About : Singer
Website: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0764973/
How it happened : Interview with Hema Sardesai
Interview Date: October, 2000
Place: Bahrain
Pics: None
She has won the Grand Prix Award at
Nikhil Taneja (NT) : How would you define music?
Hema Sardesai(HS) : Music is the language of the soul and the heart and if anything in music doesn’t reach the heart and the soul, it is not complete music.
NT : Who or what influenced you to take up singing ?
HS : God influenced me to take up singing(giggles). I think because he gave me the talent, and when it was discovered at the age of 6, by my teacher at school, the late Mrs. Sequeira, and then afterwards, there was no looking back…it was music all the way.
NT : Was being a singer your ambition in life ?
HS : Being a singer was always the ambition…Always. There wasn’t any other ambition (chuckles).
NT : How supportive was your family on your decision to take up singing ?
HS : Very supportive. They were a little surprised at the very beginning, that I was going into the field of music; for the sheer reason that there hasn’t been a singer in our family, ever. It has always been doctors and lawyers, and you know, all that kind. Even my elder sister, my only sister, is a C.P.A. But when I showed interest in music, I already told you what was the reason, I think they encouraged my all the way.
NT : How long did you have to struggle to get recognized as a singer ? Please share your experiences with us.
HS : Things just happened as if planned by God in my life. At the age of 11 in Goa, I won the first prize at the all Goa singing competition, being the youngest participants, among 69 participants. After that, be it in any contest I entered, it was always the first prize. I don’t know why, God had slotted me for the first prize, be it inter-state or international contests. And then, while I was still in college, I happened to go abroad, and then I got to know about this contest from Remo Fernandez, my senior in Goa and a friend of mine, wanted me to enter this contest in Germany, the 16th international pop song festival, held in Germany. 20 countries were participating in it and I was representing India. Happened to win the first prize there too, that was the Grand Prix. And after that I went ahead to participate in the UNICEF contest in Yugoslavia and stuff like that. So, it was like God was paving the way all the time. I didn’t have to really struggle until then, but then in my own country, when I went to settle down in Bombay (where I was born, but brought up in Goa and then, went back to Bombay) it was quite a struggle, in spite of the fact that I sang in the film Goonj. It was quite a struggle, because I had heard that you have to go to music directors, and give them cassettes, and sit in their studios for hours, cajoling them and making them understand that they should give you a break, etc. But, I respected my music a little too much. I did go once or twice, but then I said no, I am not going to do this. I don’t think my music is that kind of a low at any level, or in any way, that I should go and beg or ask or even persuade somebody to do something for me. If God has given me the talent, he will look after it. And that’s exactly what has happened…it did take a while, but in the six years of my struggle, there were things like jingles, and remixes, that really kept me going in Bombay, because I refused to take money from my parents, to look after myself. So jingles and these remix items kept me going in Bombay, and finally Aawara Bhanware happened. And then there was no looking back.
NT : Tell us something about this first film of yours, Goonj
HS : Goonj was Jalal Agha’s film and Juhi Chawla’s, I think, second film. I sang for it only because they got to know about my winning the Grand Prix in Germany. So, I got a break even without even asking and wanting for it
NT : How did your first album come about ?
HS : Hindustani Gudiya was my first album. Before Aawara Bhanware, Mr. Champak Jain from Venus was always interested in me, and was very very influenced by the talent that God has given me and he always said that he wanted to do an album with me. But, it so happened, that after Aawara Bhanware was a hit, all the companies wanted to do an album with me, and when Champak Jain approached me, I couldn’t say no to him, because he had believed in me before Aawara Bhanware had happened. So I kept my word, and in spite of the fact that the offers that came to me, would have made my office more full, I still went for Champak Jain’s offer, because I had given my word to him. And that’s how Hindustani Gudiya came about.
NT : What can music buffs expect from your next album ?
HS : My next album is…so many types of Hemas(Laughs). Every song is like…this kind of Hema and that kind of Hema. I’ll tell you why, though. As you might have known, there are lots of song that I have sung, where people have thought that the heroine is singing the song, and they are like, ‘Dammit ! She is singing good, you know !’ or something like that. Like they thought Aawara Bhanware was sung by Kajol, and they thought that Apun Bola was sung by Aishwarya, and they thought that Jungle hai Aadhi Raat Hai was sung by Karishma, and Ishq Chaandi, in the SAME film, was sung by Sushmita Sen, and all these songs are actually sung by me. This is because, I simply give up being Hema Sardesai at that moment, and put myself in the place of the heroine and try to imitate their attitude. And then in this album, unlike in my other albums where I happen to be Hema Sardesai, I am showing all the colours of Hema herself (giggles).
NT : So whom do you think your voice suits best ?
HS : Ask the heroines, really speaking, or rather, ask yourself (Laughs). I don’t know…See, right now the most beautiful woman in the industry is supposed to be Aishwarya Rai, and the other most beautiful woman is supposed to be Sushmita Sen. So, if I do sound good for them (Laughs)…good enough. God is great !
