The Shubha Mudgal Chat
'I've sung pop because I don't have an attitude of condescension about styles other than classical.'
The first thing that strikes you upon seeing Shubha Mudgal are her eyes, they are smiling all the time. The lady arrived on time and admitted that she is a regular on the chat circuit. To prove her point she even keyed in her answers for sometime. She had a great time, so did her fans. Read on.
Ms Shubha Mudgal (Thu Apr 22 1999 7:30 IST)
Hi, this is me online from the Rediff Headquarters :-)
Sangeet (Thu Apr 22 1999 7:30 IST)
You are too sexy to be part of all those classical fogeys. Do your looks -- oh! those eyes -- go against you?
Ms Shubha Mudgal (Thu Apr 22 1999 7:31 IST)
Sangeet: Thanks for the compliments. And no, middle-aged, overweight, etc, is just right for classical! *lol*
Raga (Thu Apr 22 1999 7:29 IST)
Shubhaji: Namaskar. I believe you have been reviled by the classical puritans for pop-izing the raga...
Ms Shubha Mudgal (Thu Apr 22 1999 7:32 IST)
Raga: No, I haven't heard about my pop-izing the raga at all. I think I've got some good reviews in the recent past, but if you've seen any of the other ones, do let me know!
Vikas Seshadri (Thu Apr 22 1999 6:56 IST)
Hello madam, someone below mentioned the music mafia where artistes have fallen victims and their careers suffered because they have been not allowed access to perform in certain countries, cities. Have you ever experienced this? And is this why you are making your debut as a pop singer? BTW love all your works.
Ms Shubha Mudgal (Thu Apr 22 1999 7:34 IST)
Vikas Seshadri: No, I haven't really been victimised by the so-called music mafia, and I've sung pop because I don't have an attitude of condescension about styles other than classical. And thanks for appreciating my work!
DOT (Thu Apr 22 1999 7:21 IST)
HIIIIII I have watched you perform, you are damn good. Tell me, why have you kept away from the press? You should be more in the forefront!!! One question: The common belief is that one needs to be good-looking and sexy to be a pop icon. How do you plan to complete with the Suchitras, Anaidas and Alishas?
Ms Shubha Mudgal (Thu Apr 22 1999 7:34 IST)
DOT: Are you suggesting I'm not good-looking? Come on, confess...
Sangeet (Thu Apr 22 1999 7:34 IST)
I think you are sexy, who cares about being fat? I am as old as you are (I assume you are 1959-born), but this is not a proposal. At least, not as yet!
Ms Shubha Mudgal (Thu Apr 22 1999 7:36 IST)
Sangeet: Heart-warming, your response! And just for info, my New Year resolution this year was to lose weight, what else? So there's hope for me yet.
Pandit (Thu Apr 22 1999 7:35 IST)
Do you agree with Pandit Vishnu Mohan Bhatt that Amjad Ali Khan and Zakir Hussain monopolise all government invitations?
Ms Shubha Mudgal (Thu Apr 22 1999 7:37 IST)
Pandit: That's one controversy I wouldn't want to comment on!
Indian (Thu Apr 22 1999 7:33 IST)
Ms Mudgal: Welcome to Rediff's chat. I have never listened to any of your music so it would be presumptious of me to comment on it. Do you think you are (or would like to be perceived as) following in the footsteps of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan? He was intimately connected with the Sufi music movement and made the bold move to popularise it. Are you attempting to do the same with Indian classical music?
Ms Shubha Mudgal (Thu Apr 22 1999 7:38 IST)
Indian: Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was a pioneer in his field. I'm afraid I can't claim to be a patch on him. As for my musical experiments, I do those because it's creatively and aesthetically satisfying for me, and because I can't look down on popular styles of music.
NaazishM (Thu Apr 22 1999 7:37 IST)
I have heard quite a lot about your Sufi songs album, Ali More Angana, but unfortunately was not able to get it here in the US. In fact, even Abida Parveen’s album (released by HMV) was available here. Do you think your music company (Magnasound… I guess) is not taking enough pains to promote you overseas or is it because of the controversy that this album has taken a back seat?
Ms Shubha Mudgal (Thu Apr 22 1999 7:40 IST)
NaazishM: Magnasound is on the Net now, and maybe you could get in touch with them about your query? But I think you won't have any complaints about my new album Ab Ke Sawan, to be launched on the 29th of April by Virgin Records.
Pandit (Thu Apr 22 1999 7:39 IST)
You are lily-livered, and here I thought you would take the maestros on. Jo dar gaya, use ICCR ka invite mila!!!
Ms Shubha Mudgal (Thu Apr 22 1999 7:41 IST)
Pandit: Check out the ICCR records and you'll find that this one here isn't lily-livered!
