After winning 'Sa Re Ga Ma Pa', Shreya Ghoshal made her playback singing debut in 2002 with 'Devdas'.
It's Shreya Ghoshal, and of course, “auto-tune has left the chat". One of India's most accomplished playback singers, she has an endless list of unforgettable songs across genres. However, no matter how many hits she delivers, we always find ourselves going back to where it all began - 'Devdas'. Her soulful renditions in the film, from the playful "Bairi Piya" to the iconic "Dola Re Dola", not only marked her spectacular debut but also set a new benchmark for Bollywood playback singing. And it earned her the National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer and the Filmfare Award for Best Female Playback Singer among other accolades.
(Credit: shreyaghoshal)
But do you know how Shreya got to sing in 'Devdas'? It's quite an interesting story. Today, on her 41st birthday, let's learn that in this article.
Shreya started learning music at the age of 4 and received her formal training by 6. Her incredible talent, and not to mention her unparalleled dedication, led her to participate in the television singing reality show 'Sa Re Ga Ma Pa'.
Her performances in the show caught the attention of every music lover. Among the audience was Leela Bhansali, the mother of filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Impressed by Shreya's vocal range, she recommended her to her son.
(Credit: Sa Re Ga Ma)
It was in the year 2000 that Shreya participated in 'Sa Re Ga Ma Pa' and emerged as the winner. Around the same time, Sanjay Leela Bhansali was searching for a fresh, soulful voice for 'Devdas' - a voice that would bring his grand vision to life.
Well, everything fell into place, and he chose Shreya as the lead voice for 'Devdas' soundtrack.
Shreya - as a playback singer - hit the bull's eye with her very first film. She sang five songs in the film, such as "Silsila Ye Chaahat Ka", "Bairi Piya", "Chalak Chalak", "Morey Piya", and "Dola Re Dola", with established singers such as Kavita Krishnamurthy, Udit Narayan, Vinod Rathod, KK, and Jaspinder Narula.
(Credit: ShawaN Al MahmuD)
She was only 16 years old when she recorded the first song for the film, "Bairi Piya", along with Udit Narayan. The song was an instant success and topped the charts. She was termed as the NEXT BIG THING IN INDIAN MUSIC after the film’s release, and went on to win the Filmfare Award for Best Female Playback Singer for "Dola Re" (shared with Kavita Krishnamurthy) and the National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer for "Bairi Piya".
The rest, as they say, is history. With time, she went from strength to strength, becoming a force to be reckoned with.
Shreya's Higher Secondary Examinations were nearing the time she was recording for 'Devdas'. And hence, she would take her books and notebooks to the studio to study during downtime.
However, it wasn't much of a challenge for her, because, you know, she is an exceptional talent. She later shared her experience of recording "Bairi Piya": "I remember I was asked to rehearse the song once before finally recording it. I simply closed my eyes and sang without a break. When I opened my eyes, I noticed a lot of excitement and chaos outside the recording room. Then Sanjayji told me I had sung the song so well that they had recorded it in one go."
(Credit: Universal Music India)
After 'Devdas', Shreya has sung for Bhansali's other films as well. And every time, it has been a treat for us. As the singer said about working with Bhansali in an interview with ETimes, "Once he knows what he wants, he will do whatever it takes to complete that project. There is something about him and his confidence that makes everyone associated with his project really comfortable. We have worked together on so many films after Devdas, and my respect for him and his belief has only grown. He is not only my mentor, but a very good friend as well."
Happy Birthday, Shreya. Thanks For All The Songs!
