Talks By The Firelight 1.7: Pursuit of Excellence
An enigma in the literal sense of the word, Sunidhi Chauhan is a name synonymous with talent, ambition and success. With over 2500 songs in her repertoire, she has repeatedly proven that when one pursues excellence, greatness follows. Be it discontinuing academics in order to learn the subtleties involved in singing or judging reality shows in order to provide a platform for young singers to showcase their talent, her passion towards music has taken her through an incredible journey.
Through the course of this interview, Sunidhi Chauhan proved, once again, that passion and hard work are the only means to success.
1. What is your criteria/priority when you choose a song? Is it the music, lyrics or the scope of your rendition to the song? Do you need to feel instantly attracted to a song to choose it?
I can only sing the song as it has been composed. As a singer, it is my utmost priority to sing as envisioned by the music director. Of course, I can give my inputs as to how a song can be improved but the ultimate decision lies with the music director.
In order to choose a song, I need to feel comfortable with the lyrics. Whether I like the song or not, I only choose a song if the lyrics manage to convey something. That is my only criteria.
2. As a fan, one of my favourite songs which you have given voice to is “Udi” from Guzzarrish. In Udi, Sofia, the character played by Aishwarya Rai, sings and dances as music liberated her. When the character expresses her needs through a song, what do you do differently in order to convey her emotions to the audience?
Honestly, I don’t get to know the situation or the actors involved when I sing the song. For example, I didn’t know that I would be singing for Rekha Ji in Parineeta (Kaisi Paheli Hai Yeh). In such situations, lyrics are the best source of understanding the song. And the song doesn’t end with me singing. The actor’s facial expressions and vocal lip- sync is equally important for a song to see success.
3. Is there any song which you found hard to sing, but took it up as a challenge? As students, we would really love to hear your experiences of achieving results through cumulative efforts and continuous hard work.
It thrills me to take up songs that challenge me. In recent times, “Main Bhadiya” from the movie Sanju was a tough nut to crack. It had to be sung in a very old school tone, and the taal and shruti were very different from my usual style. To top it all off, I had to sing in a very high pitched voice and also make sure that I don’t change the tone of the song. But yes, I took it up as a challenge, and I hope I did a fine job.
4. You have come to an engineering college, one that many have chosen due to the “job safety” factor. As an artist who had the guts to take the path less taken, what are the challenges you faced during your days of struggle?
Yes, of course, nothing comes without hardships. Every newcomer has a story to tell, a journey to look back at. Thankfully, every struggle bore fruit, which took me to the next step of my career. Without a doubt, it has been a fantastic journey which I am sure I will reminisce later.
5. How do you make sure that appreciation doesn’t reach your head, nor does criticism reach your heart?
I believe that one wouldn’t grow if they surround themselves with people who say yes. In order to expand one’s horizon, criticism is very important. For me, criticism starts in my own family. My sister is my biggest critic as she is never impressed with what I sing. She is one of the major factors for my growth as an artist.
6. Even in engineering colleges, there are students who are waiting for an opportunity to show their talent. In times of failure, it is very easy to lose heart and break down. As an artist who has faced all odds to reach where you are, what advice can you give to aspiring artists to even the odds?
The sky is the limit. In today’s time and age, all you need is a phone with an internet connection for the world to listen to you. Thanks to YouTube, you can show any skill of yours to the world at the click of a button. Also, one can instantly know whether people like them or not.
So, if you have the passion to do anything you believe you are good at, let go of your fear and take the first step. Follow your inner voice. It could make your dream a reality. There is a chance that you could fail, but you will fail with the relief that you had tried.
This article was written in collaboration with Chinmayi Lanka, Antony Terence and Abhishek Ramachandran.
