The Bollywood diva talks about her singing journey and how she is finally ready to explore her musical talent
Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; May 31, 2020)

What has been your biggest lesson from the Coronavirus lockdown?
Recently, we shot my song, Candle, at home. Ram (Dr Sriram Nene, husband) is not a camera person, but he took online tutorials and shot it. I did my own hair and makeup, and set the lighting. Usually, you have professionals on set for these things, but now, we are doing everything on our own. The lockdown is compelling us to learn new things, which is great. It’s making us self-sufficient. It’s also giving us the opportunity to do things that we always wanted to, but never had the time. I used to be a voracious reader, but had given up that habit. Now, I am back to it.

Talking about Candle, take us through your transition from an actor-dancer to singer...
I started working when I was very young and got busy. Unlike today, when actors work in a film and take a break for two-three months, we worked two shifts, every day. And then, I got married in 1999 and had kids. So, I never got the time to devote to my singing. I got the opportunity to sing in a studio after we met Sat Bisla in Los Angeles. His company has introduced artistes and bands like Adele and Coldplay to the US. He listened to my voice and suggested that I sing. I took that seriously and trained with vocal coach Ron Anderson, who has coached singers like Mariah Carey, Ariana Grande, The Weeknd and more. That’s how my musical journey started.

How did Candle happen?
We wanted to make a song that describes how our spirit can conquer our difficulties. That is something everyone can relate to. I have been through a phase where I thought nothing was working for me. But, you have to tell yourself that you are stronger than your fears. That’s when we created this song, which speaks about hope and positivity. You could be in the worst situation, but you have to be a bright light for those around you. Candle stands for what is happening around us today.

Your video with your son Arin went viral, recently. He’s seen playing the piano, while you are singing Ed Sheeran’s Perfect. Your passion for singing was a revelation, as you never spoke about it before...
(Laughs!) I decided to sing for the video, because people have never seen me do that. I used to sing even on the TV shows that I have judged, but that was mostly in Hindi. In Bollywood, people are used to hearing playback singers sing for us. I sang a bit in Devdas (Dhaai Sham Rok Lai) and Gulaab Gang. I went to an English medium convent school. There, too, I sang only in English, so I was used to it. No one knew about my musical talent, because I never spoke about it on any public platform.

Madhuri Dixit-Nene says she is yearning to resume work on Karan Johar-backed Netflix series
Uma Ramasubramanian (MID-DAY; May 29, 2020)

Madhuri Dixit-Nene is itching to return to the hustle and bustle of a set, and with good reason. The Coronavirus lockdown was announced barely a week into the shoot of her maiden web series, the yet-untitled Netflix drama produced by Karan Johar. The two are joining forces to tell the story of a superstar who vanishes without a trace. "Karan is one of the most creative people I have come across. He has a hold on various aspects of filmmaking, and hence, makes an actor's job simpler. He constantly reinvents himself," says the actor, thrilled to reunite with him after Kalank (2019).

Even though she may have bided her time before making her acting debut in digital entertainment, Dixit argues that she understood the potential of the web world early on. "When I started Dance With Madhuri [dance tutorials] online, people were apprehensive and [wondered] how it will pan out. But Sriram [husband] and I were clear that we wanted to do it. That was an experiment we did years ago because we believed in the medium."

Celebrated for her acting and dancing, Dixit proved she is a talented singer with the release of her single, Candle. Ask her if she was nervous about going behind the mic, and she says, "There was no hesitation. Many people are scared of experimenting, but I always loved singing. I wanted to do something that spreads hope in the current scenario."

The actor says that she doesn’t want to put anybody’s life at risk and is willing to wait until things go back to normal, to start work
Sonil Dedhia (HINDUSTAN TIMES; May 25, 2020)

I have been binge watching television which I have never done earlier,” says Madhuri Dixit Nene, who has been occupied with many things during the Coronavirus lockdown. “I am doing my riyaaz which usually, I don’t have the time for. I managed to finish a book (Trevor Noah’s Born A Crime) after a long time. I have been cooking and even practising with my online dance class where I was encouraging my fans to learn new steps and send me their videos, and in the process, keep their mind occupied. I have been really busy. The idea is to remain positive during this tough phase that we all are going through,” she shares.