NT : Do you prefer playback singing or pop music ?
HS : I love both, equally.
NT : With hundreds of aspirants coming into pop music everyday, what do you think is the scope of pop music at this moment ?
HS : Pop music will only stand out if it is competition to Hindi film music. Because it’s like a big ratio difference in the sales. Hindi film music sells much more than pop music and I think there is a lot more money and publicity and promotion for the Hindi film music also. And from the way my last album, Piya Se Milke Aaye Nain, sold, I think we can safely say that pop music has a great way to go, because my last album was sold in par with Hindi film music. And about new singers coming on the scene, it’s a very good thing to happen, that the avenues have opened up for new singers. Some will definitely not be that good, some will definitely be good, but there are much more opportunities for singers today, to show their talents, and that’s very good, because finally, there will be that real talent showing someday out.
NT : But with a new singer coming out from nowhere every other day, where do you think this is leading pop music to ?
HS : But there will be a lot of singers coming up, it’s not leading pop music to anywhere. Maybe, right now, at the current moment, there are singers, who are not that good, coming up. Maybe in another few month, there’ll be a period, where there’ll be great singers coming up. Its not that pop music will die or anything like that, because these bad singers just give a bad name to pop music. Its like, ‘Kya yaar ! Pop music kyon khareedein ?!?’ or something like that. But finally, when there are good singers, and good music happening, people will go and buy the cassettes.
NT : Then, whom do you think has the brightest future in pop music ?
HS : You answer that question (Laughs). Honestly, you should answer that question. Because as a singer, I think there are so many of them, and I can’t really name any body right now. Because, honestly speaking, the people who have been having massive hits in pop music, like one of them selling 50 lakh cassettes, or one selling 30 lakhs, but it was not all of their albums which did it, it was only one song in 10 albums that did it. So they don’t have continuity. I can only say that, by the grace of God, both the two albums of mine have been hits. So, its not just one song that did it. And by the grace of God, every film song of mine, in spite of me being the singer who has sung the least film songs, has been blessed by God as a hit. So I consider myself as a person who is always there, and always, you know, happening (giggles), ALL because of God. I stress on that point.
NT : What is the scope of music in the new millennium ?
HS : Music has never died, is not dying, and will never die (giggles) !
NT : You have seen the youngsters of Bahrain at our school, and probably at the rehearsals. What do you have to say about them?
HS : They are so full of enthusiasm, so full of love and warmth, and I think they still possess that little innocence, that kids should possess at the age that they are in. And that thrilled me to bits. Because an over mature kid doesn’t look too good (chuckles). So they were really cute. I could feel a lot of talent budding out of them, and they were all eager to sing, dance and show their talents, and participate in the show, and stuff like that, and they should be encouraged a lot. And I think they are pretty well behaved.
NT : Which music directors are you really comfortable with ?
HS : I love singing with Anu Malik, I love singing with Aadesh Srivastav, A.R.Rahman too…there is no question about that. I love singing with Rajesh Roshan, Viju Shah, Dilip Sen-Sameer Sen. I think most of them do have my highest respects, and I have had fun working with them.
NT : Which are your forthcoming films ?
HS : There are a lot of films coming up, but I’d rather say the heroines I’ve sung for, because I hardly bother about which the film is, in which I am singing. I am singing for most of the heroines…from Manisha to Aishwarya to Sushmita Sen to Sonali Bhendre, to of course, Tabu, for whom I have sung my latest song, for Astitva. It’s a different kind of a song, from the normal tapori songs, that people give me. I wish they wouldn’t have given me such tapori songs… I don’t know what their problem is (laughs) !
NT : What advice would you like to give to the youngsters, who would like to pursue singing as their career ?
HS : Determination is very important, other than possessing God-given talent. If you give up, and tomorrow you say things like, ‘You know I would have become a singer, but I couldn’t do it because of this, because of that’. You have to give it every drop of your blood, and THEN say, ok, it couldn’t happen. You can’t just give up midway because you don’t have the staying power and then say that I also had the talent. It’s a whole lot of determination…you got to have confidence in yourself and in God, and trust God completely.
NT : Finally, what message would you like to give your young fans, who would be reading this interview ?
HS : My dearest, beloved fans, and all the young children in the world, you must know that Hema wears a Cross, an Allah, a Kada in her hand and an Om in her neck ( NT : Hema Sardesai wears a Cross earring in one ear, and an Allah earring in the other. She also wears a Kada is her hand, which signifies the Sikh community, and she also wears a necklace with a locket of Om, in her neck). What she is trying to say is that God is one, so that means, we all are one. Let us not be divided from one another, from mankind. Always remain one in life, love each other dearly and love animals. Because if we start loving animals, we will definitely start loving each other (chuckles). So, God Bless You and All the Best in life.
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