NRI Bollywood: Alka Yagnik - India's "Melody Queen"

Alka Yagnik is the very best artist in Hindi movie music. All of the recognition and awards bestowed upon her testify to this. She certainly deserves each one plus the many more she will receive in the future. But to me, personally, it really does not matter if she has 10 or 1000 awards. It changes nothing of how her music touches me. Just the sound of her voice and the way she sings lifts my heart, feelings and mood above all my cares. We admire your talent and thank you, Alka-ji, for your gift of music to us all. We are your grateful and loyal fans.

I have had the very great privilege to personally meet with Alka-ji, her mother and daughter on a number of different occassions in Mumbai and Canada. Even though Alka-ji is so very busy and such a celebrity, she, and her family, have taken the time to see me, one of her zillion fans, and make me feel so very comfortable and welcome. It was a thrill to chat with these ladies and have the chance to personally thank Alka-ji for her wonderful music. I can say that she is truly a genuinely wonderful person in addition to being such an extraordinary artist.

I have heard Alka-ji sing live in concert and also been present in the studio listening to Alka-ji record. I marvel at her mastery and control over her beautiful voice as she produces the music we all love so much.

Alka Yagnik

Alka Yagnik (Gujarati: અલકા યાગ્નિક, Hindi: अलका याज्ञिक or अलका याज्ञनिक) (born March 20, 1966^[1] in Kolkata, West Bengal, India) is an iconic ^[2] Indian singer. She has done playback singing for over 1000 Indian films^[3] and has to date sung more than 20,000 songs in various Indian languages.^[4] She is a seven-time winner of Filmfare Award for Best Female Playback Singer , a two-time receipient of the prestigious National Film Awards as well as a receipient of several other prestigious music awards. She has been nominated a record 35 times for Filmfare Award for Best Female Playback Singer.

Early life and background

Alka Yagnik is classically trained and has been one of the leading playback singers in Bollywood since the late 1980s. She began singing bhajans for Akashvani (All India Radio), Calcutta.^[6] at the age of six. Her first song was for the film Payal Ki Jhankaar in (1979), followed by Laawaris (1981) with the hit song "Mere Angene Mein", followed by the film Hamari Bahu Alka (1982). She got her big break with the song "Ek Do Teen" from the film Tezaab (1988). The song turned her into a star overnight and went on to become a pop hit, also winning her a Filmfare Best Female Playback Award. Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak was also a career maker for her, as she along with Udit Narayan became household names.

She has sung in many languages other than Hindi, including Gujarati, Oriya, Assamese, Manipuri, Nepali, Rajasthani, Bengali, Bhojpuri, Punjabi, Marathi, Telugu, Tamil, and Malayalam. She has worked with Indian composers such as Kalyanji-Anandji, Laxmikant-Pyarelal, Rajesh Roshan, Nadeem-Shravan, Jatin Lalit, Anu Malik, A. R. Rahman, Anand-Milind, Himesh Reshammiya,Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy, Ismail Darbar, Aadesh Shrivastava, Viju Shah, M.M. Keeravani, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and many others.

She has also sung in many notable albums such as "Tum Yaad Aaye", as well as "Tum Aaye" and "Shairana" in which she worked in close collaboration with award-winning lyricist Javed Akhtar and noted singer Hariharan. She has also rendered the Hanuman Chalisa and various devotional songs.^[7]

She has lent her voice for three generation of actresses ranging from Hema Malini, Rekha, Shabana Azmi, Rakhi Gulzar, Sridevi to Madhuri Dixit, Raveena Tandon, Manisha Koirala, Juhi Chawla, Kajol, Tabu, Rani Mukerji, Preity Zinta,Karisma Kapoor, Aishwarya Rai to Kareena Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra, Sushmita Sen, Bipasha Basu, Katrina Kaif and many others.^[8]

Alka shares the title with Asha Bhosle for the greatest number of Filmfare Awards won (7) by a single female playback singer. Alka has also been the judge of various Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Challenge shows, and Star Voice of India, both singing competition shows, in which children or adults of various age groups compete with one another to win the award for best vocals. In addition to this, her song "Chamma Chamma" from China Gate was featured in the song "Hindi Sad Diamonds" from the soundtrack of the film Moulin Rouge!.

Awards & nominations

Alka Yagnik has won several prestigious music awards for best female playback such as Filmfare Awards, National Awards, IIFA Awards, Star Screen Awards,Zee Cine Awards, etc. She also holds the record for most awards won (7) as well as maximum nominations (35) in Best Female Playback category at the Filmfare Awards.
Alka Yagnik 10

Awards Won

Alka Yagnik has received numerous awards and nominations in her singing career, in addition to the awards listed below. She received the Filmfare award for Best Female Playback for three consecutive years from 2000-2002.

