An actor par excellence, an award winning performer, a politician, a brilliant mother and now a singer, Hema Malini has donned many hats. Her latest is a music CD in which she chants sacred verses. Deebashree Mohanty tells you more
She is not here for any competition with any singer — ace actress and politician Hema Malini makes it amply clear while speaking with us about her upcoming album, Soundaryalahari on Times Music.
“It is a devotional album where I will be chanting sacred verses along with other singers like Suresh Wadkar, Shankar Mahadevan and Ashit Desai. Soundarayalahari is a mystical poem of Adi Sankaryacharya describing the beauty and effulgence of the Divine mother. The soothing chant is bound to have an impact on our life. It uplifts my spirit,” Malini says. She adds that she has been chanting these versus at her home for many decades and each time she feels at peace.
Malini stresses on the fact that such divine chants are essential in life. According to the talented actress a chant a day could work as therapy to a disturbed mind. “Chanting has the same impact as meditation. It makes you feel relaxed and rejuvenated. Whenever my girls are tired and need a break, I advise them to chant a few hymns,” Malini says.
Although as a dancer she has been performing mudras on Soundaryalahari ever so often but while recording for the CD she admits there were a few butterflies in her stomach.
“I am not here to compete with anyone and ensure that my CD makes more sales than others. I am not a professional singer and never will be. But I wanted to make a difference to the way people were living in the society. I was nervous to record a formal album but reciting poems has become a habit,” she says, adding that she prays for almost 45 minutes at her home everyday.
Upset with the news of Mana Da’s demise, Malini says that we have many great singers in Bollyood today but not all of them have the potential of becoming legends like Mana Dey and Mohammad Rafi. “Their voice moved you. It made a difference to your life. Singers these days, come and go. There are some fantastic numbers but they are very few,” she says dejectedly.
She is not ready to sign just about anything. “Something has to excite me. I have to feel 200 per cent about the story only then will I give my nod,” she concludes.