For a performer who has spent more than 20 years in the industry, Richa Sharma comes across as very to-the-point and friendly. She tells you that even if she renders back-to-back hits in the film industry, she will always be modest. ‘I am a dal-chawal person and always will be,’ she says. In Delhi to perform at the live Quotient Awards Ceremony, Sharma speaks with Deebashree Mohanty about her journey and how she never knew Ni Mein Samjh Gayee from Taal was a Sufi number
She has had a long day at work and sounds tired but Richa Sharma doesn’t shy away from an interaction. “I love talking to people and learning from their experiences. Unlike other celebs, I like to ask questions and I am genuinely interested to know,” Sharma, who has been in this industry for over 20 years now, says. She doesn’t do much playback singing these days but says she prefers it that way.
“I am very choosy when it comes to playback singing. There have been times where I have refused to go ahead with an assignment because I thought woh mere bas ka nahin thha, that I couldn’t do justice to that song. Those very numbers have gone on to be huge hits,” the Mahi Ve singer tells you.
She was in Delhi to perform at the live Quotient Awards ceremony and in her own way, she tells you she had the time of her life! “I am in love with this city yaar. The town is so lively and they appreciate good music. I wish I could do this more often,” she informs. She has been performing since the age of 10 and that is her first love. Given a choice between playback and concerts, the versatile performer says she prefers a bit of both. Although she candidly agrees that performing live on stage is much tougher than singing for a film. “live performance requires a lot of guts because you need to connect with the audience from the very beginning. If the connection is lost, sara khel kharab ho jayega. There are many singers like me who decide the songlist after stepping onto the stage. Each time I have to perform, there are butterflies in my stomach. You never know what way the audience will react,” she says, adding that if there is no fear before performance then you become outdated and complacent.
The other thing she likes about live performances is that it is a dialogue and not a one-person performing kind of a thing. “I love it when the crowd singles along and whistles to my numbers. It means they are reacting,” she tells you. Her favoruite performerIJ “Beyonce and Mariah Carey can improvise on the spot and they do it brilliantly. Sonu Nigam is also a rockstar! Nowadays almost all singers are, because they know only playback singing is not going to get them anywhere,” she tells you.
Sharma who has lent her voice to almost all the popular B-wood celebrities from Aishwarya Rai and Rani Mukherjee to Raveena Tandon feels it is a blessing that in the film industry these days, singers are not offered a movie. They are asked to sing the particular song which will then be made a part of a certain film. “Gone are the days when we were asked to sing for a particular star only. It gives us singers more scope to explore,” she explains.
As for her inspiration, she considers herself as the biggest fan of Asha Bhonsle. “I love her personality. Even at this age, Ashaji sings like a dream. She is my ultimate music icon and I would want to be like her when I grow as old,” she says. The only transition she has seen in the music industry is to do with terminology. According to this modest singer-cum-stage-artist, she had no idea what sufi songs were. For her there was only Sufi poetry.
“A friend told me that my song — Ni Mein Samjh Gayee from Taal was a sufi number. I asked her what is thatIJ Sufi numbers are popular because of the strong words and the philosophical meaning behind each and every sentence. The singer cannot take credit for the songs,” she says.