Apart from sticking to her fitness regime and her dance sessions, the actor is happy to be with her family and misses being on the sets, “I like the fact that we are spending more time together. I recently celebrated my birthday and it was nice to have my mother, husband and my kids by my side for the entire day. I have been talking to my sons, getting to know what is going on with them. I feel this togetherness is really good. At the same time, I miss my craft and the characters that I play. But I don’t want to be working by putting anyone’s life at risk, so I wouldn’t mind waiting to star work until things get better,” she says.

The actor has added one more feather to her cap as she makes her debut as a professional singer with her recently released song, “Singing is an extension of who I am. I thought this is another avenue for me to emote. I would sing in English during my school days. However, I was never able to pursue it as I got busy with my acting career and later, with my family,” says the actor who trained with Ron Anderson, a voice coach who has worked with people like Mariah Carey, Ariana Grande, Whitney Huston, among others.

Speaking about the song, Dixit adds, “I wanted the song to be about how human spirit can rise above all hardships and struggle and burn like fire. It resonated with everyone’s life as we all go through situations where we feel hopeless and that’s when you reach and ignite your soul and be like the flame that burns bright. Today, more than ever, when we are going through an unprecedented time where people are facing so many hardships and uncertainty, I thought this would be a great time to release the song as it would bring some positivity into the world.”

Madhuri Dixit, has recorded a song in English, an ode to Coronavirus warriors
Ankita Chaurasia (MUMBAI MIRROR; May 25, 2020)

Madhuri Dixit’s decision to cut her first single may have come as a surprise to husband Sriram Nene, sons Arin and Ryan and her fans, but her mother Snehlata and sisters, Rupa and Bharati, who had seen her sing on stage all through school, didn’t bat an eyelid when she confided in them. “Mom is a trained Hindustani classical singer and has been a huge influence. And because I was always into dance, music was a constant in my life, too,” she points out, admitting that life came in the way of her pursuing singing earlier. “I entered the industry when I was just 16. By the time I turned 19, I had no time for anything but work. When I was finally free, I got married and the kids followed.”

It’s not just the singing, many are shocked that she’s singing in English. But as she reasons, anyone who has lived in Mumbai is comfortable speaking in not just English, but Hindi and Marathi, too. “I grew up speaking Marathi at home, Hindi with friends and English in school,” she relays.

The brainwave to sing professionally came to the actress a few years ago, when A&R’s Sat Bisla commended her voice and encouraged her to sing. “I took his advice and trained with voice coach Ron Anderson, who has helped singers like Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey and Ariana Grande,” she reveals. Interestingly, the song “Candle”, which is about burning bright in the face of a storm, written by Narinder Singh and Michael Ochs, was recorded in Los Angeles long before the pandemic had brought the world to a standstill. “It’s very relevant now with all of us fighting the virus by staying strong. But even back then, I could relate to it, because as an actress I have faced seemingly insurmountable situations like everyone else. You can’t get bogged down by them; you have to shine bright,” she asserts.

During the lockdown, Madhuri has been cooking, spending time with their dog, Carmelo, practicing and teaching dance as a part of her initiative. “It’s a great time to be together as a family, which was difficult when everyone went to work and school,” avers the actress, who rang in her 53rd birthday on May 15. “We baked a keto cake and indulged in tomfoolery. My sons are both teenagers now and not into gifts.” But with collages, sketches and montages, her fans made up for the lack of presents, prompting Madhuri to come up with the single as a token of gratitude and hope in these difficult times.

The video for the single, dedicated to Coronavirus warriors, was shot in Madhuri’s home. “Luckily, we had gifted Ram (husband) a professional camera on his birthday in February. A lot of online videos later, he got the setting right and shot the video. I had lights for my photoshoots at home and a textured glass pane provided the perfect backdrop. Of course, I did my own makeup,” she concludes with a laugh.