Shilpa Rao on Besharam Rang being a celebration of Deepika Padukone

Sundas Jawed (CALCUTTA TIMES; February 12, 2023)

She is the voice behind several chart-topping numbers, but still believes in introspection while making decisions. That is what makes the Tose Naina Laage, Khuda Jaane and Besharam Rang fame singer a music sensation in Bollywood and beyond. After taking the Kolkata audience on a melodious trip on Friday, Shilpa Rao spoke to CT about the mantra behind her flexibility, benefits of training early, her formula for success with Deepika Padukone and more. Excerpts:

You have been praised for the versatility of your musical style and for adapting to the needs of a song. What is the creative process behind this flexibility?
More than the creative process, you need to be open-minded towards different genres. It’s very important to listen to all kinds of music without preconceived notions while connecting with it. Once you start doing that, it starts showing in your own music and that helps you develop varied styles.

Your songs for Deepika Padukone seem to be a sure-shot formula for success. What is the secret chemistry behind this?
It is very simple. We do the work together. I do half the work in the studios, she expresses it on screen. She makes sure to own my voice on screen. We share each other’s work. It is a two-way process.

The diverse kinds of movies being made now have created room for singers with more distinctive voices and timbre. Do you agree, or can singers still be typecast in playback singing?
The journey is entirely independent of each other. I think no one should compare anyone with anyone else. We need to focus on what we want to do and what makes us happy. To do this, one needs to introspect daily. Everyone should have their own path, their own voices because there is always room for new things.

Popular songs like Besharam Rang acquire a life of their own when content creators make it their own. Sometimes they work really well, sometimes not so much, and the original singer, composer and choreographer do not have control over it anymore. Does it get bothersome at any point?
Yes, no one has control over it. Once we release a song, it belongs to the audience. It’s all on you. We are just in control when we are working on the song. When I am in the studio, I have that song with me and I have the pleasure to live that song and have a great time. That is my time to have fun with the song. I have my party in the studio and nobody can take it away from me. Once it releases, it belongs to everyone else.

Having worked with almost all music directors, who do you think has been a mentor and who is the most fun to work with?
Everyone has been a mentor and a fun friend. I am happy that I have been able to befriend so many people on this journey – be it Pritam or Vishal-Shekhar. We have created a space where it is fun to be around each other and share our thoughts and music advice.

You were in Kolkata for a singing reality show. Do you think there is a pressure to get stage-ready too early and less emphasis on the training? Or is it that learning to be a performer and starting early helps?
Training never ends; one keeps learning. I don’t see it as completely good or bad. Some take to it very nicely but for some it becomes an auto-pilot thing and later they lose that thrill of going on stage. It could be either case but learning from an early age is very advantageous. The sooner you start going to a school teacher, a guru to learn, the better. And when to get into the performance zone should be advised by the teacher or guru. They know it best.

What is it like to perform for an audience in Kolkata?
It is amazing. There is a different charm and energy here. These people are so artistically inclined. It comes from the soil. They all have a soft corner for the nuances of art – be it music, dance, films or other artworks.