Acclaimed playback singer Kavita Krishnamurti spoke to Kritika Dua about the evolution of the recording process, the magic woven by music composers like Laxmikant-Pyarelal and RD Burman and, of course, Sridevi

With Sridevi’s untimely death, everybody is recalling the masterpieces called Hawa Hawaai and Karte Hain Hum Pyaar Mr India Se which are as fresh and vibrant. Any memories?

The way she brought Hawa Hawaai to life is not only praiseworthy, it made people sit up and take notice of me too. It was such a blockbuster that I became her voice in many of her films. Sridevi was such a great artiste. Every song she danced to, be it sensual, comic or dramatic, she would feel each word through the pores of her skin and emote through her eyes, body language and expressions. She understood picturisation and cinematic language, something that makes film songs what they are. I feel really honoured that I sang for her and this song proved to be a pinnacle of my career. She challenged me to modulate and innovate within the parameter. She was a superstar in the true sense. It was sheer joy when she came on the screen — her face, eyes, innocence and acting prowess was on another level altogether. Even when there were topmost male actors alongside her, the viewer’s eyes were fixed on her. I loved her work in English Vinglish.

Having worked with a variety of music composers from Laxmikant–Pyarelal to RD Burman and AR Rahman, would you like to talk about key learnings from these maestros?

Laxmikant–Pyarelal are the ones who gave me a break in the industry. I dubbed a lot of demo songs for Lata Mangeshkar initially in my career before I sang songs like Kahe ko Babul in Maang Bharo Sajna (1980). I would regularly record the demo tapes, with a big orchestra and live recordings. If you made the slightest mistake, you would have to do the entire song all over again. Sometimes it would take three to four repeat acts for me to get everything pitch perfect. I was lucky if it came out well the first time. All these things turned out to be a really good training ground for me; I learnt a lot from them and had a guidebook of sorts. How to sing a song for a commercial format? How to throw your voice into a microphone? As at that point of time there was an 80-piece orchestra and though there was a recording booth and a microphone to sing, it was not an easy task to temper and graduate your voice against the decibels of music. Laxmikant–Pyarelal taught me variety, be it geet, an item number, folk or Western genres.

Similar was the process with RD Burman, who was an amazing singer himself. When he sang his own composition, it acquired a life of its own. If an artist imbibed even 80 per cent of what he was singing, the song would come out well as he used to invest it with the purest of emotions. The music directors of that era were able to sing their compositions, feel the words, be it Mohammed Zahur Khayyam and Omkar Prasad Nayyar. You could learn from them as they gave a reference point and the singer captured its essence well. They proved to be great mentors.

There were music directors like Jatin-Lalit in the 90s who recorded live with orchestra. Then came the track-recording era — we would come to the studio, learn the song, croon certain portions given to us and our work for that day was done. It would be layered on the music. So the synchronicity was not yours to build but the work of technicians. I followed this process in tracks like Aaj mein upar, Yeh dil sun raha hai and Mausam ki sargam ko from Khamoshi: The Musical (1996). Jatin-Lalit had a fair idea about the range each singer had and their particular vision of rendering the songs. They could also sing well where an artist would first understand their perspective and add to it. But with Laxmikant–Pyarelal, OP Nayyar and Mohammed Zahur Khayyam, one couldn’t add much as they were really good singers, were particular about the style they wanted the singer to stick to and didn’t want embellishments which wouldn’t go with their compositions. So, you had to sing the composer’s song.

I also worked with AR Rahman whose recording process was quite unique as his approach was interesting. In most cases, the track would be just half a song with some harmonies, He would sing the other half. He would let you sing each line as many times as the artiste in me wanted to, give his suggestions at times and allow space for improvisation. When I was finished with this whole process and the final product would hit the market, it would acquire a different personality as he would have added music, cut and pasted certain portions of the song according to his sensibilities. It would be a surprise but sound amazing in the end. We have worked on some memorable tracks like Kay sera sera from Pukaar (2000), Main vari vari from Mangal Pandey: The Rising (2005).

You recently recorded and composed a devotional album, Jai Maa Durge. Also you credit your playback singing career to your aunt Protimma Bhattacharya, who took you to Mumbai and made it all happen. Would you like to talk about the bond you shared with her?

What I am today is because of my aunt. My discipline, my career, my general outlook in life are all because of her. She took great care of me and was my pillar for many years. She used to accompany me to all my recordings and concerts. I owe the best things in my life to her. I started singing Tagore because of her and she used to take me to Kalibari for stage performances during Durga puja, where I got my first gold medal. That’s why the title Jai Maa Durge, where it all began for me.

