Neeti Mohan had a busy weekend in Delhi while she was here for a performance at a college in Gurgaon. The singer made the most of her brief visit to her hometown a week before Diwali and did most of her festive shopping from here.

She says, “I wanted to shop ethnic wear for my mother, so I had decided even before coming to Delhi that I would be going with her to the Greater Kailash market. I was really excited to be in Delhi around this time as I knew that I would get to experience festive vibes, every place would be decorated and lit. I love how different Delhi looks around Diwali. Har mohalla saja hota hai aur lagta hai har ghar me shaadi ho rahi hai.”

Neeti says that shopping for mithais was also part of her schedule here. “I remember on Diwali we would get so much mithai that it will take over a month to finish it. I think we would end up gaining at least 5 kgs from over - eating sweets and other delicacies on Diwali. But I love indulging in mithais and that sight of every shop extending the counters during festivals with thaals of mithai is so tempting. I would take dhoda barfi, kaju roll, kaju katli, soan papdi and lots of other mithai to Mumbai for Diwali,” says Neeti.

For Neeti, the best part about Diwali has been doing Lakshmi pujan with family and visiting friends and relatives’ homes. “I love decorating the house and then dressing up for puja in the evening with my family. We used to visit our friends and family, eat good food, party and just have fun. I have very sweet memories of Diwali and I want my son Aryaveer to experience the same joy. I think Diwali is the best festival that comes with the message of spreading happiness and prosperity,” she says.

Neeti will be in Mumbai for Diwali and says that she will be hosting a Diwali party at her home, which will also be her pre-anniversary bash. “We will invite friends over for a card party. I love watching my friends play cards, I am not very good at it,” Neeti adds.

From being a contestant on a music reality show in 2003 to now being a judge on another, Neeti Mohan has come a long way. The singer, who returned to TV last year as a judge for a kids’ singing reality show, will now be one of the judges on Sa Re Ga Ma Pa. Neeti says she is enjoying this phase. “I think I was born for this hustle, and I thrive on it.”

She adds, “From 2003 to 2023, we have only seen singing reality shows becoming popular. So many people got opportunities and platforms because of these shows. They have given people a livelihood, and their dreams could come true because of these reality shows.”

Reality shows are often criticized for being overly dramatized, but Neeti says that as a judge, she is as real as possible with her feedback. “If someone wants to share something, we just listen to them and react, we don’t create drama. Last season, there was this talented singer, Harsh Sikandar; his voice always touched my heart. Whenever he sang, I felt strongly for that boy, and sometimes I cried as well. So we were just being real and reacting to that situation and not creating any drama,” she adds.

Neeti says, "My son Aryaveer is two now. Last year, we introduced him to the concept of his mother being on television, and he was like, ‘Oh mumma!’ He claps each time he would see me on TV; that’s exciting to see. Music is a very important part of our household. As soon as my son wakes up, I play devotional music. We enjoy some rhymes during lunchtime and lullabies at night."

Neeti auditioned for a music, reality show, which launched her musical career with the band Aasma in 2003

After staying low-key during pregnancy and becoming a mother in 2021, singer Neeti Mohan successfully bounced back to professional life last year. Besides performing at back-to-back shows, the singer also had four film releases. Elated with how she’s balancing her time as a mother and artiste, Mohan credits her son, Aryaveer, for inspiring her as a musician.

“Every night I compose a lullaby on the spot when I put Aryaveer to sleep. This has really helped me improvise with my songs too,” says the Meri Jaan (Gangubai Kathiawadi; 2022) singer.

Mohan is glad that just like her, music has become an integral part of her son’s life, too. “Aryaveer loves music. I started singing for him when he was in my womb. I introduce everything to him with some tune or melodic phrase, even if it’s a fruit or animal. For instance, we have a song called Crow Caw Caw. So, I know when I sing that, I don’t just teach him about the crow, but also its sound. Aryaveer sits with me when I play the piano and he presses the keys. It’s a such a great feeling. We also play the guitar together. We have got some musical toys for him and he really enjoys playing with them,” says the singer.

Ask if she would like her son to become a musician when he grows up, and Mohan says, “As a mum, I want him to get exposed to as many sounds as possible. I want to introduce him to all kinds of musical notes, as they really help sharpen your brain. Ultimately, whether he becomes a musician or not will be his call.”

Singer Neeti Mohan will soon be seen as a judge on singing reality show Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Li'l Champs Season 9. Even though she has been a judge earlier, this is the first time that she will be judging kids. Neeti, who has been a reality show contestant in the the past, says, “Since I participated in a singing show Popstars (2003) myself, I understand what contestants go through. When I see them, I recall my own journey.”

Talking about it further, she says, “I’m from Delhi and I remember standing in a queue for hours to get an opportunity to sing. I’ve come a long way since then — I’ve sung for films, independent music and done so much more. I want to continue doing good work. I believe if one follows their heart, they can achieve their dreams.”

