THE ENTERTAINER.......USHA UTHUP

Usha Iyer, later Usha Uthup, born in 1947 in Mumbai in a Tamil Brahmin Family. His father was a Policeman who rose to become Deputy Commissioner Of Police, Mumbai. Her moher was well  educated housewife. Her older sisters, Indira and Uma, were the famous singing Sami sisters. Her father-in-law Brigadier C.C. Uthup, of the Sikh Regiment, received the prestigious A.V.S.M. Award from the President V.V. Giri in 1973. She studied at St. Agnes High School (Clare Road, Byculla). In school life she thrown out of music class because she did not fit in with a voice like others. But her music teacher recognised that she had some music in her. Even though she was not formally trained in music, she grew up in an musical atmosphere. Her parents used to listen to a wide range of Western Classical, Hindusthani and Carnatic Classical, she used to join them.

Her neighbour was S.M.A. Pathan, the then Deputy Commissioner Of Police. His daughter, Jamila, influenced her to learn Hindi and take up Indian Classical Music. This Fusion approach helped her to pioneer her unique brand of Indian Pop in the 1970s.

At the age of nine her first public singing occurred. Her sisters who were already exploring music career, took her to the most popular radio anchor Ameen Sayani, who gave her an opportunity to sing on the Ovaltine Music Hour in Radio Ceylon. She sang a number called “Mockinbird Hill”. After that several appearances followed through her teenage years.

Usha Uthup started singing in a small night club in Chennai called Nine Gems, wearing a saree and leg callipers, when she was 20. Her performance was so well that the owner of that night club asked her to stay for a week.  After that she began singing in Kolkata at night club such as “Trincas”. In the same time she also sang at “Talk of the Town”, now known as “Not Just Jazz by the Bay” in Mumbai. After Trincas, she atarted singing at the Oberoi Hotel, Delhi. One day, a film crew belonging to Navketan unit, including Shashi Kapoor, visited the night club and they offered hera chance to sung in film. As a result, she started her Bollywood career with HARE RAMA HARE KRISHNA. She was supposed to sing Dum Maro Dum along with Asha Bhosle, but for for internal politicking, she lost that chance but ended up singing an English version.

In 1968, she recorded covers of two pop songs in English, “Jambalaya” and  The Kingston Trio’s “ Greenback Dollar”. She also spend time some time in London where she frequently visited to Vernon Corea’s BBC office and was interviewed on London Sounds Eastern on BBC Radio London. Then she visited Nairobi as part of an Indian festival. She was so popular that she was invited to stay on. Her natianalistic songs in Swahili made her extremely popular and the then President Jomo Kenyatta made her an Honorary Citizen of Keniya.

Usha Uthup sang several songs in the 1970s & 1980s for music directors R.D. Burman and Bappi Lahiri. She also reprised some of R.D. Burman’s songs that were sung by others such as Mehbooba Mehbooba and Dum Maro Dum and popularised them to a distinct end. She also sang in Chris Perry’s Konkani album Chris Perry Presents Usha : “Meu Amor”. She also sang for a two-volume collection of Children Rhymes “Karadi Rhymes”, which are “Indian Rhymes for Indian Kids”, brought out by Karadi Tales. With each rhyme set to an Indian Raga and sung in her characteristic voice with a feisty tempo, Usha Uthup creats the atmosphere for children, and surprisingly, even adults to sing along and dance to the toe-tapping beats. She appeared as a Judge on a singing reality show Bharat Ki Shaan : Singing Star – Season 2 (2012) on DD National Channel along with Ismail Darbar, she was the Judge in the Season 3 of the show as well. She appeared in disguise on Indian Idol 1 & 2, She was one of the co-judges of the 2007 & 2008 and Idea star Singer Season 5 (2010), the most rated South IndianMusical  Reality Show in Malayalam.

Usha Uthup is also an actress. She made a cameo appearance in the film Bombay To Goa in 1972. In 2006 she acted in the Malayalam film Pothan Vava. She appeared in Bow Barracks Forever derected by Anjun Dutta in 2007. In that year she again appeared in Hattrick music video as herself. She also acted in Vishal Bhardwaj’s film 7 Khoon Maaf in 2011, she also sang a song in this film. In 2012 she also starred in Kannada film Parie.

She married to Jani Chacko Uthup and was formerly married to Late Ramu Iyer. They have a daughter Anjali and a son Sunny.

She currently lives in Kolkata with her husband. She is considered as an Icon of modern Kolkata and is an active in social presence in the city life in the City Of Joy.

From 1966 she continuing her Magic throughout the World as she sung in the film in Revolver Rani in this year (2014) too.

It has been scheduled that Usha Uthup will perform in the “Dooars Utsav” In Alipurduar, West Bengal, India, on 4^th February, 2015. Thus she continuing her Musical Journey to entertain all of us.

AWARDS

Padma Shri : Fourth highest civilian award presented by the Government of India.

Filmfare Awards :

v  Nominated for “One Two Cha Cha Cha” from Shalimar (1978)

v  Nominated for “Hari Om Hari” from Pyara Dushman (1980)

v  Nominated for “Rambha Ho” from Armaan (1981)

v  Best Female Playback Singer for “Darling” from 7 Khoon Maaf

Kalakar Awards :

v  7^th Kalakar Award for Best Album (Bengali) “Door Dipo Basini”

v  10^th Kalakar Award for Best Album (Bengali) “Chai Shilpir Samman”

v  12^th Kalakar Award for Best Playback Singer for the film “Joggers Park”

v  21^st Kalakar Award for Best Playback Singer for the film “Shirin Farhad Ki Toh Nikal Padi”

For her latest updates and more information please go to her Official website :

www.ushauthup.com