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ANTARA CHOWDHURY
In the name of the father

Being the daughter of a composer, it doesn’t surprise you that her name is musical - Antara - meaning the interlude of a song. And it’s not just her name that is musical, Salilda’s daughter has also inherited the musical genes from her father, and is trying to establish her own identity as a singer. She has just come up with an album in the series titled Madhur Smriti, released by Times Music, wherein she sings the Bengali compositions of her father into Hindi. We spoke to the chirpy young singer on the occasion:

The daughter of legendary composer Salil Chowdhury pays a tribute to her father in one of the albums under the series titled Madhur Smriti...

Tell us about your album in the series Madhur Smriti?
This album is a tribute to my father Salil Chowdhury on the occasion of his 15th birth anniversary. Here, I have re-sung the popular Bengali songs in Hindi. Mind you, the songs are not literal translations of the Bengali songs into Hindi. They have been re-written by Yogesh and Krishna Raghav, only the tune is the same. You get to hear all types of numbers - semi-classical, ghazals and the popular kind. So it’s a good showcase for my talent and my range.

What was the aim behind this album?
To bring the popular Bengali compositions to the non-Bengali speaking listeners. My father composed many hits in Bengali, which have been sung by the likes of Lata Mangeshkar (Hay hay pran jaaye), Asha Bhosle and my mother Sabita Chowdhury, which non-Bengali speaking listeners are not aware of. I have presented these songs in Hindi. And I have also sung some songs, especially composed by my father for me, in this album like Beet jaat barkha rut and Sajna tere naina.

Have you sung for films earlier?
I sang for my father as a child regularly. My first song was for the film Meenu, with Manna Dey which went Teri galiyon mein hum aaye. Another popular song of mine as a child was Kaali re. I had released a nursery rhymes album in Bengali as a child, composed by my father, which was a hit in Bengal. I have sung for two films directed by Basu Chatterji - Triyacharitra and a telefilm Durga. Then there was Ketan Mehta’s O Darling Yeh Hai India and Bombay Girls. I have also sung for teleserials. And I keep doing a lot of shows with Manna da which is good training for a budding singer.

Being the daughter of a composer, it was understood that you would take up a musically inclined profession as well, right?
My mother was very keen that I become a singer since she’s a singer herself. As a child, I would always be humming all Lata Mangeshkar compositions, so my parents were pretty sure that I had the singing talent in me and they saw to it that it was honed. I have been training in Indian classical music for 13 years now. And I have completed Grade Seven in piano from the Trinity College, and presently I am continuing with Grade Eight.

Haven’t you got an offer from a leading film composer, considering your father was a big name in the industry?
Well, I am struggling like anybody else for the right break. My father was respected by the film industry, no doubt, but I have to fight my own battle. I can’t expect to get offers just because I am the daughter of a renowned composer. The present-day composers have got to hear me out first, only then can they give me a song which suits my voice. Though I am sure my voice is just apt for the kind of songs being composed these days. But I see to it that my daily riyaaz is on. I remember my father’s advice that never let the gun-powder get dry, because you never know when you might need it. Opportunity can knock at your door anytime. So whenever I get the big break I am ready for it.

S.K.