................................................................................................Interview

 Suchitra Krishnamurthy 

She Dole Doles to her two month old daughter Kaveri, encourages husband Shekar Kapur in his Hollywood ventures, talks about motherhood, music, masti and the magic of being Shekar Kapur's better half, all in the same breath. That's Suchitra Krishnamurthy for you. A woman who puts on a brave front when Shekar is away for months shooting in foreign locales, has the spunk to walk out of her maiden home to start her career, and goes mushy over romantic love songs.

Suchitra Krishnamurthy basks in the warmth of motherhood, and talks about her passions - daughter Kaveri, husband Shekar Kapur, music, masti and movies.

On Motherhood - I am enjoying it more than anything else in life. Shekar is a proud father. I never thought I would enjoy motherhood so much. Earlier, my friends would talk about their kids and I would get bored. Now, that's all I am doing. Nothing can beat this experience - of becoming a Mummy and watching my 2 month old daughter Kaveri smile.

On Shekar - He had come to my college to deliver a speech. That was the first time I saw him. I remember somebody asked him his zodiac sign and he said 'Sagittarius' and I screamed loudly, "I am a Sagittarian too." My voice echoed in the hall and Shekar turned and looked at me. That was the highlight of my whole month. Little did I know that I would meet the man, marry him and have his child. The next time I met him was when I went to ask for an acting job at his office.

Before our marriage, his career had not taken off. I would like to think that I am his lucky charm - I keep telling him that. Shekar is shooting in Morocco for 3 months. I do miss him miserably. Either I could cry and make a mess of life or become the kind of wife who follows her husband all over and just puts on nailpolish and makeup and sits around all day.

On Music - I love being a celebrity. I would not have it any other way. People told me that my career was finished after I got married. But I have had all my successes after marriage. Hopefully, it will be the same after my child. I hope my daughter sings like me and not like Shekar - she should have Shekar's 'Shakal' and my 'Akal.'

I would have loved to sing Celine Dion's song for the movie Titanic or have a career like Barbara Streisand and Whitney Houston. Music is my passion, not movies. I cannot go and beg film directors 'Mujhe chance dijiye' because I am not that kind of person. I would love to hear my voice blaring loudly from trucks and in dhabas.

I did a Telugu album, but it flopped miserably. And I never got an offer to do another one. I thought if Punjabi Pop can be so successful, why not Telugu Pop. Unfortunately, other than my family, no one bought the cassette (she laughs uncontrollably). My ambition was squashed. If I sing in English, who will buy the cassette? Hindi is a safe bet.

Frankly, my best album so far has been Ah-Ha for which I composed, wrote the song, and was involved in all stages of the creative process. When I did Zindagi, except for the title track, which luckily happened the way it happened, where I was involved in the production and the lyrics, the rest of the album was not to my taste, not my style at all.

I like to sing ballads, and songs with lot of emotion. But actually I like to do mushy romantic numbers. I started singing essentially in English, because I was part of the south Mumbai crowd that thought English was hip! Now in the present generation Hindi is very hip! I grew up, like a proper south Indian girl, on M L Vasanthakumari and M S Subbalaxmi, Mandolin Srinivas, and Kacheris at Shanmukananda Hall. I used to wear Patta Pavade (a full length traditional skirt with a waist-length half sleeved tight blouse).

Luckily for me, I met Shekar, who heard me sing a couple of times and convinced me that I could go on to become a great singer if only I applied myself and worked really hard. So I worked really hard! I trained myself in Hindustani classical music and when I thought I was ready I approached the owner of a leading music company in India. I was offered a contract within ten minutes of meeting him, and that's how Dole Dole happened. Doing Dole Dole was one of the best experiences of my career - it was made with love and care and the results were there for all to see. It went on to become a huge hit and my music career was launched. I then followed this up with my next album Dum Tara, which was equally very well received.

The 'Dole Dole' album was recorded entirely in Toronto. The lyrics were simple, the video was young, peppy and very me. Luckily, 'Dole Dole' was very successful and so my music took off with a bang! I shudder to think of how things would have been had this album not been successful!

I wrote 'Jabse Dekha' for Shekar. It was my way of telling him and the world what he meant to me! While 'Dum Tara' was spunky, young, with loads of attitude, 'Jabse Dekha' was soft and romantic. The video is truly the story of how we met, how we dated. Even the clothes matched our real life courtship.

Then I started thinking seriously about composing music. I started carrying a little tape recorder with me to record my tunes wherever I was, in a car or a friend's house. Then, armed with a tape full of tunes and a heart filled with hope I went to my producer. Much to my disappointment, all my tunes except one were rejected, and that tune was A-ha. It was a great experience working with Raju Singh on A-ha, which was released on my birthday, 27th November, 1997. The black and white video was a smash. Ken Ghosh (who has directed all my videos so far) had surpassed himself. It was the first time I had not called him up to complain that everything was wrong!

I will be singing when I am 50 also, and hopefully people should want to listen to me then.

On Acting - I wanted to be a Star! I was in the 11th standard, all of 15, and excited as hell about being chosen to play the lead role in Chunauti, a television serial about college kids. I started being called Vandana (the name of the character I played), everywhere I went. I can never forget signing my first autograph. I was in a BEST bus going to college when this girl sitting opposite me hesitantly asked me if I was Vandana and if I was could I please give her an autograph. My heart thumping with excitement, I literally snatched the autograph book from her hand and signed it!

By the time I was out of college I was getting offers to act in films and was giving it serious consideration. But that was the last straw for people at home! Modelling was still respectable but the movies? Absolutely not! I was given an ultimatum - I could either stay at home like a good respectable South Indian girl (doing whatever was asked of me) or go and join the movies! So I chose to leave home and live as a paying guest.

This is also the time Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naan happened! I also continued to sing jingles and act in musical plays during this time. Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naan did well, not only at the box office but also received a lot of critical acclaim. But strangely I was never too comfortable, I never felt I belonged. The bad reviews and press further compounded my misery. I remember feeling totally demoralised and discriminated against during the making of the film!! I was put up in a much cheaper hotel than the rest of the cast, not allowed to have a personal make up man and hairdresser, asked to pay for my own soft drinks in the sweltering heat of Goa -- and to top it all, not allowed to go to the premier of the film in Delhi. That killed my interest in acting in films.

I did a Kannada movie 'Vishva', just so that I could spend time with my sisters in Bangalore, because the shooting was done there. Vishwa was a remake of Ghayal, so I was playing the role of Meenakshi Sheshadri. I don't know any Kannada, so I would sit for hours like a kid with school books mugging my dialogue. It was like studying for exams. Shekar wanted me to play Arab girl in his latest movie. I could not travel with a 1 1/2 month baby to Morocco for the shot. So, Laila Rouss was given the role. I don't think I can work with Shekar. He gets really angry if anyone answers him back and I can never shut up.

On Values - What I value most in life are my relationships. I have few friends but I treasure them. To me life is not about how much fame and money you have. I take a great deal of pain to maintain and continue my relationships with family and friends. I cherish them.

By Anupama Vinayak