LEGENDARY
Read the passage and answer the following questions:-
The very first time she sang professionally, playback singer Kavita Krishnamurthy learnt a lesson she’s never forgotten. It was 1970 and at age 16, she’d been selected by composer Vijay S. Padukone to sing a 60 second Tamil jingle advertising a popular brand of baby food. Already on edge when she arrived at the recording studio, Kavita was further unnerved to find the legendary Geeta Dutt there, preparing to sing the same jiggle in Hindi.
“I’d almost certainly have muffed my lines,” Kavita says, “had not Geeta Dutt done something wonderful. Sensing my nervousness, she smiled and holding my hand said, “I’ve heard that you sing well. So don’t be afraid. Do your best.”
“Her words immediately put me at ease and my recording went without a hitch.”
Subsequently, during Kavita’s struggle to make it as a playback singer, many others-including Hemant Kumar and Manna Dey – provided encouragement and advice. “They all taught me that you shouldn’t reach for success by trampling on other people.”
Laxmikant gave her an option to work as a dubbing artist or a career in playback singing later. Kavita chose the latter and impressed Laxmikant with her extremely strong grasp of Hindustani classical music. Initially, she used to record songs and cut demos of songs intended for singers like Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle. In her struggling phase, she received the patronage of music composers Laxmikant-Pyarelal, who backed her so strongly that she was labelled as a singer exclusively working with them which gave many music directors an excuse to avoid working with her. In 1980, she first sang the song, “Kaahe Ko Byaahi” in the film Maang Bharo Sajana, which featured her singing in her own voice. Unfortunately, the song was dropped from the final cut of the film. In 1985, her career took off with her first major hit, “Tumse Milkar Na Jaane Kyon” from the Hindi film Pyaar Jhukta Nahin. Post the success of the song, it opened up various opportunities beyond the Laxmikant-Pyarelal camp. However, “Hawa Hawaii” and “Kane Hain Hum Pyaar Mr India Se”, two popular songs from the equally popular movie Mr India (1987), proved to be a turning point in her career. (The songs were composed by music composers Laxmikant-Pyarelal, the latter being a duet with Kishore Kumar and lip-synced on screen by actress Sridevi). Her collaboration with Laxmikant-Pyarelal produced several hits.
(a) Why did Kavita Krishnamurthy feel extremely nervous on the occasion of her first recording?
(b) How did Geeta Dutt encourage Kavita?
(c) How did Hemant Kumar and Manna Dey help her during her struggling days?
(d) Which Hindi film songs provided to be a turning point in her career?
(e) What is meant by the word `legendary’? (Para 1)
(i) charming (ii) great (iii) notorious (iv) famous
(f) What is meant by the word ‘hitch’? (Para 3)
(i) fear (ii) opposition (iii) difficulty (iv) anger
(g) What is meant by the word ‘grasp’? (Para 5)
(i) understanding (ii) knowledge (iii) learning (iv) insight
(h) What is meant by the word `collaboration’? (Para 6)
(i) affection (ii) association (iii) relationship (iv) friendship
Answers :
(a) She was nervous because it was her first recording. Besides, she was further unnerved to find the legendary Geeta Dutt there, preparing to sing the same jingle in Hindi.
(b) Sensing Kavita’s nervousness, Geeta Dutt smiled, held her hand, and said, “I’ve heard that you sing well. So don’t be afraid. Do your best.”
(c) Hemant Kumar and Manna Dey provided encouragement and advice. They all taught her that one shouldn’t reach for success by trampling on other people.
(d) “Hawa Hawaii” and “Karte Hain Hum Pyaar Mr India Se”, two popular songs from the movie Mr India (1987), proved to be a turning point in her career.
(e) (iv) famous (f) (iii) difficulty (g) (i) understanding (h) (ii) association