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Vasundhara Das

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Vasundhara Das
Das in 2010
Born (1977-08-18) 18 August 1977 (age 47)
Bangalore, Karnataka, India
Occupation(s)Playback singer, Actress
Years active1998–2012
Spouse
Roberto Narain
​
(m. 2012)​

Vasundhara Das (born 18 August 1977[1]) is an Indian playback singer and former actress. Vasundhara's acting career includes Hey Ram (Tamil/Hindi), Monsoon Wedding (English), Citizen (Tamil), Ravana Prabhu (Malayalam), Lankesh Patrike (Kannada) and several others. She won the Filmfare Award for Best Female Playback Singer – Tamil for the song, "Shakalaka Baby"[2] from the film Mudhalvan[3]

Personal life

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She was born on 18 August 1977 in Bangalore, Karnataka to Kishen Das and Nirmala Das. She studied at Cluny Convent High School, Bangalore, Sri Vidya Mandir, Bangalore and Mount Carmel College, Bangalore, graduating in economics, Statistics and Mathematics.[1]

She began training in Hindustani classical music at the age of six under her grandmother Indira Das, who ran a music school on the top of their house. She then joined the Lalit Kala Academy, and later studied under Pandit Parameshwar Hegde, her Guru. In her college days, she was a lead singer of a girl band and was soprano in the college choir. In an interview, she states that – "I got booed off the first time I sang on stage".[4] She speaks Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, English, Malayalam, Hindi and Spanish.[1][5]

In 2012, Vasundhara married her long-time friend, Roberto Narain, a drummer and percussionist.[1][6]

Career

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Acting

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Das in a Concert

In 1999, Vasundhara debuted as an actor with Kamal Haasan in the film Hey Ram though she started her career industry as a playback singer.[4] She played the lead actress alongside Mohanlal in the Malayalam movie Raavanaprabhu (2001), with Ajith Kumar in the Tamil movie Citizen (2001) and with Darshan in the Kannada movie Lankesh Patrike.[7] She also starred in Mira Nair's movie Monsoon Wedding (2001).[8][2]

Music

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She worked with playback singing career with A. R. Rahman's Tamil film Mudhalvan, for which she sang the song "Shakalaka Baby",[4] which won her the Filmfare Award for Best Female Playback Singer – Tamil 2001.[3] Later she worked with composers such as Vijaya Bhaskar, Yuvan Shankar Raja and G. V. Prakash Kumar. Her first film as a music composer was Paranthe Wali Gali (2014) along with Vikram Khajuria.[9]

She was a founding member of Arya, a world music band that performed in Europe and America, and broke up in 2004.[10] She has composed music at her Bangalore-based studio, The Active.[9][10] She has also been involved in several independent projects such as Channel V Jammin', BBC's HIV awareness anthem for India "Har Kadam", Mission Ustaad, Global Rhythms, Nylon Soundz,[citation needed] and The Shah Hussain Project, a collaborative album with Sufi singer Mir Mukhtiyar Ali.[11] She has a French single out in France called "L'ete Indien" in collaboration with Paris-based Agrumes Studio.[10]

Vasundhara trained under the founder of drum jam, Arthur Hull in Hawaii.[12][13] In 2013, she initiated an event, Community Drumjam at the MG Road metro station, Bangalore. It has since been run monthly by the Rangoli Metro Art Center, and Drumjam,[13][14] a Western music company she co-founded and is running with her husband.[15] They have conducted drum-jam programs at educational institutions and for communities of different age groups including children at risk, elderly with dementia and terminally-ill cancer patients.[16][12] In 2016, she conducted a drum jam session for the India national cricket team for their team building exercise initiative.[17][18]

Filmography

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Year Title Role Language Notes
2000 Hey Ram Mythili Iyengar Tamil/ Hindi Debut feature film
2001 Monsoon Wedding Aditi Verma Hindi/English [2]
Citizen Indhu Tamil [5]
Ravanaprabhu Mundackal Janaki Malayalam [2]
2003 Lankesh Patrike Preethi Kannada [7]
Film Star Lila, An Inmate Hindi
2004 Vajram Gemini Malayalam
Pathar Bezubaan Kalpana Varma Hindi
2006 Kudiyon Ka Hai Zamana Natasha Hindi
Corporate Herself Hindi [2]
2007 Ek Dastak Akansha Hindi [2]
2024 Gowri Kannada Special appearance[19]

