Pop legend Usha Uthup believes it is important for singers to maintain their originality as that’s what sets one apart from the crowd.
Speaking on the sidelines of the ongoing Jaipur Literature Festival, Uthup, who is known for her distinctive voice and trademark style of ‘bindi’ and saree, said one has to constantly reinvent to stay relevant.
"For me, the important thing is to make time your friend. You have to maintain your identity because it’s not how good or bad a singer you are, but how original you are.
"If you are original, you will be around. Only the good remains, rubbish gets sieved out, and if your identity is original, it will be there," Uthup said replying to a question from PTI.
The 75-year-old singer, whose songs such as 'Hare Rama Hare Krishna', 'Rambha Ho' and 'Koi Yahaan Nache Nache' are popular even today, said one has to move with the times.
"If you think you can race against time, it's not going to happen. You have to reinvent yourself. If I have sung ‘Shaan Se’ or ‘Ramba Ho’ three million times before, if I sing it today, I have to sing in a way that would attract the young generation.
"It's very important to maintain your identity and not try to copy anyone else. No one can sing like Manna (De) da, Lata ji (Mangeshkar) or Shankar Mahadevan, but then no one can sing like you. If you try to copy someone else, the one being copied will be done injustice and the biggest injustice will be done to you," she said.
On a question whether she believed Hindi cinema music was on the decline, Uthup said that was not the case.
"Don't feel bad that it is going down or anything like that because it's not going down at all. Let it all come in, the good stuff will remain and the bad stuff will automatically go. The more you think that 'oh songs were so good in the old days...' But who said that? It was the audience.
"In those days, RD Burman was not thought of as a good composer at all. Today, his music is the most mixed and remixed. Why did ‘Suhana safar’ become such a big hit? It's not only because the lyrics were fantastic or the music was good, it had Dilip Kumar," the singer recalled.
Uthup, who has recorded hundreds of albums in different languages and is a Padma Shri Award-winner, believes that a song is much bigger than the film or the voice behind it.
"The song is much bigger than the singer. Instead of saying old film songs were so popular. What was 'Eeena Meena Deeka'? Today, it's a classic. ‘Hari Om Hari’ is a classic. A song has to be given a certain amount of time.
"If you give it time, it will become a classic. If people don't like it, it's going to be lost anyway. Today's singers, composers, and lyricists are also fantastic. Everybody sings 'Pal' of KK or 'Bulleya',” she said.
Uthup’s biography ‘The Queen of Indian Pop’, translated to English by Sristi Jha, was released last year.
The JLF will come to an end on January 23.
(PTI)
JK Rowling’s Instagram story mocking Pedro Pascal’s criticismInstagram Screengrab
A scene from The Thursday Murder Club, where four retirees turn amateur detectives in a quiet British village shaken by a real murderInstagram/NetflixUK
Stills from Andaz Apna Apna
Stills from Andaz Apna Apna
Vinay Kumar Sinha
Rahul’s casual dismissal of that controversy has added fuel to the fire
Rahul Bhatt sparks controversy over 'insensitive' remarks about sisters Alia and Pooja Bhatt
Rahul Bhatt, fitness trainer and son of veteran filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, has found himself at the centre of a social media storm following controversial remarks about his half-sister, Alia Bhatt. In a recent interview, Rahul drew comparisons between Alia and their older sister Pooja Bhatt, calling the latter more talented, attractive, and principled.
The comments, which many have labelled inappropriate and insensitive, have sparked widespread criticism online. During the interview, Rahul stated, “In my opinion, she (Alia) is not even half of what my real sister Pooja is. Not in talent, not in looks, not in terms of being sexy. In front of my sister, she is ‘paani kam chai’ (watery tea). Amongst the siblings, the most talented and the most moralistic is Pooja.”
Social media users reacted strongly, questioning why Rahul would compare his sisters in such personal terms. Several users were particularly disturbed by his reference to their appearance and sex appeal, pointing out that such comparisons within a family cross boundaries of propriety. One comment read, “This is disturbing. Why talk about your sisters like that? It’s not just weird, it’s wrong.” Another post said, “There’s nothing respectful about comparing your siblings’ attractiveness in public.”
The backlash also reignited conversation around a decades-old controversy involving Mahesh Bhatt and Pooja Bhatt. Rahul was asked about the infamous 1990s magazine cover where the father-daughter duo shared a kiss, which had stirred public outrage at the time. Dismissing the criticism, Rahul said, “It doesn’t make any difference. It’s like water off a duck’s back. We know the truth, and we’ve seen everything since childhood.”
Rahul’s casual dismissal of that controversy has added fuel to the fire, with critics saying it reflects a broader issue of the Bhatt family being insensitive to public perception and boundaries. Many users questioned the need for bringing up old incidents in a bid to defend new and equally questionable statements.
As of now, neither Alia Bhatt nor Pooja Bhatt has issued any public response to Rahul’s remarks. Both actors, known for their significant contributions to Indian cinema, have typically kept family matters private despite living in the public eye.
This episode has also sparked debate over the role of public figures in maintaining respect when discussing family matters in the media. Observers say such comments, especially when involving women’s appearance and personal qualities, reinforce problematic attitudes and fuel unnecessary controversies.
While Rahul Bhatt is not as prominent in the entertainment industry as his father or sisters, his comments have made headlines and placed the Bhatt family in the spotlight for reasons beyond their creative work. For many, this serves as a reminder that public platforms come with responsibility, and that family ties should not be trivialised or dissected for attention or comparison.
The backlash is unlikely to subside soon, especially as fans and followers of Alia and Pooja continue to express disappointment over the way the situation has unfolded. Whether or not Rahul chooses to clarify or apologise remains to be seen.