Crazy over Classical
Voice of India finalist Rithisha Padmanabh recollects the ups and downs of the reality show
Selected from 800 Bangaloreans, Rithisha Padmanabh made it to the
Rithisha Padmanabh
“I think I did a decent job,” she says and recalls the adulations she received. “I’ve got offers from Monty Sharmaji and Sukhvinder Singhji (judges). Sonu Nigam thought my voice was unique and actor Shiney Ahuja told a radio station that I had great potential. Bappi Lahiri also compli-mented me on my voice quality.”
What satis-fies her however is that she showed her ‘versatility’. “I sang all sorts of songs. While I’m trained in classi-cal, I listen to Western music and thus enjoy every genre,” she explains. The show also gave her a chance to do things that she had never done before, she says. “We had to attend dance classes and gym, which was a new expe-rience for me. This apart, I picked up the intricacies of playback singing and also learnt how to perform. All in all, I am a smarter person now.”
There were the downsides as well. “For one, I understood that not everything about reality shows is real! There is a script to follow at times and it is very difficult to be artificial. Some of the dresses I was asked to wear were also weird. But I think I managed to remain graceful and be
myself to the extent possible.”
The wild card entry concept also was something that didn’t go down well with Rithisha. “It’s as good as telling those who have reached the top that their voices don’t count. And it was very frustrating for me because I had put my studies on hold. I had to come back and join my engineering college, and the show format was being changed from time to time due to the entries.”
Now that she is out of the show, what does she plan to do? “Well, there is still the finals to watch. I feel Ravi may win, but Malhar would be my favourite.” So how was her rapport with her fellow contestants. “Competition was very healthy. No one was jealous and we always helped each other improve.”
Ritisha is also looking forward to giving concerts. “Mein toh classical music ke piche padi hoon. I want to give more classical concerts,” she says. The girl has received training in Hindustani classical from Geetha Hegde and in light music from Malthi Sharma.
“But more than anything I’m catching up with friends,” she adds. And what do they say about their celebrity friend? “Our Ritisha is just the same, only uski dress sense has changed!” she says.
But she may not have much free time given that there are offers from Hindi and Kannada film industries. “Yes. But I can’t tell you much because these days nothing is for sure till your name appears on the CD cover! But some day I want to sing for Priyanka Chopra and have A R Rehman compose music for me,” she says, sharing her dream.
- SHRUTI I L