Filmfare Awards

Year	Song	Film	Music director(s)	Lyricist
1989	"Ek Do Teen"	Tezaab	Laxmikant-Pyarelal	Javed Akhtar
1994	"Choli Ke Peeche" shared with Ila Arun	Khalnayak	Laxmikant-Pyarelal	Anand Bakshi
1998	"Meri Mehbooba"	Pardes	Nadeem-Shravan	Anand Bakshi
2000	"Taal Se Taal"	Taal	A.R. Rahman	Anand Bakshi
2001	"Dil Ne Yeh Kaha Hai Dil Se"	Dhadkan	Nadeem-Shravan	Sameer
2002	"O Re Chhori"	Lagaan	A.R. Rahman	Javed Akhtar
2005	"Hum Tum"	Hum Tum	Jatin-Lalit	Prasoon Joshi

National Film Awards

Year	Song	Film	Music director(s)	Lyricist
1994	"Ghoongat Ki Aad Se"	Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke	Nadeem-Shravan	Sameer
1999	"Kuch Kuch Hota Hai"	Kuch Kuch Hota Hai	Jatin-Lalit	Sameer

Top Hits

But like the post - Mangeshkar generation of singers Alka's best phase began in the 1990's. By 1991 - 1992, she established herself as the busiest singer on the block, a position she still holds today despite the increased competition and her own choosiness! By the law of averages, her high hit songs have not followed any particular image, thus establishing Alka as the next all - rounder after Lata and Asha, and probably the prime singer of choice for heroines. Today, her list of actresses spans from Sharmila Tagore, Rakhee and Rekha to Preity Zinta, Rani Mukherjee, Amisha Patel and Kareena Kapoor. There is no significant composer she has not sung for, and in the case of the toppers she has consistently been the first and most frequent choice of names like Laxmikant - Pyarelal, Anand Milind (except for a brief phase when they were not recording together), Nadeem - Shravan, Anu Malik, Rajesh Roshan and Jatin - Lalit. She has also sung for all the newest composers on the block - Vishal, Anand Raaj Anand, Himesh Reshammiya, Sajid - Wajid, Shankar - Ehsaan - Loy, Ismail Darbar and Sanjeev Darshan.

The cavalcade of hits include - as main female singer - films like
Saajan, Phool Aur Kaante, aDeewana, Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke, Dilwale, Raja, Barsaat, Raja Hindustani and Pardes (Nadeem - Shravan);

Hum, Narsimha, Prem Deewane, Khal - Nayak, Deewana Mastana (Laxmikant - Pyarelal),

Vishwatma, Tere Mere Sapne, Mohra, Gupt and Bade Miyan Chote Miyan (Viju Shah);

Coolie No.1, Anari, Suhaag, aHero No.1, Jaanwar (Anand - Milind); Karan Arjun, Sabse Bada Khiladi, Kaho… Na Pyar Hai (Rajesh Roshan);

Dallal (Bappi Lahiri);

Criminal and aZakhm (M. M. Kreem);

Sir, Phir Teri Kahani Yaad Aayi, Baazigar, Main Khiladi Tu Anari, Imtihan, Akele Hum Akele Tum, Border, Ishq, Duplicate, Soldier, Jaanam Samjha Karo, Baadshah, Biwi No.1, Refugee,Josh (Anu Malik);

Jab Pyar Kisi Se Hota Hai, Ghulam, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Pyar To Hona Hi Tha, Sarfarosh,Khiladi, Raju Ban Gaya Gentelman, Fareb, Yes Boss, Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani (Jatin - Lalit)

Kachche Dhaage (Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan),

Dulhan Hum Le Jayenge and Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya (Himesh Reshammiya)

and many others.

She also sang in films like Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Hum Saath Saath Hain, Taal (for which she got the Filmfare), Tarkeib, Khamoshi, Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar, Hello Brother, Papa Kehte Hain, Aankhen, Dalaal and many other films.

The mega - hits of Alka Yagnik can be best enumerated by taking them actress - wise. And so the crème - de - la - crème of Alka Yagnik is as follows.

Madhuri Dixit: 'Ek Do Teen Char' (Tezaab), 'Dekha Hai Pehli Baar' (Saajan), 'Choli Ke Peeche' (Khal - Nayak), 'Dhak Dhak Karne Laga' (Beta), 'Ankhiyaan Milaoon' (Raja).

Raakhee: 'Mere Angne Mein' (Laawaris).

Juhi Chawla: 'Ghoonghat Ki Aadh mein' (Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke), 'Mere Mehboob' (Duplicate).

Rani Mukherjee: 'Tum Paas Aaye' (Kuch Kuch Hota Hai), 'Aati Kya Khandala' (Ghulam).

Kajol: Title songs of Baazigar and Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya and 'Jaati Hoon Main' (Karan Arjun).

Manisha Koirala: 'Raja Ko Rani Se Pyar Ho Gaya' (Akele Hum Akele Tum) and the title track ofMann.

Mahima Choudhary: 'Mere Mehbooba' (Pardes).

Ayesha Jhulka: 'Waada Raha Sanam' (Khiladi) and 'Gutar Gutar' (Dalaal).

Amisha Patel: Title track of Kaho Naa.. Pyar Hai.

Karishma Kapoor: 'Pardesi Pardesi (Raja Hindustani and 'Main To Raste' (Coolie No.1).

Shilpa Shetty: 'Churake Dil Mera (Main Khiladi Tu Anari).

Aishwarya Rai: 'Taal Se Taal Mila' (Taal) and 'Chand Chupa' (Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam), and so on for all other top actresses.
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