Discography

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Year Movie Song Title Composer Language Co-Singer
1999 Mudhalvan
Oke Okkadu 		"Shakalaka Baby"[2] A. R. Rahman Tamil
Telugu (dubbed) 		Pravin Mani
2000 Rhythm "Ayyo Pathikichu" A. R. Rahman Udit Narayan
Azad "Sonare" Mani Sharma Telugu Udit Narayan
Kushi "Kattipudi Kattipudida"[5] Deva Tamil Shankar Mahadevan
Moodu Mukkalaata "Prema Vikramarkudu" M. M. Srilekha Telugu S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
2001 Neela "Hejje Hejje Mathadu" Vijaya Bhaskar Kannada Solo
"Ee Nada Manninalli"
Citizen "Pookari Pookari"[5] Deva Tamil Shankar Mahadevan
"I Like You"
Lagaan[1] "O Rey Chhori" A. R. Rahman Hindi Udit Narayan, Alka Yagnik
2002 Adrustam "Hollywood Handsome" Dhina Telugu Karthik
2003 Lankesh Patrike "Nodkond Baaro Andre" Babji-Sandeep Kannada Babji
Boys "Sarigame"[5] A. R. Rahman Tamil
Telugu (dubbed) 		Lucky Ali
"Dating"
Missamma "Ney Padithe Lokamey Padadha" Vandemataram Srinivas Telugu
Juniors "Night Jorugunnadi" Chakri Tippu
Mee Intikosthe Yem Istharu Maa Intikosthe Yem Testharu "Cienmallo Gani" Ghantadi Krishna
Kal Ho Naa Ho "It's The Time To Disco" Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy Hindi KK, Loy Mendonsa, Shaan, Sadhna Sargam
2004 Sye "Sye" M. M. Keeravani Telugu Kalyani Malik, Smita
"Ganga AC"
Manmadha "Thathai Thathai"[5] Yuvan Shankar Raja Telugu Devi Sri Prasad
Monalisa "Kurrakaru Hero" Valisha Babji Kannada Shankar Mahadevan
Dhoom "Salaame" Pritam Hindi Kunal Ganjawala
2005 Anniyan
Aparichithudu
Aparichit 		"Kannum Kannum"
"Naaku Neeku Nokia"[5]
"Gora Gora Aankh" 		Harris Jayaraj Tamil
Telugu (dubbed)
Hindi (dubbed) 		Lesle Lewis, Andrea Jeremiah
Kunal Ganjawala
Lesle Lewis
Anbe Aaruyire "Maram Kothiye" A.R. Rahman Tamil Shankar Mahadevan
Salaam Namaste "Salaam Namaste" Vishal–Shekhar Hindi Kunal Ganjawala
2006 Happy "I Hate You" Yuvan Shankar Raja Telugu Ranjith
Mayabazar "Andulona Undi" K. M. Radha Krishnan K. M. Radha Krishnan
Hanumanthu "Neevu Kottina" Vandemataram Srinivas Naveen
Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna "Where's The Party Tonight?" Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy Hindi Joi Barua, Shaan
Sarada Saradaga "Yenno Janma Janmala" S. V. Krishna Reddy Telugu Kunal Ganjawala
2007 Hudugaata "Mandakiniye" Jessie Gift Kannada Jessie Gift
Vijayadasami "Deepavali" Srikanth Deva Telugu Naveen
Sillunu Oru Kaadhal "Machhakkari"[5] A. R. Rahman Tamil Shankar Mahadevan
Jhoom Barabar Jhoom "Kiss of Love" Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy Hindi Vishal Dadlani
2008 Ullasamga Utsahamga "Chakori" G. V. Prakash Kumar Kannada Benny Dayal
Nannusire "Sanje Beachinalli" Premji Amaren Premji Amaren
2012 Yamudiki Mogudu: Ee Nela Thakkuvodu "Narottama Narottama" Koti Telugu

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Venkatesh Koteshwar (25 January 2012). "Vasundhara Das Quietly Weds Robert Narain at 'Namma Bhoomi'". mangalorean.com. Archived from the original on 20 December 2013. Retrieved 20 December 2013.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g "Vasundhara's focus is now music therapy | Deccan Herald". 18 June 2020.
  3. ^ a b Santosh (5 February 2017). "47th Annual Filmfare South Best Playback Singer". Archived from the original on 5 February 2017.
  4. ^ a b c "Vasundhara Das: Musical Queen Reviving the Roots of Music". Know Your Star. 4 July 2014. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h "#UnforgettableOnes: 'Citizen' actress Vasundhara Das". The Times of India. 16 February 2022. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
  6. ^ Namita Gupta (26 October 2011). "Drum Maaro Drum". raintreemedia.com. Archived from the original on 25 June 2022. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
  7. ^ a b Digital Native (26 September 2019). "Indrajit Lankesh to direct Hollywood film". The News Minute. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
  8. ^ "Monsoon Wedding (2001) - BFI". British Film Institute. 7 May 2017. Archived from the original on 11 August 2016. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
  9. ^ a b Natasha Coutinho (22 January 2014). "Vasundhara Das is busy making music". Deccan Chronicle. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
  10. ^ a b c "Team". communitydrumjamfoundation.in. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
  11. ^ "Vasundhara Das's next is based on poetry". The Times of India. TNN. 16 January 2017. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
  12. ^ a b Ranjani Govind (4 November 2019). "The rhythm is going to get you". The Hindu. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
  13. ^ a b "Drumjam: Roberto Narain & Vasundhara Das". inktalks.com. Retrieved 20 June 2022.
  14. ^ Brinda Das (29 October 2019). "Vasundhara Das to hold music workshop in Bengaluru on November 3". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 20 June 2022.
  15. ^ Chetana Divya Vasudev (19 November 2013). "Dancing to the drums". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 16 June 2012.
  16. ^ Jayashree Narayanan (24 June 2020). "The power of the voice and drum is not to be taken lightly: Vasundhara Das on music as therapy". The Indian Express. Retrieved 20 June 2022.
  17. ^ "Bonding over Music: Kohli & Co jam over drums with Vasundhara". The Times of India. 3 July 2016. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
  18. ^ Bipin Dani (5 July 2016). "Anil Kumble wanted band to 'Drumjam': Vasundhara Das". Deccan Chronicle. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
  19. ^ "Samarjit impresses with dance moves and action stunts". Deccan Herald.
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