Anuradha Paudwal(born 27 October 1954) is an Indian playback singer and politician who works predominantly in Hindi cinema. She was born as Alka Nadkarni, in a Marathi speaking family in Karwar She was born in a Konkani family , Uttara Kannada, Karnataka. However, she was brought up in Mumbai.

She has been described in media as one of the most prominent Bhajan singer and also as one of the most successful playback singers of 80s and 90s era of Bollywood

Inspired by Lata Mangeshkar

Anuradha’s love for music was ignited by a song sung by Lataji on the radio, which inspired her to dream of hearing Lataji’s voice live in the 4th grade. She revealed in an interview that she was born with a husky voice. An illness during her childhood left her voiceless for 40 days, during which she solely listened to Lataji’s melodies. A relative gifted her a recording of the Bhagwad Geeta in Lataji’s voice while she was hospitalized, and upon recovery, her voice had undergone a transformation, prompting her to work on honing it. Anuradha Paudwal regards Lata Mangeshkar as a divine figure, crediting all her accomplishments to her. She expressed, “I’ve had many mentors, but her voice has always been my guiding light. It’s like being enrolled in a prestigious institution.” Anuradha actively engaged in various activities during her academic years, earning multiple accolades. Her initial award was for performing one of Lataji’s Meera bhajans.

Challenges and Finding Love: Anuradha Paudwal’s Early Years

During a school event, she faced disqualification due to her hoarse voice, as the judges commented that her voice was unsuitable for Sugam Sangeet.

In her teenage years, she fell in love with Arun, a Music Composer. Initially, her father disapproved of their marriage because of Arun’s ties to the film industry. He believed that girls from respectable families should not be involved in show business.She tied the knot with Arun at the age of 17, while Arun was 27.Arun always motivated her to sing and also became her mentor and critic.

After marriage, both of them had two children (Aditya and Kavita). On November 1, 1991, Anuradha Paudwal’s husband Arun Paudwal said goodbye to this world. He died in an accident. Not only this, with Arun’s death, Anuradha became completely alone and she took up the responsibility of both the children alone.

A Breakthrough Moment: Capturing the Attention of Legends

During a visit to one of Lata Mangeshkar’s recording sessions with Arun, Anuradha Paudwal listened attentively and was able to perform the song live on ‘Yuva Vani,’ a popular Marathi program. This caught the attention of Laxmikant-Pyarelal, Hridaynath Mangeshkar, and other renowned composers who called the radio station to inquire about the singer. It took them some time to realize that it was Alka Nadakarni (Anuradha Paudwal’s maiden name). They all offered to launch her, but she was not ready at that time.

First Opportunity: A Song with SD Burman

The legendary musician, SD Burman, was the first to offer Anuradha Paudwal a song (a Shiva Shloka) in the 1973 Hindi film, Abhiman, starring Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Upon Abhiman’s release, a group of approximately 25 to 30 individuals, consisting of her family members, friends, and neighbors, gathered at the Plaza Theatre solely to witness Anuradha’s name in the credits. Anuradha Paudwal’s debut solo performance was featured in the movie Aap Beati, which starred Shashi Kapoor and Hema Malini. Her first significant film award was received for the song “Mera Man Baje Mridang….” from the film Utsav (1984). Interestingly, she was taken aback by this win, as she had been anticipating recognition for Hero’s “Tu Mera Janoo Hai….” The song “Tu Mera Janoo Hai….” from Subhash Ghai’s film Hero (featuring Jackie Shroff and Meenakshi Seshadri) became an instant hit when sung by Anuradha Paudwal. Originally intended for Lataji, the song eventually landed in Anuradha’s hands due to unforeseen circumstances. Anuradha Paudwal was the preferred vocalist for most of Subhash Ghai’s films, even recording a Gayatri Mantra that remains a part of the Mukta Arts emblem to this day. During the mid-1980s, Anuradha Paudwal collaborated with Nadeem-Shravan on 23 songs, which were later featured in three films directed by Mahesh Bhatt – Aashiqui, Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin, and Sadak. In the 1990s, she became synonymous with Madhuri Dixit’s voice, who was on the brink of superstardom. The song “Bahut Pyaar Karte Hain Tumko Sanam” was a massive hit that dominated the music charts.

Self-Taught Singer Comparisons with a Legend: The New Lata Mangeshkar?

During an interview, she mentioned that she never had any formal training in classical music. She shared, “I just practiced for hours while listening to Lataji.” 2. Anuradha Paudwal, along with Gulshan Kumar, played a key role in bringing many unknown playback singers into the spotlight, such as Udit Narayan, Kumar Sanu, Sonu Nigam, Abhijeet, and more. 3. She has sung in various languages like Kannada, Marwari, Marathi, Sanskrit, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Oriya, Punjabi, Assamese, and others. Her songs became popular hits. 4. When she joined the film industry, many people started saying that she would replace Lata Mangeshkar. Even the experienced composer O P Nayyar made a comment about it.

