Manjula
Gururaj, the melody queen of Karnataka, has made an indelible
mark on the South Indian music scenario. Her name is synonymous
with the song 'Olage seridare Gundu…' from the film Nanjundi
Kalyana, that made her an overnight star. The drunken voice
in the song was so natural that it enthralled Kannada cine-fans
all over the state. She shares her memorable moments with bangalorebest.com.
Does one need to have a classical music background to sing
in films?
Classical background supports singing, not only in films, but
in any kind of singing. Voice culture is most important. Perfection
is achieved once the pronunciation is proper.
Who initiated you into singing? I started singing when I was just four. Music has come to
me from my parents, who were also good musicians. I learnt Carnatic
classical music and Hindustani music when I was just 12 or 13.
Later, I learnt Western music… piano.
Your top song till date.. Olage seridare Gundu from Nanjunda Kalyana. That
was a good break.
Do you find it difficult to sing in, say, Malayalam? No. Singers follow pronunciation easily. I agree, to sing
in Malayalam is difficult. But I have not faced any problem
till now. I can sing in any language with utmost ease.
The music directors you like working with… Rajan Nagendra for their methodical working. Illayaraja
for the perfection he always aims for. Vijay Bhaskar, Laxmikant
Pyarelal, Bappi Lahiri… they are good. A R Rahman is innovative.
I worked with him when he was just 16. Hamsalekha, the top music
director in Karnataka, has a systematic method of working. Each
music director has his own style. I've learnt a lot from them.
Actually, it's a challenge to sing difficult songs, especially
the gimmick ones which cannot be easily imitated. In 'Janumada
Jodi' I sang like mad woman. The people liked it very much.
The
female singers you admire most… S.Janaki and Asha Bhosle have versatility. S.Janaki, in
particular, can suit herself to any sequence. If you want to
become a great singer, you should sing all types of songs. And
that is what is S.Janaki's secret.
Your inspiration… My first guru was my mother. My dad encouraged me to participate
in competitions. I attribute my success in films solely to my
husband. He encouraged me to sing for films.
Have you got anything to say about the sub-standard lyrics in
Kannada songs? Earlier, it wasn't like that. Nowadays, there are a lot
of songs with double meanings, and too raw. I hate singing such
type of songs. Sometimes, I suggest the lyricist change the
words. If they refuse, I simply don't sing. I am very particular
about Sahitya.
Are you pained when the songs that were sung by you are picturised
badly? There are many instances. In shooting, lyrics and dance
steps don't match. Sometimes, the choreographers just spoil
the mood of the song.
In
Akasmika, you sang with Dr.Raj. The audio sales were amazing.
How did you feel working with a great person like him? I've sung many songs with Dr.Raj. I enjoyed working with
him in his 200th film, Devatha Manushya. We have to learn a
lot from him, especially his patience his politeness. He says,
"God has given every man a talent. One should believe in himself
and work towards reaching his goal." He doesn't lose his patience
and he's very challenging to work with because he makes us feel
satisfied. He has even taught me some songs. I had a great time,
when I sang with him in Shabdavedhi,. He is forever learning
and always polite. I call him 'Adarsha Manushya'.
How do you find working with your husband? He is entertaining. We make a good pair. When we are on
a tour, he takes up the responsibility of arranging the show
and everything. He is very helpful.
Who introduced you in Telugu films? Chakravarthy introduced me. For one year, I sang more Telugu
songs than Kannada. Your
most memorable recording… When Rajan Nagendra called me for recording a song for a
film. It was a great opportunity. Unfortunately, at that time,
my son was serious. He had typhoid. We took him to a hospital
and some junior doctor said he had a hole in his heart. I was
shocked. Then I received a call from Rajan Nagendra urging me
to go for recording. With a pained heart I did go for the recording
and sang a happy song. When I came back to the hospital, I found
my son hale and healthy.
Your international performances… I have toured many foreign countries with my troupe. Both
in 1996 and 1998, my troupe performed in the Kannada cultural
festival - 'Pampa Kannada Utsav' in Detroit, U.S.A. The response
was quite good.
Tell me more about Sadhana, your music school? We have around 300 students learning vocal and different
types of musical instruments like guitar and keyboard. We conduct
workshops and invite talented singers to impart a few tips to
our students. Last year, Illayaraja spent a lot of time with
us and we gained a lot of knowledge from him.
Tips
for becoming a good singer… Your mind should be clear
You have to regulate your voice to suit the hero, heroine or
the villain's voice
Avoid tensions
Meditation
Acoustics should be good
Mood is important
Practical experience and self-judgement is a must
Dust, especially the Agarbathi fumes, affects singers. Air circulation
should be good.
Avoid eating bitter fruits and very hot items. Eat less salt.
Future plans… I have an ambition to construct a big professional musical
auditorium having a seating capacity of around 5000, on the
lines of American Uni-Max theatres. I want to emphasise a lot
on the acoustics. Mysore Kala Mandira in Mysore has one such
good auditorium in India.
12:45:40 PM 
Manjula
Gururaj, the melody queen of Karnataka, has made an indelible
mark on the South Indian music scenario. Her name is synonymous
with the song 'Olage seridare Gundu…' from the film Nanjundi
Kalyana, that made her an overnight star. The drunken voice
in the song was so natural that it enthralled Kannada cine-fans
all over the state. She shares her memorable moments with bangalorebest.com.
The
female singers you admire most… 
In
Akasmika, you sang with Dr.Raj. The audio sales were amazing.
How did you feel working with a great person like him? 
Your
most memorable recording… 
Tips
for becoming a good singer… 
