Usha Uthup - Queen of Indi Pop

Music director Bappi Lahari introduced Indi Pop Ramba Ho Sambha ho... and Hari Om Hari….in the Bollywood movies ARMAAN and PYAARA DUSHMAN respectively making its lead singer Usha Uthup an instant hit. Since then she has been termed as the ‘Original diva of Indi-Pop’. She has to her credits 200 albums and soundtracks for 150 Hindi and regional films, Usha Uthup, has sung in 14 Indian and eight foreign languages and what’s amazing is that she is India's first and only international artiste with six English language song releases. 

On her 68 birthday; Raag.Com wishes her birthday greeting and goes memory down lane her journey in music. 

Usha was born in Mumbai in a Tamil Brahmin family of Vaidyanath Someshwar Sami that hailed from Chennai, in Tamil Nadu in 1947. In an interview she recalled, “I had a passion for music since childhood but to my dismay when I was in primary class I was discarded from the singing group reasoning I was had a hoarse voice and I was not suitable for singing.”

She added, “This incident had a deep impact on me. Instead of being demotivated I took up the challenge to become a singer. My neighboring friend, Jaamila encouraged me to learn Hindi and take up Indian classical music. This fusion approach helped me to pioneer my unique brand of Indian pop in the 1970s.” 

Readers would be surprised to know that Usha who had been discarded for singing in her school stunned everybody when she was offered to sing on the popular radio program Ovaltine Music Hour on Radio Ceylon anchored by India’s eminent radio announcer Ameen Sayani. Usha sung the song Mockingbird Hill…. and became a star overnight. She was then just nine years. 

Later she did many programs for All India Radio and appeared on Doordarshan and sung songs in Bollywood. Some of her most memorable numbers include besides her iconic Ramba Ho Sambha ho... and Hari Om Hari…., Hare Rama Hare Krishna… ; Tu Mujhe Jaan Se Bhi Pyara Hai.. ; One Two Cha Cha Cha…, Dosto se pyaar kiya...., Darling ..Ankhon Se Aankhe Char Karne Do; etc. 

Usha Uthup is also credited for introducing "Pop Time" for Doordarshan. For Usha, music is not just her life-style, but it is an instrument of love!

Salman Khan invites PM Narendra Modi for Sister’s Marriage

Bollywood superstar Salman Khan met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his official residence at 7, Race Course Road (RCR) in New Delhi according to Prime Minister’s Office officials. In a Twitter handle the PMO office announced, Renowned actor Salman Khan called on the Prime Minister. @BeingSalmanKhan pic.twitter.com/8BAzq45f8V; from PMO India (@PMOIndia) November 6, 2014

Though the twitter did not spill the beans about the reason behind the meeting but grapevine has it that the actor had given a personnel visit to the PM not for any influence to shut off his pending cases in the court of law but to invite the honorable Prime Minster to grace the wedding ceremony of his sister Arpita Khan which is scheduled on November 18 at the Royal Falaknuma Palace in Hyderabad. 

It may be noted that 'Dabbang' Khan and PM Narendra Modi share a warm relation. Salman Khan may be a favorite of film buffs but he is also the favorite of honorable PM. A picture of their friendship could be seen from the fact that when Narendra Modi was contesting for the Lok Sabha election he had invited Salman Khan for a kite festival in Ahmedabad and on another important occasion both Salman Khan and his father, Salim Khan were invited to the swearing in ceremony of the Prime Minister. Narendra Modi had also called on the star when he launched the 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan'. Thus Salman Khan is confident that Narendra Modi will accept his invitation and grace the wedding ceremony.