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| Usha Uthup and Rita Bhimani at The Conclave. Pictures: Rashbehari Das |
Her cue was the F-word. What followed was a delightful chat between Usha Uthup and Rita Bhimani that had the audience at The Conclave in splits. The two played around with the letter F and its various connotations, creating beautiful vibes for The Red Sofa conversations on Thursday evening. Didi also wowed with a few songs, hitting the right note with the Ganesh Vandana at the beginning and rounding off with Skyfall and Darling. “I feel so good…wherever I have gone, it’s been such a big hit, such a revelation to people because they don’t expect that to come out of a sari!” said Usha after singing Skyfall. And before belting out Darling, she said, “Tell me what happened to Sheila? Jawaan ho gayee. Munni badnaam ho gayee. Aur Chikni Chameli aapko chhor kaar disco chali gayi.... Rah gayee sirf aapki Darling aapke saath.”
Excerpts from the Rita-Usha chat...
Rita Bhimani: I was thinking of the F-word...
Usha: That’s really nice because for me that is history. (Laughs)
You have got bad things on your mind! The four-letter F-word I’m talking about is fame.
Fame, yeah I love it!
I was thinking of another F-word.
Tell me fast...
Film. Since you have acted in films… after 7 Khoon Maaf did you want to become a film actress?
It’s not only 7 Khoon Maaf… I keep good company. I have worked with Amitabh Bachchan (Bombay to Goa) and Kamal Haasan (Manmadan Ambu). I’m dying to act. I love the film world. I loved the atmosphere, the buzz that was there in 7 Khoon Maaf; I learnt so much from Naseeruddin Shah and Anu Kapoor, unbelievable talent… acting is an extension of my music and I’m hoping that I’ll get a lot more offers.
I would like your take on the Supreme Court order on lifting the ban on bar girls...
In 1969, when I started singing in a nightclub, most people thought it was a bad thing to do... I’m all for the girls, this is just another way of earning a living. Maybe they enjoy dancing, what’s wrong with that? Some of the names we remember from Park Street — Veronica, Shefali — are superb dancers. I say live and let live. If you don’t like it, don’t go and watch it.... If you go abroad, especially to the Middle East, you will find most of the audience (at nightclubs) are Indians!
You are all for women and women’s empowerment...
Hundred per cent. And after all the problems we have faced in India in recent times, it has struck me even more. There was a time when I was also a party to this, when I would say, “If the girls dress provocatively, then the guys are going to take advantage.” Now, after all that has happened, I say, “Hey, just because someone dresses provocatively, doesn’t mean you can take advantage. That’s her body… you have no right to it.” So I am all for women working wherever they want to, and why not?
Rumour has it that you presented your husband Jani a Mercedes!
I presented him a Mercedes?! When was that?! Yeah, if I gave him that, then I should be given something in kind. (Laughs) What do you say? Come on, women! Kono maane hoy. What’s with the F-word? Let’s get on with it.
Okay, four-letter word –– food!
I am not a foodie actually. I am a junk eater.
You are an idli-sambar person?
Yes, I make idli-sambar, chicken stew and appam for everybody else, but I would go any day to Southern Avenue to the lady who makes phuchkas, and have it over there! Oh boy, really super! And muri from Russel Street. I am an expert on junk food!
Apparently, you would cook, as we call it, non-vegetarian food for your family?
Why as we call it?
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Because we Bongs, as opposed to non-Bongs… Bangali Abangali!
I am not Abangali! Apnara Bangali apnader jonmoshokti te, aami Bangali amar nijer ichher shokti te (You are Bengali by birth, I am Bengali by choice)!
What was that little ditty you would sing about fish?
(Sings) Ilish maachher paturi, pona machher kaalia, chingri machher malaikari, tomay dibo raadhiya...
Have you cooked that?
Of course! My husband is from Kerala, and that’s God’s own country and there’s no way you could get away without cooking beef, fish, mutton. I have been a very good cook. The kids love my cooking. I have only 18 recipes and they were given to me by my aunt. I never innovate because I can’t taste it. My daughter Anjali used to taste the food I would cook... I never ever felt bad cooking this non-veg. I would sometimes say to myself: “Fine south Indian Brahmin you are, all grown up on coffee and rasam and sambar, and how could I be cutting beef like that?” But I do believe it’s the love that makes you go ahead.
Coming back to F, do you have any fears?
I am the biggest fraud! Ooh that’s an F-word! (Audience laughs) I look so strong but I am scared of everything… scared of the dark, of flying, of water, and it’s so sad I’m like this. It’s one of my biggest weaknesses. But I do want to share this with everybody — I’m not scared of dying; but of the five minutes before that I would have to go through. I am so scared of sickness, I’m so scared my grandchildren would fall sick. I wish that I could get over it. I’m sure there’s got to be some way we could help each other on this.
I’m also very insecure. I have these dreams where my name has been announced on stage and I can’t get my shoes right, I get the sari but not the blouse correct…. Another dream that keeps recurring is that I am in CC&FC and all my friends just pass me by. I’m saying: “Don’t you wanna look at me, I’m Usha, don’t you wanna see me?” Nobody looks at me. Places keep changing but me in the dream, it’s always like that. And I’m so scared of dreaming in technicolour.
It’s so strange, she talks about this dream where no one’s going to recognise her because whenever she walks into CC&FC she’s stopped all the time… every minute of the way... they stop her, take her autograph....
This is what it’s all about. And I keep telling all the singers that I’ve ever met: “When somebody tells you to sing a song, just go ahead and sing, ’cause you have to be worried about the day when nobody asks you.” I hope that never happens to anybody.
The Sami sisters... it was all in the family, you were doing music together. You seem to have got ahead of them. Do you feel superior?
We have to clarify this. The original Sami sisters were Indira and Uma and they were my seniors, my inspiration. They were the original Sami sisters singing Western music…. And if you were talking about the Spice Girls, they were truly the Garam Masala girls. I was very small when they started singing and they really inspired me, because they used to wear saris, and I used to help them pleat the saris, I really looked up to them. They went their way when they got married, so getting them back together again was very difficult, because when you are singing in harmony it is very important to mouth words correctly… it takes a lot of training. And I pride myself on the fact that I could get Indira and Uma together again and we did shows here. Unfortunately, after my sister Uma lost her husband, she decided not to sing anymore. So then we got the younger sister Maya, and we did a show together. But no, I never felt even once I got ahead of them. Because... I am not a seasonal singer. I work very hard, I am singing every day... you’ve got to live with it, breathe it.
What do you think of people copying so many famous singers? Is that wrong?
Be inspired by people, take the best from them and make your own style. It’s not a question of being good or bad. It’s a question of being different and original. If you are original, you will stay on.
Who is your direct competition?
There are millions of singers today who try to model themselves on Lata Mangeshkar or Asha Bhosle. They are trying to copy them. But when it comes to a performance, they all have just Usha Uthup. I’m saying it clinically, not pompously.
You have a way of connecting with the audience....
It’s very important to be honest on stage; when you are honest, you are warm. People ask me in interviews: “Ushadi, so many people try to copy you. Why haven’t you inspired anyone to wear a sari the way you do?” It’s true. It’s something to do with the body, the glamour. Everyone is conscious of fitness. And somehow they feel it doesn’t work with the sari.
You are so amazing at mimicry...
I am a great mimic. I love observing people. It’s easy to mimic somebody when there’s a particular nuance about that person that stands out.
