Today's raft of birthdays include the 99th of Dame Vera Lynn, as well as (among others) unlikely co-celebrants Henrik Ibsen, Michael Redgrave, Spike Lee, Sergei Rachmaninov, David Thewlis, Steve McFadden (aka "Phil Mitchell" in Eastenders), William Hurt and house fave here at Dolores Delargo Towers Natacha Atlas.
However, it is one very special lady's 50th birthday today, Miss Alka Yagnik.
Who? I hear you ask.
It is for Miss Yagnik's voice, rather than her face, that most people may recognise her - if you've ever been to an Indian restaurant, at least some of the background songs will be hers - for during her estimable career she has sung 2,482 Hindi songs in 1,114 Bollywood films. She is the fifth most prolific Bollywood singer of all time (that record is held by Asha Bhosle).
So, without further ado...
...here she is, dubbing for Sridevi Kapoor on Teri Banjaran Rasta Dekhe from the Bollywood movie Banjaran (1991):
...and here, for Madhuri Dixit on Jungle Mein Sher from Prem Granth (1996):
I really feel like a Rogan Josh and some naan bread now.
Facts:
- Miss Yagnik was a classically-trained vocalist before she landed her career as a "playback singer".
- Her song Taal Se Taal Mila from the movie Taal was voted as the best song of the century in a poll in 2012 to mark 100 years of Hindi Cinema.
- Of late she has been the judge of various Indian singing competition shows.
- It is her song Chamma Chamma that was sampled in Hindi Sad Diamonds from the soundtrack of the film Moulin Rouge.
Such a beautiful pure voice - fab vids
ReplyDeleteBut "chapati's over" now... Jx
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