Neeti and her husband Nihar Pandya welcomed their son Aryaveer in June last year. She says, “I got pregnant during the lockdown. The silver lining was that my pregnancy went smoothly and I was relaxed during my postpartum period as well. So, I could resume work within three months. I was also travelling for my gigs, taking my son along whenever it was possible.”

Neeti says she wants to balance her work and home because both are important to her. “I finish my work and run to my baby to spend time with him. This is a crucial time when I have to be with my child because he needs me. Becoming a mother is such a beautiful feeling and I feel empowered. To be a mother and a musician is a fulfilling journey for me.”

Motherhood has changed her in many ways, she says. “After becoming a mother, I’ve definitely changed in a good way. And since I’m a mother now, I think the way I will deal with kids on Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Li’l Champs will be different because I have become more sensitive. I will be empathetic towards them,” she shares.

From debuting as a band member of Aasma (its members were the winners of the reality show Popstars) to crooning Bollywood chartbusters like Sau Aasmaan (Baar Baar Dekho), Meri Jaan (Gangubai Kathiawadi) and Nainowale (Padmaavat) and collaborating with globally reputed artistes, Neeti Mohan has come a long way in her nearly two-decade-long career. One of the artistes she has had a long association with is A R Rahman.

Talking about the composer, she says, “I’ve been performing with A R Rahman sir for 15 years and it is always such a beautiful experience. I really look up to him as an artiste and a human being. In fact, after Jiya Re from Jab Tak Hai Jaan released, I had applied to go to a music school and study abroad. But when it became a hit, I was in two minds about whether to go or explore playback singing. When I reached out to him, he told me, ‘You have a hit song now, you are going to get more, stay here.’”

Aryaveer, Neeti’s one-year-old son, keeps her busy when she’s not working. “Motherhood is the most amazing thing that has ever happened to me,” she says. When recordings were halted due to Coronavirus, the new mother had shifted to her home studio for a while for recordings and now, she feels it offers her flexibility and “has worked out well.”

Talking about striking a work-life balance, she adds, “When I am travelling for work, I focus just on that and at home, I give all my attention to my son. I am lucky because my mother-in-law helps a lot whenever I am not at home.”

Neeti says it was a great experience to collaborate with her sisters Shakti and Mukti for the single Naari. She shares, “We’re the best working partners. Also, the way they look after my child is a blessing. ”

Talking about how the band Aasma, which recently completed 19 years, shaped her as a musician, Neeti says, “If Aasma had not happened, I wouldn’t have moved to Mumbai. I am really grateful for the experiences I acquired through the band. I never knew Western music but through the members, I learned a lot about it, which helped later in my career.”

Does she think the band would have enjoyed the same success today? She says, “Being part of a band is a difficult thing because every artiste has a different persona. That is the reason many artistes go solo. But I believe Aasma came to me at the right time because currently, it is more about solo artistes than bands in India.”

It has been just over 20 days since Neeti Mohan delivered a baby boy, and she is back in the recording studio weaving together a musical story through her voice. She admits that work from home has enabled her to resume work fast.

“Last week, I started recording. That was the first time when I was away from him (her son Aryaveer). I kept thinking ke woh kaisa hai, is he crying, will he be okay. But I thought it was pretty smooth to manage my recording at home and be with him when he needed me. I could bring him inside my home studio, feed him and do my things and he can chill in his jhulla,” Mohan tells us.

The Ishq Wala Love hitmaker, who gave birth on June 2, feels “pregnancy, delivery and becoming a mother is such a beautiful time for any woman and we should celebrate it”. But that doesn’t mean putting work on the back burner.

“Of course, a woman’s body goes through a huge change and you have to rest a lot. I am resting a lot. But at the same time, I started feeling okay to start recording. The good part is that we are at home and you can take your own time. Maybe, I am not comfortable with going to a studio yet,” admits the 41-year-old.

However, she is still getting a hang of it, and describes it as “so far so good”. “Working from home has been a silver lining in the Coronavirus pandemic. It is good that I had a baby right now. I know it was scary but I am getting to spend enough time with my baby since there are no concerts,” she says, adding, “On the other hand, I am hoping that things will open up soon and then I will travel with my baby, and do concerts that will be so cool.”

Till then, she is waiting for her doctor to give her a go ahead to get vaccinated, and making sure her baby is safe in these uncertain times.

Going on to explain, Mohan says, “It is because of the current situation that we have not met anyone. Even in our house, only me and my husband (Nihaar Pandya) are allowed to be around him without masks, rest everybody wears a mask when they meet him”.

“He is so tiny abhi, and doesn’t have enough immunity. I am not stepping out, neither is he, and family members are taking all the precautions,” she ends.