Sare (Thu Apr 22 1999 7:41 IST)
How much do people like you make in comparision to the Dalers of the world?
Ms Shubha Mudgal (Thu Apr 22 1999 7:42 IST)
Sare: You're talking about the King of Bhangra pop. I'm just a "classical" musician!
NaazishM (Thu Apr 22 1999 7:41 IST)
What kind of an album is Ab Ke Saawan?
Ms Shubha Mudgal (Thu Apr 22 1999 7:45 IST)
NaazishM: Ab Ke Sawan is a set of eight songs composed by Shantanu Moitra, who has this great fondness for World Music. It's his debut-making album and he wanted to juxtapose musical sounds from the world over with my voice. We've collaborated on the album with two young lyricists, Prasoon Joshi and Jaideep Sahni, but hey, check it out and let me know what you think.
Indian (Thu Apr 22 1999 7:41 IST)
Ms Mudgal: What is your background? I mean, what have you been trained in formally? And when did you start singing? Early genius or late bloomer?
Ms Shubha Mudgal (Thu Apr 22 1999 7:47 IST)
Indian: No bloomers here, only saris! And yes, I did start late according to conventional standards. I started studying classical music only when I joined college, but plunged into it wholeheartedly and have now been a student for about 20 years! I'm ancient, I confess.
NaazishM (Thu Apr 22 1999 7:40 IST)
The music of Kamasutra was absolutely brilliant but your name didn’t appear on the credits. Are you planning to do more movies?
Ms Shubha Mudgal (Thu Apr 22 1999 7:49 IST)
NaazishM: My name did appear, but only as a performer. That mistake has now been rectified, but hey, great to hear that you keep track of all these details. No movies for the moment, but lots of albums coming up in the future.
NaazishM (Thu Apr 22 1999 7:48 IST)
I think a ghazal would be more beautiful with your kind of voice. Do you have any ghazal albums released? If not, are u planning one?
Ms Shubha Mudgal (Thu Apr 22 1999 7:50 IST)
NaazishM: I don't know enough Urdu to do ghazals, but I would certainly look forward to trying my hand, oops voice out, if the opportunity comes my way.
Nandini (Thu Apr 22 1999 7:49 IST)
Shubha, this is just a note to say thank you for what you are doing for Avut victims. That was really nice of you. Wish there were more people like you around.
Ms Shubha Mudgal (Thu Apr 22 1999 7:51 IST)
Nandini: Thanks, but do join hands with AVUT if you have the time. They are really doing a great and brave job, and need the support of everyone.
Sadhika (Thu Apr 22 1999 7:51 IST)
What does your family think of you?
Ms Shubha Mudgal (Thu Apr 22 1999 7:52 IST)
Sadhika: They think I'm a mad-hatter and have decided to bear with me and love me. But I guess that's what families are all about, aren't they?
amitduggal (Thu Apr 22 1999 7:50 IST)
Who is your favorite actor and actress?
Ms Shubha Mudgal (Thu Apr 22 1999 7:53 IST)
Amitduggal: Robert DeNiro, Julia Roberts.
Travitz (Thu Apr 22 1999 7:46 IST)
Are you trying to be distinctive by going the Usha Uthup way?
Ms Shubha Mudgal (Thu Apr 22 1999 7:54 IST)
Travitz: What's the Usha Uthup way?
Travitz (Thu Apr 22 1999 8:2 IST)
The sari, Indian look, deep voice way...
Ms Shubha Mudgal (Thu Apr 22 1999 8:5 IST)
Travitz: Let's do the 'ear test.' We're both women and we both wear saris and we both have big, deep voices but whilst Ushaji has made a huge contibution to Indian pop, I have only done two little albums and my focus is on classical music.
Nandini (Thu Apr 22 1999 7:54 IST)
Shubha, I also have a couple of stupid questions for you: how do you rate today's singers -- er, I am afraid I mean playback singers, not classical. Alka, Kavita? Who do you think is the best around now?
Ms Shubha Mudgal (Thu Apr 22 1999 7:56 IST)
Nandini: I liked Jaspinder Narula's work and admire her versatility. Her voice too has a distinctive quality about it. The others very often sound similar, if you know what I mean.
MusicIsLife (Thu Apr 22 1999 7:56 IST)
Do you write your own lyrics? Are there really any original lyricists left in India anymore?
Ms Shubha Mudgal (Thu Apr 22 1999 7:58 IST)
MusicIsLife: Yes I have tried my hand at writing lyrics but I prefer to have an expert do the job.
NaazishM (Thu Apr 22 1999 7:58 IST)
Shubhaji, amongst the complete lot of Indian musicians from the Raageshwaris to Alka Yagniks to Asha Bhosle to Shobha Gurtu to Kishori Amonkar to Parveen Sultana, where do u rate yourself? And what are the goals u would further like to achieve? Were there any significant influences in your music journey?
