This story is from February 27, 2019

I am dying to do stage shows in Lucknow: Shashaa Tirupati

The National Award winning singer, who was in the city sometime back, says she participated in reality shows only for recognition and not for competition
I am dying to do stage shows in Lucknow: Shashaa Tirupati
Shashaa Tirupati (BCCL/ Aditya Yadav)
Indo-Canadian singer and National Award winner Shashaa Tirupati, who has given hits like Humma Humma, Phir Bhi Tumko Chahunga, was in the city for a private event. The singer, who has been to the city a number of times earlier, was mesmerized by the beauty that the nawabi city beholds. Recalling some of her childhood memories of visiting Lucknow, she said, “I remember I used to come to Lucknow to participate in the Sangeet Natak Akademi competitions where I was the winner for three consecutive years.
This was way back in 1998 and after that I came here for my work commitments only.”
She adds, “I consider myself as one of those unlucky ones who steps on this beautiful land but is deprived of exploring the city. One thing I want to share is that I am dying to do stage shows in Lucknow. People have really appreciated a lot about this city and the people. I do have family friends staying in the city so they have taken me around to eat the mouth-watering chaat and I also went to Hazratganj to try out various other delicacies.”
Shashaa clicks a selfie with the acid attack survivors at a cafe run by them (BCCL/ Aditya Yadav)
Shashaa clicks a selfie with the acid attack survivors at a cafe run by them (BCCL/ Aditya Yadav)
Shashaa clicks a selfie with the acid attack survivors at a cafe run by them (BCCL/ Aditya Yadav)
Shashaa, who tried her luck on various reality shows, never wanted to be a part of them. Her sole aim to participate in the shows was to just get noticed by people. Sharing her views on the same, the Baarish song singer said, “I wanted to do reality shows because I feel it gives a kick-start to your career as people will start noticing you. It’s like when you are walking on the road and people will say that look so and so is walking. That really helps you commercially because people want to see their favourite contestants live rather than on TV. For me, the reality show was a medium to get noticed by people. Not for my singing but my popularity. After that my aim was always to become a playback singer. Reality shows were something I was never keen on doing. It was nothing I did out of my will. As a competitor, I hate doing reality shows. There is no doubt that reality shows provide you with a platform with great opportunities, but for me, I would rather be known as a playback singer than a reality show contestant.”
Shashaa Tirupati (BCCL/ Aditya Yadav)
Shashaa Tirupati (BCCL/ Aditya Yadav)
Shashaa Tirupati (BCCL/ Aditya Yadav)
The singer had abandoned her pre-medical course in Canada to move to India so that she could pursue music full time. Shashaa shares that she had to face a lot of hurdles in being where she is now. Right from getting her family to accepting her decision to be a playback singer, to making space in the industry, the singer has faced it all. Talking about her experience, she said, “I left college for singing and my parents hated me for that and I think they still hated me until the National Award. After the National Award, they were speechless. Singing was the last thing my parents wanted for me. They wanted me to study on scholarships. For them, it was useless as my parents wanted me to become a neurosurgeon. And suddenly one day I woke up and said ki mujhe Mumbai jana hai for singing. They said ‘ki beta yeh kya ho gaya hai tumko’, to which I said that if you will not allow me, I will lock myself in the room. And I was like jab tak my parents won’t say yes to send me to India, I will not step out of the room. So finally my dad gave in and said ki ‘chalo thande dimaagh se sochte hain’ and mom was completely indifferent and said ki ‘bilkul nahi jana hai’. I wanted to come to India alone and do things on my own. I guess I had too much self-respect and too much self-esteem issues. And I think it’s something that comes with you when you want to be self-made. I think the National Award that I have won would not have felt so good to receive, had I gotten full support from my family,” she adds.

The singer, who won the National Award for the song Vaan Varuvaan from the Tamil film Kaatru Veliyidai, says she was extremely happy to get the award. “I thought it was a joke when I was told about it. I was sleeping when the call came. I was constantly getting calls but since I was so sleepy I didn’t answer any one of them. Aur mujhe idea bhi nahi tha ki mera phone baj raha hai itni derr se. So finally I picked up the call. The caller then told me that ‘congratulations ma’am, you have won the National Award’. So I asked that ‘you mean that my song has won the award or my film has or probably the composer AR Rahman sir has’. He said ‘no ma’am you have won the National Award for Best Female Playback Singer’. The moment I heard that I just jumped out of my bed and my hands were shivering. Then I asked ‘who are you calling? To which he said that he was a guy from some publication. Immediately I hung up the phone and gave a little squeal. After that, I called up AR Rahman sir but he did not pick up my call and when he did not answer I called up my mother. She thought that something bad has happened to me as I was sobbing on the phone. I just said mummy and then I started crying. My mother started panicking and then I told her about the award. That was the first time when I understood ki khushi ke aansun kya hote hain,” she shares.
— Prachi Arya
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