Saapna
New dreams

A numerology-driven name, a Magnasound album called Haye Mera Dil that exposes her vocal range, and the complete support of the Sahara India Parivaar. With this three weapons in her musical armour, Saapna (nee Sapna Mukerji) is dreaming up a new lease to her music career. “I am grateful to Shashi Gopalji of Magnasound for giving me this wonderful opportunity and complete creative freedom.

Haye Mera Dil, reveals Saapna, is no one-hit album. “Iss mein har tarah ke gaane hai, even a patriotic song which Sudesh Bhosle has sung with me,” says Saapna, “My nine solos include a song that blends Indian classical and Western music, a Rajasthani and a Punjabi folk song and a rock-n-roll number that’s been made into a great video by Ken Ghosh. We also have a calypso kind of song and a Breathless kind of number. Every song is good, and and at least five are outstanding numbers.

” She is all praise for Leslie Lewis (who has composed eight songs written by Sameer) and Rajesh Roshan (who has done two songs penned by Dev Kohli). “The lyrics are so meaningful too,” she says. Saapna is indebted to the Sahara India Parivaar, whose music and events management she has been overseeing for many months now. “They actually told me to give priority to my album. And this is probably the first pop album recorded in a major studio like Sahara where the songs for the biggest blockbusters are done.

” Born Sapna Mukerji in Delhi, she imbibed her musical knowledge from her singer mother. “My mother could not make a career out of music in those conservative days, but I wanted to do so, and it was her dream too. When a Kalyanji-Anandji Nite was held in Delhi and a major singer could not make it, my father’s friend who was an Income Tax Commissioner put in a word. So I got to sing two songs on the show, including Babuji dheere chalna, and Anandjibhai told me that I had a fine voice quality and should come to Mumbai and try my hand at playback.

” When Saapna came down and met Kalyanjibhai, he suggested that she remain in Mumbai and train with them. “I was with them for ten years,” recalls Saapna, “One day Kalyanjibhai made Feroz Khan listen to my voice. I remember I sang Yeh hai reshmi zulfon ka andhera to him. He decided on the spot that I would sing three of the songs for Jaanbaaz (1986).”

The success of these three numbers Pyaar lo pyaar do, Jaane jaana (which was recorded in London) and Tera saath hai kitna pyaara gave an instant fillip to her career, and Saapna began the ’90s with a popular award for Oye oye, her chartbuster from the 1989 Tridev.

Saapna is full of gratitude for the filmmaker-star who gives her at least one song in every one of his films like Dayavan (the hit Chahe meri jaan tu le le which introduced Ramya Krishnan to Hindi films), Yalgaar and Prem Aggan.

Saapna has recorded over 100 songs - most of them hits - in films like Vishwatma (Dil le gayi teri bindiya and Toofan), Krantiveer (Love rap), Rakshak (Sundara sundara), Love (Ayee bahaar), Khiladi (Khud ko kya samajhti hai), Vinashak (Bappa morya re), Raja Hindustani (Tere ishq mein naachenge), Judaai (Pyar pyar karte karte) and other films. She also did three major albums including a tribute to Geeta Dutt, Dil Tera Hua (with R.D.Burman) and Jaanam (with Amit Kumar and Viju Shah after Oye oye’s success), but none of them were marketed well.

Saapna still performs in shows with Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan and Juhi Chawla too. Why then hasn’t she made it big? “It’s luck, I suppose,” shrugs Saapna, “I was also branded as a singer of ‘fast’ numbers after my initial hits. That’s why I insisted on variety in my new album to prove my range. Also, I have never worked with only money in mind. I refused to sing a big-banner film’s song because it had vulgar lyrics. These things worked against me. In fact, when I could not break through my image, I decided to quit singing, but Mr Subroto Roy persuaded me not to let my talent go waste. With Haye Mera Dil, I also want to remove the wrong impression that I have stopped singing. I have sung as recently as in Krodh. Music is my first love and passion. I want to sing all my life, but stress on quality. I have sung for all leading except A.R.Rahman. It is also my dream to sing for him.” Will Rahman oblige?

Rajiv Vijayakar