Debarati Sen (BOMBAY TIMES; December 3, 2017)

A true artiste is never really restricted to a single form of expression. Multi-faceted, they usually begin early by dabbling in many areas and eventually, excelling in quite a few. Anushka Manchanda is one such artiste. She began her journey into stardom as a teenager, by winning one of India’s earliest reality shows to bag a place in the country’s first all-girl band, Viva. Since then, she has donned multiple hats with élan — singer, music producer, songwriter, video editor, biker babe and an actress. Excerpts from an interview...

You were in your teens when you won the Viva talent hunt in 2002. How was the experience, especially since you had never really planned a career in music?
I was 17, and hadn’t even finished school. I had no idea what I was getting into, but everybody around me, including my teachers at school, told my parents that this was the right thing to do. We were meant to migrate to the US earlier that year, but I had an accident which delayed the move. Now, I believe that everything, no matter how bad it seems at the time, happens for the right reason.

Viva was a glamorous band, which had four talented, young and gorgeous girls. Did you ever feel that the music industry did not take you seriously?
Right after Viva split, I became a VJ and one of my first shows was V Launchpad. One day, I did an impromptu jamming session and as soon as I stopped singing, I saw all these indie musicians looking at me incredulously. One of them said, ‘Hey, you can actually sing!’ I grew up on rock and roll, and felt like a fish out of water in the pop band. So, to finally get acceptance from others felt pretty good. Having said that, if I could go back and give an advice to my 20-year-old self, it would be to not worry about being accepted.

It took you four years after Viva to make your Bollywood debut with the title track of The Golmaal – Fun Unlimited (2006). That song is still popular. How did it feel to be appreciated for your first attempt at playback?
If there was a person from the band who had the least chances of being a playback singer, it was me. So, when these songs started to come in, I was shocked. However, I didn’t overanalyse it and just went with the flow. I landed the song because Vishal and Shekhar (music directors) had heard my voice at a show I was hosting. Needless to say, that track turned out to be super lucky for me.

While you were an untrained singer, the music industry, including Bollywood, has always laid a lot of emphasis on the singers being formally trained. Did you ever face any disadvantage because of that?
Yes, I felt that it was such a big drawback. I had played the piano for many years and my basic knowledge was strong, but mostly, I grew up listening to Aerosmith, Rage Against The Machine, Prodigy, Metallica and Apollo 440. So, my style and approach were completely different. It worked for me at times, but many times, it didn’t. For example, once I had to record a song for Jatin-Lalit and I spent most of the time crying in the bathroom because I just couldn’t sing in that style well enough and I felt so bad about it.

Since the Golmaal track, you have sung over 100 songs in films. How has the journey been?
It’s been an adventure. I actually learnt everything about singing on the job. There is this soft side to my voice that I didn’t get to explore much in Bollywood, but I use it a lot for advertising. I wish I could do more of that in films, too.

What’s your take on the current scene in Bollywood music? Over the last few years, do you think that it has changed a lot?
Honestly, it’s a bit confusing. There are so many new, talented artistes in the music industry. But then, there are also songs that make you question everything you believe in. In all humility, let me say that it hurts when I hear remakes of old songs that don’t do justice to the original. I’m not a purist, but some things are sacred.

You have also dabbled in acting, with Pan Nalin’s Angry Indian Goddesses that won critical acclaim, globally. Tell us about the experience...
It was educative — I learnt about filmmaking, acting processes and methods. I also learnt about myself and what I am capable of. I was surrounded by technicians and artistes who were passionate about what they were doing, and it reinforced my conviction about the kind of work I want to do.

Do you find acting as cathartic as music? Or did you explore it out of curiosity?
After Angry Indian Goddesses premiered at the Toronto Film Festival, an article was published about 15 breakthrough actors from the festival and my name was on the list. That gave me a high and I want to do more work that excites me.

Having been successful in various fields, what do you see yourself as — a singer, model, actress or VJ?
Whenever someone asks me that question, I say that I am a new music producer who has been singing for many years. I have also edited some music videos for which my brother, Shikhar Manchanda, and I composed the music.