like Vyjayanthimala, Sadhana, Saira Banu, Hema Malini, Sharmila Tagore, Mumtaz, Rekha and Helen. Besides Shankar she recorded songs with Usha Khanna, Ravi, Dattaram, Iqbal Qureshi and a few others. She was the first Indian female singer to cut her own pop album in India, called Sizzlers in 1971 which was launched by HMV.

She performed on stage on several occasions like Filmfare Awards functions, charity shows, naval functions, and many others.

Sharda was never able to reach the top bracket of singers but she did manage to create a certain section of the music listeners as her fans and well wishers. She conducts music lessons for children and aspiring singers. Besides Hindi she also sang in Telugu, Marathi, English, and Gujrathi.

Original music

On 21 July 2007 Sharda released her Ghazal album Andaaz-e-Bayan Aur, a compilation of Mirza Ghalib's ghazals. The album was released at Juhu Jagriti Mumbai at the hands of actress Shabana Azmi. Music Director Khayyam was present at the release party, where Sharda thrilled the audience by singing a few songs from the album in her well-preserved voice.

Shankar composed a song "Ek Chehra jo Dil Ke Kareeb" for a film called Garam Khoon (1980), sung by Lata Mangeshkar which was penned by Sharda and picturised on Sulakshana Pandit.

She turned Music Director in the mid-1970s and gave music for films like Maa Behen Aur Biwi, Tu Meri Main Tera, Kshitij, Mandir Masjid and Maila Anchal. Mohd Rafi was nominated for Filmfare Best Male Playback Singer Award for the song "Achcha Hi Hua Dil Toot Gaya" from Maa Behen Aur Biwi (1974), which he sang under Sharda's music direction.

Telugu songs

References
  1. Shabana Azmi launches yesteryear’s Sharda album radiosargam.com, 22 July 2007.
  2. Sharda releases ghazal album Screen, 3 August 2007.
  3. From butterflies to ghalib Rajiv Vijayakar, Screen, 6 April 2007.
  4. TAAL SE TAAL MILA: Bollywood's recording studios have generally been impeccably "clean". But not without some tonal variations By Anil Grover, The Telegraph, 28 April 2006.

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