Anuradha Paudwal Genre: World/Reggae, Film/Bollywood, India Hometown: India
Anuradha Paudwal is one of the most talented playback singers in the history of
Hindi films and perhaps one of the most controversial artistes. Her career
started with the film Abhimaan starring Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan, the music
director was S. D. Burman, though Lata Mangeshkar claims that Anuradha was given
a break by her brother Hridhaynath Mangeshkar for a Marathi film. But it was
Burmandada's film that got her the recognition of a singer.
Anuradha Paudwal was a student of Xavier's college who participated in the
college's cultural programmes, but she did not have a background of film music.
She married Arun Paudwal who was the music arranger of S. D. Burman.
In 1976 Anuradha got her big break for the film Kailcharan starring Shatrugan
Sinha and Reena Roy. This Subhash Ghai film had music by Rajesh Roshan. Her
first solo number was for the film Aap Beeti starring Hema Malini and
ShashiKapoor and music by Laxmikant-Pyarelal, Anuradha Paudwal got some good
numbers from the duo who were churning out hits one after the other. She also
sang intermittently for other music directors such as Rajesh Roshan (Des Pardes),
Jaidev (Dooriyan, Laila Majnu), Kalyanji-Anandji (Kalaakar, Vidhataa) and Usha
Khanna (Souten, Sajan Bina Suhagan). Meanwhile her husband Arun Paudwal in the
pair of Anil-Arun gave many hit numbers in Marathi films for which Anuradha sang
some resplendent numbers in Marathi like Disatein Mazlaa (Ashtavinayak), Raja
Lalkaari, Kaalya Maatita Maatitaa, etc.Anuradha Paudwal became a singer to reckon with when she rendered some
exceptional numbers for the film Hero, music by Laxmikant-Pyarelal. Her song for
Mere Mann Bajaa Mirang Utsav won her the first Filmfare award in 1985.