.Lata has retired, and now Anuradha has taken her place. Lata was happy with what she achieved and didn’t aim for more. She said, “I was very content with the love I received from the audience and industry. I believe it’s best to retire at your peak, otherwise people show you the door.” In an interview, she mentioned her desire to record poems and the works of Shankaracharya.

Controversies and Accusations

Controversies have surrounded Anuradha Paudwal, with accusations from Alka Yagnik about stolen songs and claims of recording the most songs in a day. Another controversy arose when a woman from Kerala claimed to be Paudwal’s daughter.

Allegations in the Singing World

In the world of singing, there have been some controversies. Back in the early 80s, there were allegations of monopoly and dubbing made against Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle. But now, singers like Alka Yagnik are facing similar accusations. One particular controversy involved Alka Yagnik dubbing the songs of Dil, which were originally sung by her. She even took revenge by dubbing Lata Mangeshkar’s song in Radha Ka Sangam, claiming that her voice suited the heroine better. It was quite a shocking move for a Bollywood singer in the 90s.

Rising Competition: Asha Bhosle’s Popularity and Anuradha’s Struggles

In the 80s, Asha Bhosle became more popular than her older sister because of her work with RD Burman and Bappi Lahiri. Anuradha’s success in 1984 and 1985 threatened the dominance of the Mangeshkar siblings. The backlash against Anuradha was so intense that it affected her husband, Arun Paudwal, who was a music arranger. He was even asked to leave the studio whenever Asha Bhosle was there. Composers were afraid to support Anuradha because they didn’t want to upset Asha Bhosle and Lata Mangeshkar, which meant that Anuradha’s opportunities for work started to decrease. Anuradha thought she would get a lot of songs after Hero, but things didn’t go as planned. The movie industry was making movies with many stars, so there were fewer chances for solo or duet songs.She reached the peak of her singing career with her songs in the films Aashiqui, Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin, and Sadak. However, during the same period, she faced personal challenges as she tragically lost her one-month-old daughter in 1983, while her husband Arun fell seriously ill. This led to mental fatigue. By the early 1990s, she began to distance herself from the film industry and decided to exclusively sing for T-Series, focusing on devotional songs. This decision paved the way for Alka Yagnik’s rise to stardom. Her shift towards devotional music was driven by her profound interest in spirituality.

Mentors as Strong Supporters

Laxmikant-Pyarelal supported Anuradha Paudwal through all the controversies and kept giving her chances in 1987. She sang “Keh De Zamane Se” with Mohd Aziz in the movie Nazrana starring Rajesh Khanna, “Taaron Bhari Thi Raat” and “Khule Aam Kehte Hai” (with Mohd. Aziz) in Anjaam. Although these songs didn’t become hits, she was appreciated by the audience for “Tu Naache Main Gaoon” (with Suresh Wadekar) in Parivaar, “Jab Pyar Kiya” (with Mohd Aziz) in Watan Ke Rakhwale, “Soja Chup Hoja” and “Radha Rani Na Jaiyo Ri” in Sansaar. She also sang the popular parody song from Mr India with Shabbir Kumar. In the same year, she sang the title song of “Jeete Hain Shaan Se” with various singers for Anu Malik, but the most loved one was the beautiful “Chhodenge Na Hum Tere Saath” with Mohd Aziz for Ravindra Jain in the movie Marte Dam Tak.

Transition to Bhajans: A Turning Point

Anuradha was thinking about leaving the film industry because of all the conflicts and fewer chances. She wanted to try making bhajans, but the music labels didn’t want to produce her album because they didn’t think there was a market for it. However, being invited as the chief guest at a T-series cassette launch could change everything for her career.

Collaboration with T-Series: A New Chapter

Gulshan Kumar’s father, Chandrabhan Kumar, was really impressed by her voice. He asked her to sing for T-series. Anuradha agreed, and they both discovered a shared interest in bhajan albums. T-series, which had started in 1984 and was known for producing bootlegged versions of albums from other music labels, was trying to establish itself as a legitimate player in the music industry. In 1987, the release of Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak marked a turning point for T-series. By 1988, with the massive success of QSQT, T-series had firmly established itself as a major player in the music industry.

Challenges and Transformation: From Film Songs to Devotionals

After her husband passed away, Anuradha Paudwal faced a lot of challenges. In the 90s, Gulshan Kumar supported her and gave her opportunities to sing in his movies. However, in 1991, when her husband died in an accident, Anuradha was heartbroken. Despite facing criticism and rumors, she stayed strong. By 2000, Anuradha decided to focus on singing devotional songs instead of film songs. She never spoke ill of anyone and still respects Lata ji and Asha ji. Anuradha Paudwal became known as the queen of devotional songs, singing in various languages.