Ms Shubha Mudgal (Thu Apr 22 1999 8:0 IST)
NaaazishM: I rate myself a good, compulsive, obessive, student of voice. And I hope that my connection with music continues through my life. More than that, I don't have any ambitions that I can talk about.
Nandini (Thu Apr 22 1999 7:59 IST)
Shubha, yeah, I like her tons. I mean she can actually sing. What about Kavita Krishnamurthy? How do you rate her?
Ms Shubha Mudgal (Thu Apr 22 1999 8:1 IST)
Nandini: I've liked Kavitaji's work, especially one song. Can't remember the film but the words go something like this; Nazron ke milne se.....
MusicIsLife (Thu Apr 22 1999 8:5 IST)
nazron ke milne se... hotee hai kyoon halchal... hum yaheen kho jaayen... chhota se hai ye pal... sagar se milne ko... jhoome hai ye nadiya... tum se milne se hee...hai ye meri duniya...something like that?? verrry sweet, that song!
Rajni (Thu Apr 22 1999 8:0 IST)
Ms Mudgal: which is your own sung favourite song?
Ms Shubha Mudgal (Thu Apr 22 1999 8:3 IST)
Rajni: Ab ke sawan is my curent favourite but that might change the next time I'm on this chat.
Indian (Thu Apr 22 1999 8:4 IST)
Ms Mudgal: Do you have any plans to visit the US? If so, when? If not, then could I entice you into visiting? ;-)
Ms Shubha Mudgal (Thu Apr 22 1999 8:6 IST)
Indian: I'm going on a tour of the USA, from September to November '99. Don't have the itinerary as yet, but lemme check it out and maybe you could come and hear me sing in NY.
Indian (Thu Apr 22 1999 8:7 IST)
Ms Mudgal: You MUST be clairvoyant!! How did you know I was near NY?!! (Lemme guess... Suparn told ya?)
Ms Shubha Mudgal (Thu Apr 22 1999 8:8 IST)
Indian: Suparn? Who's Suparn? The guy who is keying in for me?
Raga (Thu Apr 22 1999 8:6 IST)
Shubha: How come you are still single? Are you just 39?
Ms Shubha Mudgal (Thu Apr 22 1999 8:7 IST)
Raga: JUST 39??? Nice to hear someone say that. There's no cake that can take that many candles :-)
Sangeet (Thu Apr 22 1999 8:7 IST)
Where are you in the current scale of musicians? Are you Kishoribai's successor?
Ms Shubha Mudgal (Thu Apr 22 1999 8:9 IST)
Sangeet: I'm just one of the 'not so young' singers. Kishoriji is someone I look up to and am nowhere near her. Truly, I mean that.
NaazishM (Thu Apr 22 1999 8:9 IST)
Shubhaji, now that u have entered the world of pop music, don't u think that your voice would be typecast in the Ila Arun mould? I mean, like a voice suited for specific type of songs... Could u please comment on that?
Ms Shubha Mudgal (Thu Apr 22 1999 8:11 IST)
NaazishM: My new album, Ab Ke Sawan, showcases the variety that can be brought into the rendering of different songs in one album. I don't think I stand the chance of being typecast.
Joseph (Thu Apr 22 1999 8:4 IST)
That's a cool video, Shubha, for Ab ke saawan... from what little I caught on the music channels. Great work! Was there as much masti, magic while shooting the video as it seemed so to me? Who directed the video, Ken Ghosh?
Ms Shubha Mudgal (Thu Apr 22 1999 8:13 IST)
Joseph: The video has been done by Pradeep Sarkar and, yes, it was a lot of fun. Although getting wet in the 'rain' on a cold February morning in Delhi can be tough for a singer *achoo*
Raga (Thu Apr 22 1999 8:12 IST)
Will you ever give up the sari you swathe your body in and be a little less formal in your next video? Not Alisha or Mehnaaz, but maybe Sunita Rao?
Ms Shubha Mudgal (Thu Apr 22 1999 8:13 IST)
Raga: You're talking about beautiful women. NAH! It's going to be the sari for me.
jamun (Thu Apr 22 1999 8:12 IST)
You have the potential to be the Bhimsen Joshi of Hindustani classical music. Why are you wasting your time in pop songs? You would be a loss to the classical world. You may say you can manage but I doubt...
Ms Shubha Mudgal (Thu Apr 22 1999 8:15 IST)
Jamun: Thanks for the concern. Why don't you come and hear my next concert? I doubt I can be a Bhimsen Joshi but I'm trying my best and remain committed to classical music.
Ms Shubha Mudgal (Thu Apr 22 1999 8:18 IST)
Okay, guys, I'll meet up with you somewhere, sometime in cyberspace, maybe with an online concert!! Rediff, are you there? Ciao.
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