Eminent Playback Singer Anuradha Paudwal Turns 62

Anuradha Paudwal the great playback singer of the 90’s who gave super hit songs like Nazar Ke Saamne … (AASHIQUI); Dil Hai Ki Manta Nahin…. (Dil Hai Ki Manta Nahin); Dhak Dhak Karne Laga… (BETA); Mujhe Neend Na Aaye….. (DIL) turns 62 today. Raaga.Com wishes her birthday greetings and takes look at her unbelievable success story that has been filled with utter competition and disillusion. 

Readers would be surprised to know that Anuradha Paudwal, who made her debut with the legendary music director S.D.Burman in the movie ABIMAAN in 1973, had to struggle for over two decades until music magnet Gulshan Kumar of T-Series music cassette discovered her and made her a star. 

Listen to Anuradha Paudwal Songs on Raaga.com

Recalling her first encounter with S.D.Burman Anuradha Paudwal in an interview said, “My husband Arun Paudwal was a music arranger for S.D Burman but he never took my singing abilities seriously. Also it was that period when Lataji and Ashaji were rulings the industry. However my father-in-law was my source of inspiration. He would constantly keep telling my husband to make me sing but he would retort, ‘It's not so easy, look at the competition.’ 

She continues, “However one day Arunji recorded a shiv sholka in my voice because S.D.Burman wished to have the opening sequence of ABIMAAN with a shiv sholka. Since Lata Mangeshkar was out of country for an important assignment hence Arunji insisted Burmanda to listen to my voice. Listening my voice Burmanda was bowled over and gave me a chance. The sholka gave me much recognition because listeners felt it was sung my Lataji.” 

Listen to Anuradha Paudwal Songs on Raaga.com

Despite such a important break a later many more songs in movies of 70’s 80’s lady luck smiled on Anuradha Paudwal when she met Gulshan Kumar. Recalling her meeting with Gulshan Kumar Anuradha confides, “I met Gulshan Kumar at a point where I had been singing for 12 years and still struggling. I was not getting the kind of top quality songs that I felt I should be singing and the top recording labels were still loyal to Lataji and Ashaji.”

Her meeting with Gulshan Kumar ended her long struggle as she reaped rich dividends with successful movies like DIL HAI KE MANTA NAHIN, AASHIQUI, JEENA TERI GALI MEIN AND MEERA KA MOHAN to name a few.

With this success other top notch music directors worked with her like Jaidev, Shiv-Hari, Ravindra Jain, Laxmikant–Pyarelal, Kalyanji-Anandji, Rahul Dev Burman, Rajesh Roshan, Bappi Lahiri, Anand-Milind, Nadeem-Shravan, A. R. Rahman, Anu Malik, Jagjit Singh, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, 

She also sang beautiful duets with her co-singers from south, notably Dr. K. J. Yesudas and S. P. Balasubrahmanyam.

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