Indian playback singer Alke Yagnik has had a three-decade long career that’s seen her break pretty much every record possible as a solo artist, as well as collaborate with some of the most respected and well-known composers on the continent. In addition to recording over 20,000 songs, winning the Filmfare Award for Best Female Playback Singer more times than any other artist in history, and being dubbed “the queen of playback singing”, these days she’s also a regular fixture on TV, thanks to her judging position on the hugely popular Superstar Singer. Find out more about the legendary singer with these ten fast facts.
1. She’s a record breaker
When it comes to award season, Yagnik takes no prisoners. In addition to wining the title of best female playback singer at the National Film Awards, National Awards, Lata Mangeshkar Award Bollywood Movie Awards, IIFA Awards, Star Screen Awards, Zee Cine Awards and more besides, she’s also broken the record for most awards won (as well as obtaining the maximum number of nominations) at the Filmfare Award for Best Female Playback Singer.
2. She’s been singing since she was 6
Yagnik was born 53 years ago in Kolkata. She had an early introduction to music thanks to her mother, Shubha, who was a singer specializing in Indian classical music. By the age of six, Yagnik was already performing, regularly appearing on All India Radio, Calcutta. When she was 10, her mother took her to Mumbai after securing a letter of introduction to the actor, producer and director Raj Kapoor from his Kolkata distributor. After being impressed enough with the young singer’s talents to offer his own letter of introduction, Kapoor packed Yagnik off to the music director Laxmikant, who spent the next few years nurturing her talents before unleashing them onto the world.
3. Her big break was with Ek Do Teen
After seeing minor success with songs for films such as Payal Ki Jhankaar (1980), Laawaris (1981), and Hamari Bahu Alka (1982), Yagnik got her first taste of superstardom with the song “Ek Do Teen” from the film Tezaab (1988). Despite later revealing she was ill during the recording of the song, it became phenomenally popular, earning her the first of what would turn out to be a record breaking seven Filmfare Award for Best Female Playback Singer.
4. She’s recorded the “best song of the century”
Yagnik, who has sung in over twenty languages, doesn’t just have multiple awards under her belt. According to a poll conducted by DesiMartini, Hindustan Times and Fever 104, she can also claim the title of best song of the century to her name. The song in question, “Taal Se Taal Mila” from the film Taal, was released in 1999. “Choli Ke Peeche”, the tune voted the hottest song of the century in a similar poll by Sanona, meanwhile, was released 6 years earlier in 1993.
5. She’s worked with all the greats
There’s no denying Yagnik is extremely talented in her own right, but she’s not harmed her career an ounce with some of the great choices she’s made in music partner. Some of the most significant composers she’s worked with include Laxmikant-Pyarelal (with whom she worked with on movies such as Coolie, Tezaab, Hum, Khalnayak, Khuda Gawah, Agneepath and Rajkumar); Jatin Lalit (who she collaborated with on Khiladi, Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman,Fareb,Ghulam, Khamoshi: The Musical, and Sarfarosh, among others) and Rajesh Roshan ( who she teamed up with on Kaamchor, Karan Arjun, “Dastak”, Sabse Bada Khiladi, Koyla, Papa Kehte Hai, Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai, and Koi… Mil Gaya).
6. She’s been judging reality shows for years
These days, many know Yagnik as a judge on Superstar Singer, the fifth most watched show in India (according to the figures from Times Of India in any case). But Yagnik’s association with reality TV stretches back years, starting in 2006 with Sa Re Ga Ma Pa L’il Champs and taking in Indian Idol and The Kapil Sharma Show along the way to Superstar Singer.
7. She’s a 90s fan
If she had to choose her favorite decade for music, Yagnik would choose the 1990s, as she revealed to Gaana Music Festival. “The 90s had romantic, soft melodies, that were just so lovely to listen to… I enjoy soft romantic melodies. I don’t like very heavy stuff or music that is very complicated. I like something with good lyrics and a soulful melody. Simple songs that touch your heart, that make you feel nice and relaxed. I would pick that”.
8. She believes in quantity over quality
She may have recorded over 20,000 songs in 1000 plus films, but don’t think for a second Yagnik is just plowing out the hits with no thought to their value. As she explained to Samvednaayen, she’s a firm believer in quality over quantity, something that’s led her to cut back dramatically on her previously prolific output. “This era of playback singing is much different from 90’s and not every song of this time suits to my voice,” she explained. “As I believe in quality work instead of quantity, so many times I reject the offers of singing but if something which I will feel that suits to my voice then definitely I will sing that song.”
9. Her mother was her first guru
As a singer herself, Yagnik’s mother actively encouraged and nurtured her daughter’s interest in singing from an early age, something Yagnik has since credited with much of her success. “My mother was my first guru,” she told the Hindu Times.
10. She has a long distance marriage
In 1989, Yagnik married the businessman Neeraj Kapoor. Despite a rough patch that saw the pair separate for 4-5 years, they are today as strong as ever, despite the pressures of their long-distance relationship (due to the needs of his company, Mohan Makin Breweries, Kappong lives apart from his wife in Shillong). “So far, we’ve survived the negatives of staying apart. We’ve stuck together because there’s a strong basic bond. Joh chhute nahin chuthta,” she told FilmFare.
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