‘THE FILM INDUSTRY IS MY FAMILY’
Saapna Mukerji says she never felt insecure around her legendary contemporaries
Saapna Mukerji may not be the most recognisable faces of the music world today. So, it comes as a surprise when she mentions that she has sung more than 400 songs in Bollywood. With hits such as Pyar Do Pyar Lo (Janbaaz; 1986), Tirchi Topi Wale (Tridev; 1989), Dil Le Gayi Teri Bindiya (Vishwatma; 1992), and Tere Ishq Mein Nachenge (Raja Hindustani; 1996), Saapna was a superhit singer in the ’90s and early 2000s. And now, even though she has been lying low, she is happy about so many of her songs being remade. “I am very happy and proud that my songs are being remade. My only concern about remakes is due credits. Even if singers like us are not given the credit, the composers who made the original should be credited. I am happy that new singers are singing the same songs in a new style. The young generation should know who were the original minds behind these hits because obviously they had done a good job. Otherwise, these songs wouldn’t have lasted this long. I am happy that they are trying new things by adding rap and other styles of singing to it,” says Saapna, whose songs such as Pyaar Do Pyaar Lo and Haiya Ho have been remade in the Sidharth Malhotra-starrer Marjavan.
Saapna was part of the industry at a time when singers such as Alka Yagnik and Kavita Krishnamurthy were equally popular. “I came very late to the industry. Feroz Khan had brought me into the industry, but by the time I came, singers such as Alka Yagnik and Kavita Krishnamurthy were already established. But I never had any insecurity. I always thought my voice sounds very different and my voice quality was very different. I am very blessed that all my songs became superhits. Apne muh se bolna nahi chahiye, but all my songs were successful at that time, so I am very thankful to God and all the composers and lyricists I worked with for giving me such beautiful songs,” she says.
Saapna adds that one of the most important qualities that she possesses is that she “never copied anybody”. Throughout my entire career, I revered Lata [Mangeshkar; singer] ji, her voice, her singing. Lata didi is an institution. But I never copied her and no one should. We cannot copy her. Nobody can compare to Lata didi and Asha [Bhosle] didi. I always only tried to sing well because my voice was quite distinct. So I never copied any playback singer in my career. I never considered myself part of any competition with any of my contemporaries,” says Saapna, who now wants to slowly get back into the industry by releasing singles.
“I am now thinking of getting back to singing because wherever I go, all my friends and colleagues tell me ‘Saapna, your songs are such hits worldwide, everybody is singing your songs everywhere. Why don’t you sing new versions of your own songs’. The label I am with encourages me to do a lot of work with other labels as well. They never stop me from doing anything outside. But a rumour about me had become very strong that I don’t sing outside of my label. That is not true at all. I want to clear this out that I am just a playback singer, and I feel hurt when I hear such stories. I am ready to work with everyone. The film industry is my family. My career started when I was very young with so many stalwarts such as Kalyanji Anandji and Amitabh Bachchan but I am very thankful to God and this industry for all the opportunities that I have got,” Saapna signs off.
I never copied any playback singer in my career. I never considered myself part of any competition with any of my contemporaries.
SAAPNA MUKERJI,
SINGER