You have had taleem in Rabindra Sangeet and Hindustani classical music. Do you believe classical music training gives an edge to an artist as it makes the transition to any genre smoother?

If someone wants to pursue a career in medicine or language, they go to a university and higher specialised institutions. You may be blessed with musical talent but it needs constant sharpening. Studies will enhance one’s skills and knowledge of the basic tools, be it swaras or ragas. If I know the background of a raga, then it always helps me to sing in front of a recording mic and experiment with embellishments or grace notes, the credit of which goes to prolonged riyaaz. Imbibing knowledge is always an asset. So if one has a background in Hindustani or Carnatic music, it teaches one the nuances of craft. Then if one collaborates with other artists of various backgrounds, it gives one an added strength.

Having sung duets with Kishore Kumar and Mohammed Rafi, do you think it’s important to be on the same page and have a good coordination with fellow artists for the song to come out well?

When I sang with Kishore da, even duets were live with no dubbing facilities and there was a lot of exchange of emotion and reactions to cues; there was a vibe between two artistes. It was a shared and lived performance, an interactive process in that moment. That energy is missing today as these days I don’t even know who the male singer is. Everybody records his/her part and goes away. I feel unless the singer is absolutely sure about what the picturisation is and what he/she wants from the song, it will not come from a joyful heart. When you hear Kishore da singing Chhod do Anchal, Aankhon mein kya ji, you can almost visualise the guy chasing the girl. In Kora Kagaaz, you can almost feel the sound of an impending storm in the duet between Lataji and Kishoreda, there’s a sense of foreboding. No amount of beats and electronica can replace that creative visualisation. I remember singing a song, Khud ko kya samajhta hai, for a rebellious Madhuri Dixit standing up to a boisterous and caddish Aamir Khan in Dil. All of us stood in a line and sang the song. I am happy with the live duets with male singers. I wouldn’t have been happy doing them alone. Now if somebody wants me to be just one half, I will try to deliver and will be able to do so because I have many years of experience and have been old-schooled. But perhaps I wouldn’t be happy.

During the initial phase in your career, you collaborated with Lata Mangeshkar. How did it feel like sharing the stage with a legend at such a young age?

I didn’t even know that she was coming for the session. I sat with Hemant Kumar to rehearse a few lines from a Tagore song in the Bengali film Shriman Prithviraj. Within a couple of minutes, the door opened and Lataji was there. My hands were cold, I was shaking and literally wanted to hide somewhere. I have adored her singing all my life. There were two mics, one for her and the other for me. I couldn’t believe that she was in the same room as myself (even pinched myself) and was singing so beautifully that I got lost in it. I forgot to sing my lines, mesmerised by her aura.

What are your thoughts about the current lot of singers? Is there something lacking in the present generation?

I think Shreya Ghoshal and Sunidhi Chauhan are definitely brilliant singers and have proved their mettle in their career. Arijit Singh also has a lovely voice and is an emotive artist. These three singers are doing well. I can’t comment much on the next batch of singers as I don’t listen to the Bollywood songs which are popular now. I am not able to clearly distinguish the voice of the current batch of singers. The thing which I don’t like in today’s songs is autotuning, which makes the voice sound metallic and mechanical. If it’s used rarely, it’s fine but shouldn’t be a norm.

Having collaborated with international artists from jazz, pop and classical fields, how have global sounds widened your understanding of music?

Singing with different artists around the world has increased my awareness of the contribution musicians have done to their own instruments. I now know how hard they have worked to make that instrument famous or how famous they are because of the virtuosity of their own instruments. When I meet violinist friends of my husband and other jazz musicians in the US, I have great admiration for them. They inspire me to sing to their melodies. I have sung with a symphony orchestra. The way the conductor puts the piece together on a piece of paper, the struggles of the first rehearsal and the nuances that are worked on in the final rehearsal are a discovery of the potential of music.

You have been recently conferred the Gem of India award. What do awards and recognition mean to you?

It’s always a good feeling to know that your work is being recognised and people think that you have been able to communicate to them through all these years. There was a time that for many years I didn’t get the Filmfare award and wasn’t even nominated for one for several years. I didn’t get it for Mr India or songs I sang in Khuda Gawah. I didn’t feel bad about it and kept on working on my craft. And then I got one for Rimjhim Rimjhim from 1942: A Love Story (1994). When I went up on stage, I felt extremely sad that RD Burman was not alive to witness that moment. It was vindication that I was a successful playback singer.