Forming Powerful Alliances: Anuradha Paudwal and T-Series

This year, Gulshan Kumar and T-series gained three new allies – Anuradha Paudwal, Anand Milind, and Udit Narayan. Anuradha’s musical talent and Gulshan Kumar’s marketing skills combined to make a powerful team in the following years. They challenged the Mangeshkars’ monopoly and brought a revolution to the music industry. Anuradha, as one of the company’s directors, played a key role in the success of T-series and Udit Narayan after 1988. Together with Gulshan Kumar, she helped bring many new playback singers into the spotlight, such as Kumar Sanu, Abhijeet, Vipin Sachdeva, Sonu Nigam, Bela Sulakhe, and Babla Mehta through various tribute albums for legendary singers and composers. Gulshan Kumar’s marketing brilliance was evident in how he priced these tribute albums much lower than those of HMV, Polydor, and MIL, leveraging his company’s strength in owning the largest market share in blank audio cassettes and ensuring top-notch orchestra quality.

Promoting Bhajans: Reaching New Audiences

Nadeem Shravan and her husband Arun Paudwal were new music directors who entered the music industry. They were able to reach new audiences by promoting their bhajan music locally, catering to different regions such as the East, West, North, and many more. They covered a wide range of bhajans, from Durga Vandana and Jagannath bhajans to Sai Vandana and Ganpati Aarti, as well as Devi Bhakti songs and Vishnu sahasranam, Hanuman Chalisa, and Shiv Purana.

Religious Music: A New Focus

Religious music has been a big part of Anuradha Paudwal’s career. She decided to focus on singing for T-series, which helped Alka Yagnik as well. Anuradha’s shift to devotional and cover-version albums caused her to take a step back from singing for films and other music companies, which affected her successful career.

Tragedy and a Changed Perspective

Within a year of her return, her close friend and business partner, Gulshan Kumar, was tragically murdered. This event left her devastated and her career in turmoil, making it hard for her to continue in the film music industry. She shared a close bond with T-Series Mogul Gulshan Kumar, but his tragic death in August 1997 changed her perspective on success. She now says, “Today, when I have a hit, it feels nice, but that’s it.””

Continuing Devotional Music

Anuradha has reduced her singing for movies, but she is still loved for her devotional songs and albums. She is really good at it! Anuradha has won a National Award and four Filmfare awards for Best Female Playback Singer, three of them in a row from 1990 to 1992.

Helicopter Accident in Indore

The helicopter had an accident in a field near Vijay Nagar in Indore on February 21, 2003. Anuradha Paudwal, a Bollywood singer, was on the helicopter and got minor injuries. Rajendra Singh Raghuvanshi, who was the personal assistant of the Chief Minister at that time, got seriously hurt. He mentioned that they were going to a government program near Biaora, and the MP Congress chief Radhakishan Malviya was also with them when the helicopter crashed on the outskirts of Indore city.

Personal Loss and Charity Work

The past year has been very painful for Anuradha Paudwal. In September 2020, Anuradha lost her only son Aditya. Let us tell you, Aditya was only 35 years old and died due to kidney failure. Anuradha has not yet recovered from this grief, but after her son’s death, she has done many charities in his name.

Establishing the ‘Suryauday’ Foundation

Anuradha established the ‘Suryauday’ Foundation in memory of her late husband, Arun.

Joining BJP

The singer, who has been in the music industry for decades, announced her decision to join the BJP during a press conference at the party’s headquarters in Delhi. She praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and expressed her joy at becoming a part of the party.

Singing at the Ram Temple Ceremony

In January 2024, the 69-year-old singer Anuradha Paudwal sang at the special ceremony for the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh. She said it was an amazing experience that she’ll never forget!

Cultural Ambassador Award from UNO

Anuradha Paudwal received a special award from the UNO for being a Cultural Ambassador of devotional music at the UK Houses of Parliament. She was recognized for her amazing music and her work with charities.

Helping During the Pandemic

Anuradha was doing a great job by helping people affected by corona. She gave oxygen concentrators and ventilators to hospitals in Maharashtra and a few cities in UP.

Awards and Honors

She’s received lots of awards, like 4 Filmfare Awards, 1 National Film Award, and the Padma Shri from the Government of India. She also got the Mohammed Rafi Award from the Government of Maharashtra in 2013, the Mother Teresa Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2011, and the Lata Mangeshkar Award from the Madhya Pradesh Government in 2010.

She received a D Litt degree from D.Y. Patil University.

She was given the Citizen Award by late Shri Rajiv Gandhi in 1989.

In 1993, she was awarded the prestigious Mahila Shiromani award by the first lady Smt. Vimal Sharma.

Mahakaal Award

The Madhya Pradesh government honored her with the ‘Mahakaal Award’ in 2004.

Kishore Samman

She was recognized with the Kishore Samman by Samrat Sangeet Sadhana Seva Samiti.

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